Fruit Fly Management Research Articles

Evaluation of different concentrations of Cue-lure for effective management of the melon fruit fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), in cucurbits ecosystem

Aim: To identify the effective concentration of Cue-lure (CL) for efficacious management of melon fruit fly (Zeugodacus cucurbitae), associated with the cucurbits. Methodology: Wooden blocks were soaked in different concentrations of Cue-lure (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%), installed in trap bottles along with commercially used McPhail traps baited with tablet lures, were tested for higher trap catches, in the bitter gourd field. The infested cucurbits were collected from the fields and placed in insect-rearing cages to check for the emergence of the adults. Results: The mean number of flies trapped/trap/week (FTW) was significantly highest in 25% Cue-lure compared with the remaining concentrations along with Tablet lures. On the basis of adults emerged from infested fruits, Z. cucurbitae proved to be the major fruit fly species infesting bitter gourd, with a sex ratio (♂:♀) of 1:1.3. However, in sponge gourd, a ♂:♀ of 1:1.9 was observed for Z. cucurbitae and 1:1.27 for Z. tau. Interpretation: Z. cucurbitae is the most damaging fruit fly species for cucurbits in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. 25% Cue-lure solution was found best for mass trapping of responsive fruit flies. Key words: Adult emergence, Cucurbits, Cue-lure, Parapheromone, Melon fruit fly

Insecticidal effect of new synthesized chalcone derivatives on Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa.

In this present study, new chalcone derivatives were synthesized from 4-aminoacetophenone, which were confirmed by spectroscopic methods. The toxic risks of chalcones to humans and the environment were investigated by a web-based platform called ADMETlab. With this program, the possible toxic effects of the compounds on liver, respiratory system, and eyes were evaluated. For the topical insecticidal activity, adult female Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa, was targeted. Results of the toxicity tests showed that chalcone derivatives are effective against female A.suspensa. Among the synthesized chalcones, 1-(4-cinnamoylphenyl)-3-(p-tolyl)urea (2) exhibited the greatest insecticidal activity, resulting in 73 % mortality at 100 µg/fly after 24 h, whereas other derivatives showed less than 30 % mortality. Our results demonstrate that insecticidal activity may be modulated by the presence of a certain phenyl ring in the structure of derivative 2 and, therefore, has potential for design of efficient chemicals for tephritid fruit fly management.

Species Composition of Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) on Selected Fruit Crops in Northeastern Ethiopia

A study was conducted to characterize the species composition of fruit flies in South Wollo and North Wollo administrative zones of northeastern Ethiopia. Fruit flies were collected using two methods: rearing from infested mango, guava, and sweet orange fruits and trapping the adults with male lures and food-based attractants. Three fruit fly species were recovered from the fruits collected: Bactrocera dorsalis, Ceratitis cosyra, and Ceratitis capitata; in addition to these species, Ceratitis fasciventris was trapped. Bactrocera dorsalis was the most abundant species and accounted for 97.9 and 78.89% of the total trapped and emerged adults, respectively. The number of B. dorsalis and C. capitata showed a significant difference among trapping locations and attractants. The highest number of B. dorsalis was trapped with methyl eugenol at Kalu (722.2 flies per trap per week). Among the indigenous fruit fly species, C. capitata was higher at Habru which was guava and coffee-dominated habitat, whereas C. cosyra was relatively higher at Kobo which is mango dominated. More adults were trapped in male lure traps (97.03%) than in food-based attractants (2.97%). Hence, fruit fly management should focus on guava and mango crops which host all the fruit fly species, including the dominant B. dorsalis.

Olfactory receptors in Bactrocera species for sustainable fruit fly management: A review and future perspectives

