Abstract
The production and marketing of fruits, especially mango, in sub-Saharan Africa are threatened by fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). This baseline study analysed the biodiversity of fruit fly species, in mango orchards, in different ecological zones of Togo. Traps used to monitor the flies in the orchards consisted of dry baits, made from four types of parapheromones specific to the males of different species. Forty species of fruit flies were identified in the mango orchards in Togo. The most common species were Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), Ceratitis cosyra (Walker), Ceratitis fasciventris (Bezzi), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), Ceratitis bremii Guérin-Méneville, Dacus bivittatus (Bigot), Dacus humeralis (Bezzi), Dacus punctatifrons Karsch and Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett). The invasive B. dorsalis and the endogenous species, C. cosyra were dominant in the mango producing areas of Togo because their prevalence were very high (B. dorsalis: 2.1 ≤ flies per trap per day (FTD) ≤ 472.2; C. cosyra: 0.34 ≤ FTD ≤ 97.28). There was no area free from fruit flies in Togo during the study. These results constitute an essential reference in the future evaluation of the effectiveness of any control activities initiated in Togo against fruit flies.
Highlights
The consumption of fruits and vegetables is at the core of a healthy diet (Amiot-Carlin et al 2007; Griep et al 2010; Zhang et al 2011)
The losses attributed to fruit flies in sub-Saharan Africa have been increasing in recent years because, in addition to the indigenous species like Ceratitis cosyra (Walker) (Diptera: Tephritidae) which attack fruits and reduce their nutritional and trade values, a new species, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) originated from Southeast Asia was first detected in Kenya in 2003, was introduced from Southeast Asia (Pouillès-Duplaix 2008; Vayssières et al 2014)
Among the species of Tephritidae identified in mango orchards in Togo, B. dorsalis, C. cosyra, C. capitata, C. fasciventris, C. silvestrii, C. anonae, C. quinaria, C. ditissima are known to be associated with various fruit plant species in Africa (Vayssières et al 2004; White and ElsonHarris 1992; Vayssières et al 2009a, b; Nboyine et al 2013; Vayssières et al 2015; Zida et al 2020)
Summary
The consumption of fruits and vegetables is at the core of a healthy diet (Amiot-Carlin et al 2007; Griep et al 2010; Zhang et al 2011). The fruit and vegetable sector is one of the key agricultural sectors targeted for promotion in Togo’s National Development Plan (PND) Of those targeted, mango, Mangifera indica L. Mango grows in the tropical and subtropical climates, making it second to citrus in terms of production It continues to be an important tropical fruit for Sub-Saharan African economies and serving as a major source of nutrition for the rural population, playing a major role in poverty reduction as well as being a potential export product (Vayssieres et al 2008). Apart from the native variety, the other common varieties of mangoes grown in Togo are: Kent, Palmer, Eldon and Somnole (MAEDR 2020) Despite their economic and nutritional importance, horticultural and mainly mango production and trade are threatened by pests affecting the implementation of the horticultural sector’s development policies. Between 2006 and 2007, interceptions associated with fruit flies increased by 23% and the annual economic losses were estimated at more than USD 42 million in Africa and more than one USD 1.0 billion worldwide (STDF 2009)
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