Biological Control of Ceratitis capitata in the Mexico-Guatemala Border Region and Its Advantages in Opening Areas with Social Conflict

Outbreaks of Ceratitis capitata (Weidemann) near the Mexico-Guatemala border each year generate an invasive pressure of transient entries into Mexican territory that must be eradicated to maintain the status of free area. An integrated pest management approach has been used based on specific detection systems and the application of strategies focused on pest eradication. The continuous actions of the program for approximately 40 years in the coffee belt, where most transient pest entries occur, have generated social rejection of control activities over the years. The strategy designed to solve this situation involves an integrated pest management focused on ecological pest eradication, where augmentative releases of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) contributing to pest suppression are viewed with sympathy and favor the opening of communities in conflict zones. The results obtained throughout the operational eradication activities have systematically shown mean parasitism percentages of ~40%, which is evidence that this is a wise decision by the Mexican authorities in the struggle to keep the country free of this pest and provide greater sustainability to the regions where eradication processes are carried out.