Embrapa has developed a new pesticide that uses Amazon soil fungi to fight fruit flies

The Brazilian National Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) has developed a new microbial insecticide using Metarhizium anisopliae, a bacterium extracted from soils in the Amazon region. According to the researchers, the biocide can be used to control a variety of fruit flies, such as Bactrocera carambolae.

Since it is obtained from the Amazon environment, this fungus is well suited to controlling fruit flies that occur in tropical environments. The technology has also been shown to be effective in controlling Anastrepha fraterculus, Certrocera capitata and the Bactrocera dorsalis, all pests that can cause large economic losses to fruits.

According to Embrapa, the biocide is the first product made from Metarhizium anisopliae to control the Bactrocera carambolae. It destroys fruit flies by applying it directly to the soil. The results showed that under field conditions, the prevention rate of this technology was as high as 87%. The product kills fruit fly larvae, pupae and adults in the soil without creating harmful residues on the crop and posing no risk to the environment. A large proportion of the adult worms in the treated soil will become infected and die before laying eggs, so they will not produce offspring.

The company is waiting for partners interested in producing and selling the product. Embrapa offers the opportunity for further research to extend the shelf life of products and additional testing for other harmful pests. Adilson Lopes Lima, a researcher at the company, said: "The use of this microbiological formulation against the American fruit fly is feasible, the product has a significant control effect and is easy to commercialize."

The product has also been expanded for use on insects similar to the target pests. "The Bactrocera carambolae is a member of the Bactrocera dorsalis family of 85 fruit fly species that are genetically close to each other," Lima said. 

As the Bactrocera dorsalis is one of the most destructive agricultural pests in the world and a major factor limiting international trade in fresh fruit, this technology from EmbrAPA holds the promise of economic, social and environmental benefits.