Fruit Fly Management in Brazil: Current Status and Perspectives

Brazil is the third-largest fruit producer in the world. One of Brazil’s biggest problems in producing and exporting fruits is the infestation of fruit flies. Species of Anastrepha, Bactrocera carambolae, and Ceratitis capitata constitute the economically important group. Anastrepha fraterculus, A. grandis, A. obliqua, A. pseudoparallela, A. zenildae, A. striata, and A. sororcula represent the species of the genus that cause the greatest economic losses. Several control techniques are adopted in the country, emphasizing biological and chemical control. In the northeast of the country, there is a Biofactory with the purpose of using SIT to control C. capitata, and free areas of A. grandis have allowed the export of Cucurbitaceae fruits to the United States and China. In the North region, the focus is on eradication and preventing the spread of B. carambolae to other regions. In the South and Southeast of Brazil, A. fraterculus has greater economic importance, for which the largest number of host fruits is registered. The chapter’s objective is to present the fruit fly management techniques currently used in the country and the innovative perspectives for managing fruit flies in different Brazilian agroecosystems.