New indices for measuring some quality control parameters of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.)

Abstract Even though the existence of interspecific competition and competitive displacement between the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) and peach fruit fly Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) in the last two decades in Egypt, Mediterranean fruit fly still occurs and threats many kinds of fruits and vegetables in Egypt. The objective of this study was to estimate the sexual compatibility, mating performance and relative sterility between laboratory and wild flies of the Mediterranean fruit fly, C. capitata by new indices (relative mating index, RMI; relative isolation index, RII; isolation index, ISI; male relative performance index, MRPI; female relative performance index, FRPI and relative sterility index, RSI). The results revealed that different doses of gamma radiation 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 Gy had no effect on the various parameters of mating compatibility, performance and competitiveness of lab strain males of medflies when mated with wild males. Moreover, no significant assortative or disassortative mating was observed. Therefore, we suggest that the lab strain males of medfly are compatible of mating with the wild males, at least under the laboratory conditions employed here