Oriental Fruit Fly Pesticide Resistance Overuse of Essay

Total Length: 678 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 3

Page 1 of 2

Oriental Fruit Fly Pesticide Resistance

Overuse of pesticides to control pest populations in fruit and vegetable commodities has led to the development of pesticide resistance among Bactrocera dorsalis, more commonly known as the oriental fruit fly. Pesticide resistance occurs when resistant individuals reproduce and the resistance to their offspring. If the pesticide is repeatedly used against a given population, the resistance will strengthen and a greater population will survive. It has been estimated that more than 500 species of insects, mites, and spiders have developed some level of pesticide resistance, a phenomenon that was predicted by Rachel Carson in her book Silent Spring (Gut, 2007). Despite developing resistance to pesticides meant to control oriental fruit fly populations, eradication has been achieved through the use of quarantine and fumigation programs.

Various insecticides have been used to combat oriental fruit flies including fenthion, fenitrothion, formothion, malathion, naled, trichlorfon, methomyl, fenvalerate, and cyfuthrin. It has been determined that resistance to organophosphates and methomyl has occurred and biomechanical mechanisms have been recorded in Diptera, Hemiptera, Homoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera (Hsu et al., 2004).

Stuck Writing Your "Oriental Fruit Fly Pesticide Resistance Overuse Of" Essay?

Pesticide resistance occurs when resistant individuals reproduce and the resistance to their offspring. It has been determined that "physiological mechanisms of insecticide resistance in insects include decreased rates of cuticular penetration, increased detoxification of the toxicants, decreased target site sensitivity, and increased sequestration (Hsu et al., 2004).

Infestation of the oriental fruit fly has been recorded in more than 150 fruits and vegetables with avocado, mango, and papaya being the most commonly attacked. Injury to the fruit occurs through oviposition punctures and subsequent larval development (Weems et al., 2010). Infestations have been devastating to the agriculture industry; in Hawaii, the oriental fruit fly has infested more than 125 hosts; and infestations of 50%-80% have been recorded in pear, peach, apricot, fig, and other fruits in West Pakistan. The oriental fruit fly is considered the principle mango pest in the Philippines and was a serious pest of citrus and subtropical fruits in Japan until its eradication in 1985 following an….....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Oriental Fruit Fly Pesticide Resistance Overuse Of" (2011, January 16) Retrieved June 6, 2026, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/oriental-fruit-fly-pesticide-resistance-49467

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Oriental Fruit Fly Pesticide Resistance Overuse Of" 16 January 2011. Web.6 June. 2026. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/oriental-fruit-fly-pesticide-resistance-49467>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Oriental Fruit Fly Pesticide Resistance Overuse Of", 16 January 2011, Accessed.6 June. 2026,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/oriental-fruit-fly-pesticide-resistance-49467