Non-host status as a quarantine treatment option for fruit flies

The Regional Fruit Fly Project and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (Regulatory Authority), New Zealand, developed a standard for testing the susceptibility of fruits and vegetables at various stages of maturity - MAF Regulatory Standard 155.02.02: Specifications for Determination of Host Status as a Treatment. A large number of fruits and vegetables have been subjected to laboratory cage tests and/or field cage tests using this standard in the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and Western Samoa. In the Cook Islands, 'Bird's Eye' chilli is a non-host to B. melanotus and B. xanthodes. In FSM, limes and Yapese lemon (Citrus hystrix) are non-hosts to B. frauenfeldi. In Fiji, 'Ripley Queen', 'Vaimana' and 'Smooth Cayenne' pineapples, squash, 'Hot Rod' and 'Red Fire' chillies, and bottle, bitter and spongy gourds are non-hosts to B. passiflorae and B. xanthodes. In Tonga, 'Candy Red' and 'Sugar Baby' watermelon and cucumber are non-hosts to B. facialis and B. xanthodes. Testing in Western Samoa has not been completed, but there are promising results. Much of the testing has been at a laboratory cage test level and comparable field cage tests still need to be carried out. This may confirm some non-host commodities, such as Samoan bananas and limes.