AbstractMolecular studies on odorant receptors (ORs), odorant‐binding proteins (OBPs) and the functioning of the receptor and pheromone signal transduction in fruit fly Bactrocera species have expanded exponentially during the past few decades. OBPs contribute to the sensing of the olfactory system (OS) via the transduction of odorants through the sensillum lymph. However, ORs, a family of G‐protein‐coupled receptors in Bactrocera and various other species, exhibit heightened responsiveness to multiple chemical odours such as hormones, sensory stimuli and neurotransmitters. The apparent mechanism involves a combinatorial code encompassing both peripheral and antennal lobe processing, facilitating the reception of sexual pheromones and environmental cues. The OS is specifically designed to recognize and process information from volatile chemical signals, and these chemical signals play an important function in various flies. Insects rely on these chemicals to navigate and comprehend their surroundings. A mature insect OS is composed of two pairs of sensillae‐covered palps, antennae and two primary pairs of olfactory appendages on the anterior head. It has been shown that chemosensory gene families contribute in odour perception. These include various neuroreceptor families, such as OBPs, chemosensory proteins and sensory neuron membrane proteins. Additionally, there are three divergent chemoreceptors, namely ORs, ionotropic receptors and gustatory receptors. Methods based on systematic biology, molecular biology and bioinformatics tools have rapidly emerged to investigate the insect communication systems and provide new insights for the management of many agricultural pest. Several aromatic compounds, including semiochemicals and pheromones, have been employed to defend crops and animals from destructive fruit flies and other invasive and frugivorous species. To promote the expansion of the cropping system, the utilization of phytochemical lures can be convenient for sustainable agriculture production and enhance food security. Hence, this review examined the state of the art in chemical communication of insects with a focus on fruit fly pest species to identify OS and their semiochemical receptors, protein receptors and chemosensory receptors (CSRs), as well as their practical applications for biological control and integrated pest management are highlighted.

The role of farming systems in the adoption of pest management practices: the case of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis in mango orchards in Senegal

Description of the suject. In Africa, pest pressure has led researchers, policymakers, and international development stakeholders to develop and disseminate innovative pest management strategies. However, farmers reject some pest management strategies due to economic constraints, agronomic problems, or incompatibilities with their strategies, knowledge bases, and visions of desirable change. Objectives. In this paper, we study the pest management practices employed by mango producers from different farming systems against the fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis, as well as the factors determining the level of engagement of these producers in managing this pest. Method. We surveyed 304 Senegalese mango growers affected by the invasive fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis to understand which farming systems’ features could explain the adoption level of fruit fly management tools through multivariate data analysis. Results. Three types of farming systems characterized by a coherent set of varietal choices, orchard management, harvest practices, commercial outlets, and fruit fly management practices are identified: (1) Intensive farming systems supplying the export market with the variety Kent and using a large set of orchard management tools and harvest practices to eliminate fruit flies, (2) Extensive farming systems supplying various varieties of mangoes with a dominance of Kent to both export and domestic markets, with access to fruit fly management tools from public services, (3) Gathering farming systems characterized by zero-input, high varietal diversity, difficult market access, non-selective harvest practices, and fruit fly management rarely practiced. Conclusions. The farming systems form a gradient of increasing use of fruit fly management tools and inputs, access to extension services, and export market orientation. Their coexistence in the same territories significantly contributes to the inefficiency of the control measures against Bactrocera dorsalis. Our results support the premise that in Africa, the adoption of pest management tools is more deeply integrated into the practices of certain producers compared to others, due to internal and external factors influencing the operation.

Efficacy of Home-made and Commercial Trapping Baits for the Management of Fruit Flies in Mandarin Orchards

Efficacy of Home-made and Commercial Trapping Baits for the Management of Fruit Flies in Mandarin Orchards

The Effect of Soil Depth on Pupation of Bactrocera dorsalis Collected from Chilli

Fruit flies including genus Bactrocera undergo a process of pupation in the soil. The depth of the soil may affect the success of pupation. This study aimed to evaluate soil depth's effect on the success of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) pupae in becoming imago, survival, normality and development time. The experiment in the laboratory consisted of eight treatments of pupation depth (0, 4, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 cm). Pupae were put in mica tubes with a diameter of 5 cm and poured with soil granules. Replications were done four times. The survival of B. dorsalis was significantly affected by soil depth. As the depth of the soil increased, the likelihood of becoming an imago reduced. The survival rate was lowest at a depth of 30 cm (2%±2) and the success rate for becoming an adult was best at a control depth of 0 cm (60%±5.9). Additionally, it was discovered that as pupation depth increased, the imago's survival rate decreased. The control group had a greater imago emergence survival rate (51%±4.1), whereas no pupa survived at a depth of 30 cm in the other groups. All soil depths except for 30 cm had normal imago, however, all other soil depths had anomalous imago. The range of the average development time was 8.02 to 12.57 days. The length of pupal development is influenced by the depth of pupation. At depths between 0 and 4 cm, pupal development took fewer than 10 days on average, but from 10 to 60 cm, it took more than 10 days. The regression analysis's findings point to the equation y = -4.9524x + 35.54. According to prediction results, a depth of 50.4 cm may be the point at which the emergence of adult B. dorsalis is successfully suppressed. This study recommends covering rotten fruit to inhibit the growth of fruit flies or burying it in the ground to a depth of more than 50 cm (in dry conditions) to increase the effectiveness of fruit fly management.

