author(s)
Salma KH Ragab and Naglaa M Youssef

abstract
The present investigation aims to evaluate the efficacy of blending ammonium acetate and di- ammonium phosphate solutions on their attractance to Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in mandarin orchids under field conditions. Trap tests indicated that C. capitata adults exhibited different preferability to the tested ammonium compounds. Data showed that, the highest attractive treatment to c. capitata after 4 days was that of ammonium acetate 3% mixed with di- ammonium phosphate 2% (FTD= 1.31). After The mixture of ammonium acetate and di- ammonium phosphate as 3% of each exhibited the highest attraction to this pest. While, ammonium acetate 2% mixed with di- ammonium phosphate 1% was the highest attractant to C. capitata after 16 days. On the other hand all of the tested treatments attracted females of C. capitata obviously more than males. To evaluate the potency of the tested compounds, the concentrations of ammonium acetate showed adverse effect on the attractancy of C. capitata when it was alone or mixed with di- ammonium phosphate 1%. When the concentration of di- ammonium phosphate showed positive effect on the attractancy of C. capitata when it was alone or mixed with ammonium acetate 3%. The elapsed time showed its highest effect on the mixture of ammonium acetate 3% + di- ammonium phosphate followed by di- ammonium phosphate1% alone.