Abstract

 In India, fruit flies have been identified as one of the ten most serious problems of agriculture because of their polyphagous nature and the huge economic loss it causes to the fruits and vegetables (2.5 to 100%). Study was carried to determine the population dynamics of fruit flies (Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera zonata) and establish the correlation with abiotic factors in guava and citrus fruits crops in two agro ecological zones of North West India. Fruit flies population was recorded by installation of pheromone traps in different fruit crop ecosystems during the fruiting season of this zone. The data of trap catches of both the locations was correlated with the significantly influencing abiotic parameters. The peak fruit fly incidence varied between 31st to 34th standard weeks in guava ecosystem at both the locations. In citrus ecosystem, the incidence was highest during 35th and 39th standard weeks coinciding with the ripening of the fruits. At both the locations, trap catches of guava ecosystem were positively correlated with all the weather parameters, while under citrus ecosystem minimum temperature and rainfall showed negative correlation, but relative humidity was positively correlated. Information may be utilized in targeting suitable pest management techniques for respective zones.
Highlights
The fruit flies belonging to order Diptera, sub-order Brachycera, superfamilyTephritoidea (Family: Tephritidae), known as true fruit flies are of great economic importance as majority of them cause extensive damage to manyfruits and vegetables and ruin more than 400 different fruit and vegetable crops including mango, guava, citrus, melon, papaya, peach, passion fruit, plum, apple and star fruit (White and Elson-Harris, 1992)
At Patiala, the fruit fly incidence initiated in 34th SMW and increased and reached to its peak during 40th SMW (121.45 / trap) and 43rd SMW (117.75 / trap), when the mean temperature is 29°C along with 66 percent of mean relative humidity followed by a dip in trap catches in the subsequent weeks, 44th SMW (72.19 / trap)
Fruit flies in Guava In Guava the peak fruit fly incidence was observed in between 31st to 34th SMW at both the locations during both years (Fig.2)
Summary
The present studies were conducted at two ecological locations viz., Fatehpur, Rajputtan and Kalwan villages of district Patiala, Punjab (location I) situated at latitude (30°192 482 2 N), longitude (76°242 02 2 E) and altitude (258 m MSL); andAdvanced Centre for RainfedAgriculture (ACRA), Bari Brahmana, Samba, J&K (location II) situated at latitude (32°372 512 2 N), longitude (74°542 592 2 E) and altitude (311 m MSL), of North Western Plain zone of India. For recording the adult population of Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera zonata infesting these fruit crops, ball type pheromone traps (Lure: Methyl eugenol septum) were installed on tree branches at an height of 1.5 – 2.0 m above the ground level @ 2 traps / 500 m2 area i.e. 1 trap per 10 trees. The numbers of fruit flies caught per trap per SMW were recorded in citrus and guava crop during both the study years till the incidence becomes very lees or negligible. Amultiple linear pest-weather prediction model was developed by using SPSS statistical software
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