Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 5, 2006
Publication Date: September 13, 2006
Citation: Heath, R.R., Vazquez, A., Schnell, E.Q., Villarreal, J.M., Kendra, P.E., Epsky, N.D. 2006. Dynamics on ph of proteinaceous bait systems for use in attracting fruit flies. Meeting Abstract. Technical Abstract: Traps baited with synthetic food-based lures that include blends of ammonia, either as ammonium acetate or ammonium bicarbonate, and putrescine capture a number of Anastrepha and Bactrocera species fruit flies. However, for many of these species, more flies are captured in traps baited with the protein bait Nulure combined with borax in an aqueous solution, typically 9% Nulure (vol:vol) with 3% borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate; wt:vol). Nulure is acid-hydrolyzed corn protein product and has an acidic pH. Addition of borax makes the solution more alkaline, and increase in alkalinity results in increase in ammonia release from the bait. This is a very dynamic system, with resultant pH affected by factors such as pH of the water used to make the aqueous solution, amount of borax added and number of days since the solution was prepared. As part of research to developed improved lures and baits for Anastrepha and Bactrocera species fruit flies, studies are underway to develop a protein lure that is user-friendly, storable, and can be adjusted to attract target fruit flies. Research was conducted on the effect of pH on proteinaceous baits over time. It was observed that the zwitter ion effect plays a critical and confounded role on pH stability in aqueous solutions. Results will be presented on pH in a range of pH4 to pH10. Stabilization of pH was noted when propylene glycol was added at a 10% (vol:vol) concentration.