Abscission of Pepper Fruits By Dipterous Pest, Atherigona orientalis [Schiner] In Traditional and Mono-Crop Farms in Port Harcourt, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

Pepper fruits grown in traditional farms of Rivers State, Nigeria showed lower infestations of dipterous pests both at dry and rainy seasons than those grown at mono-crop farms (students' t -test, P< 0.05). Abscission of pepper fruits was significantly higher in Nsukka Yellow variety than other varieties sampled. Generally both infestation and abscission were significantly higher in Capsicum annum than in C. frutescens which showed the lowest infestation and subsequent abscission in both seasons. The relationship between depths of cuticle cracks on pepper fruits and number of eggs laid showed a positive correlation (r=0.71). A strong correlation also existed between number of larvae and percentage fruit loss (r=0.88).