Spatio-Temporal Abundance of The Mexican Fruit Fly Anastrepha ludens (Loew, 1873) with The Huanglongbing

Abstract

Citrus production faces significant phytosanitary challenges caused by Anastrepha ludens (Loew, 1873) and the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Jagoueix, Bové, and Garnier, 1994), transmitted by Diaphorina citri (Kuwayama, 1908), which causes Huanglongbing (HLB) disease. HLB-infected fruits are poorly colored (reverse ripening, yellow/green), deformed, small, and have reduced acidity and total soluble solids. These fruit characteristics may influence the abundance of A. ludens, since fruits are used as feeding, oviposition, and refuge sites. This study associated the abundance of A. ludens in commercial citrus orchards (with different numbers of HLB-infected trees) in the municipalities of González, Güémez, Hidalgo, Llera de Canales, Padilla, and Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The association between A. ludens abundance and the number of trees with HLB was analyzed using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). MCA revealed a higher frequency of A. ludens adults in Güémez, Padilla, and Victoria, where HLB incidence was highest (highest number of trees). In contrast, the lowest abundance of A. ludens adults was recorded in González, where HLB was virtually absent (lowest number of trees). It is recommended that the municipalities of Güémez, Padilla, and Victoria be prioritized in integrated management plans for A. ludens and HLB to mitigate the impact on citrus production.