We designed 2 papaya groves to test the concepts of trap cropping and border trapping to control Toxotrypana curcicauda . Intensive fruit sampling in grove 1 indicated that the degree of fruit infestation decreased as the distance from the native vegetation (source of flies) increased. Rows planted 10 m away from the main block of papaya trees (trap crop) exhibited the greatest degree of puncture damage and larval infestation in both experimental groves. Fruit damage was highest after the rainy season was over and was spatially aggregated. We conclude that designing a papaya grove in such a way that a trap crop consisting of plants located 10 m from the main block of trees (and entirely surrounding it) can reduce fly damage significantly. If pheromone-baited fly traps are hung in these peripheral rows, the trap crop effect can be enhanced, and as a result, damage to the commercial block of trees can be reduced even further. Such a fly management scheme should allow growers to avoid or drastically reduce pesticide applications. We discuss our findings in relation to current knowledge of T. curvicauda behavior and make suggestions for further improvement and large scale testing of the management scheme we propose.

The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of zein and film formulation on mechanical and structural properties of native (FNS), and oxidized with 2.5% (FOSA) and 3.5% (FOSB) banana starch. The oxidized starch showed differences from native starch due to the oxidation process, showing a decrease in lipids, proteins, and amylose. The increase of the sodium hypochlorite increased the content of carbonyl and carboxyl groups in the ranges 0.015–0.028% and 0.022–0.031%, respectively. The film obtained from FOSB displayed the highest tensile strength (5.05 MPa) and satisfactory elongation value (27.1%). The zein addition caused a decrease in these mechanical properties, as well as a significant decrease in water vapour permeability (WVP). However, films from FOSA and FOSB showed higher permeability than that of the native starch. The addition of glycerol and the level of oxidation increased the films moisture. Micrographs showed that, during the oxidation process, impurities were largely eliminated from the starch granule, noting more homogeneous structures both in granules and films.