Evaluation of Low-Temperature Phosphine Fumigation for Control of Oriental Fruit Fly in Loquat Fruit

Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel; Diptera:Tephritidae), is recognized as a quarantine pest and a threat to Chinese loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) fruit exports. Since loquat fruit is very sensitive to methyl bromide (MB) fumigation and cold treatment, in this study, low-temperature phosphine (PH 3 ) fumigation was investigated to develop an alternative phytosanitary treatment method.Tolerance tests showed that the third instar was the most tolerant of all life stages of B dorsalis to PH 3 gas at 8 degrees C.Toxicity assay with 500-3000 ppm PH 3 and subsequent probit analysis showed that 2000 ppm PH 3 was optimal for fumigation and 152.75 h of treatment duration were required to achieve 99.9968% mortality. In the verification test, 144 and 168 h of treatment duration with 2000 ppm PH 3 completely killed 35,277 and 35,134 B. dorsalis third instars, respectively. However, 13 live larvae were found after 120 h of treatment. Furthermore, these treatments reduced fruit respiration rates while causing no adverse effects on other fruit quality parameters, including firmness, soluble solid content, and titratable acidity over 192 h storage at 8 degrees C.The results strongly suggest that low-temperature PH 3 fumigation could be used for the postharvest control of B. dorsalis in loquat fruit.