Intensity of attack caused by Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata Wiedem. (Diptera, Tephritidae) on mandarin along the Montenegrin seacoast

Abstract

Along the Montenegrin seacoast, all cultivated citrus species (mandarin, orange, lemon, grapefruit), fig, loquat and ziziphus were detected as host plants of the Ceratitis capitata Wiedem. Among those found, in economic sense, the most important host plant is mandarin Unsiu. Intensity of the attack were monitored on mandarin in 2003 and 2004 in localities Baosici, Lastva Grbaljska and Bar, and was determined as higher in 2003. The first symptoms of attack were detected, depending on locality, from middle of September until beginning of October, one to two months earlier then in 2004. The maximum number of larvae per fruit were detected in October and November (average from 13.44?0.16 to 22.82?0.13). Time of the first symptoms appearence on mandarin in September and October 2003 and in November 2004, indicate on crucial importance of alternative host plants (figs and loquat) for reproduction and increasing of C. capitata population, because later during a season its intensity of attack on mandarin, depend largely on their presence.