Rishon Lezion, Sept 25: Israel, a land at war -- against the fruit fly, which costs farmers around the world billions of dollars in damaged crops. Tucked away in a small laboratory southeast of Tel Aviv, scientists are putting the finishing touches on a high-tech trap that they hope will do away once and for all with the pest, which ravages citrus fruits and 240 other species of plants.
A special device imitates the chant of amorous male fruit flies. Eager females are attracted towards the noise and are zapped on a high-voltage electric coil. It's good news for farmers in dozens of countries that depend on fruit exports and whose economies can be devastated by an infestation. What's more, the Israeli system is friendly towards the environment.
Scientists developed the system after spending years listening to the mating calls of the fruit fly. The key was imitating the right frequency sound that indicated the male was willing to copulate.
Amos Mizrah, a researcher who works on the project, explained, "The patent actually is about an acoustical trap, and in this patent we are trying to call female fly to a trap, by imitation (imitating) the sounds of the male. In nature the sound of the male is called a calling song, and it is well known that the females are attacked by this song." By killing all the females, gradually the males will not be able to copulate and the species will become extinct.
This species damages over 250 types of fruits -- export crops on which many poorer countries depend.
If the system works it could eradicate entire populations of fruit flies rapidly. And for the males, only one answer: a lifetime of celibacy. Bureau Report