Management of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata: past, present, and future

Management of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata: past, present, and future

RNA interference‐mediated silencing of NOA and V‐ATPase subunit D genes results in deformities and mortality in Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel, 1912)

AbstractThe Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) is one of the five disastrous pests in the world with an economical significance. The guava germplasm resilient to fruit fly is not reported worldwide to date. The utilization of RNA interference (RNAi) approach can offer a promising alternative for fruit fly management in guava. The goal of our investigation is to evaluate the efficiency of dsRNA expression based on Escherichia coli used in B. dorsalis management by addressing its two indispensable genes, fatty acid elongase (NOA) and Vacuolar‐type H+‐ATPases D (v‐ATPase D). An artificial diet having E. coli strain HT115 (DE3) containing BdNOA, Bdv‐ATPase D dsRNA fed to maggots resulted in deformities with drastic mortality in treated adults, emerged pupae and maggots. The deformity together with total mortality in B. dorsalis was recorded at maximum as 74.66% and 64.20% in bacteria expressing dsRNAs of BdNOA and Bdv‐ATPase D, respectively, at 700 μL as compared to 350, 200 μL treatments. Severe deformities were reported such as underdeveloped abdomen, absence of wings, legs and inadequate eclosion along with suppressed target gene expression in B. dorsalis. This investigation thus provides a potential RNAi‐based pest management by targeting two key genes through feeding dsRNA‐expressing bacteria in B. dorsalis.

Spatial and temporal dispersion of Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in orchards infested with Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) is an endoparasitoid and promising fruit fly control agent. The objective of the study was to determine the spatial (horizontal and vertical) and temporal dispersion of D. areolatus in the field. To evaluate the horizontal and temporal dispersion, two peach orchards were selected. In each orchard, 50 points were marked at different distances from the central point, from where 4,100 couples of D. areolatus were released. Four hours after release, parasitism units (PU) (3 per point) were fixed to the trees at a height of 1.5 m from the ground. The PUs were composed of ripe apples artificially infested with second instar larvae of Anastrepha fraterculus (30 larvae/fruit). For the evaluation of vertical dispersion, in an olive orchard six points were selected (trees of ≈4 m in height). Each tree was divided into three heights in relation to the ground (1.17, 2.34, and 3.51 m). Doryctobracon areolatus was able to disperse horizontally at a distance >60 m from the release point. However, the highest parasitism rates [15-45% (area 1); 15-27% (area 2)] were observed up to 25 m. Higher percentages of parasitism and of recovered offspring occur in the first days after the release of the parasitoid (2 DAR). As for vertical dispersion, D. areolatus parasitized A. fraterculus larvae up to the highest attachment height of the evaluated PUs (3.51). The results showed the potential use of D. areolatus in the management of fruit flies in the field.

Response of some mango-infesting fruit flies to aqueous solutions of the basil plant Ocimum tenuiflorum L

IntroductionHorticulture is an important sub-sector for many African countries. Tephritid fruit flies continue to cause serious direct and indirect damage to the sub-sector. The male annihilation technique (MAT) using methyl eugenol (ME) is among the most revered techniques in fruit fly management. However, ME-based lures are only available to some farmers in Africa. Several basils of the genus Ocimum produce ME.MethodsIn laboratory experiments, we used a dual choice olfactometer to assess the attraction of adult oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis to intact plants, 100 µL commercial methyl eugenol (ME) (positive control), 10 mg/mL of O. tenuiflorum aqueous extract (Otae), and a negative control (blank). Large arena experiments were conducted to compare the responses of four fruit fly species of economic importance in Africa to Otae-baited traps.ResultsIn dual choice olfactometer assay, more B. dorsalis males (78.6%) than females (23.8%) were attracted to Otae. Most B. dorsalis males were attracted to the positive control (90.5%) and 10 mg/mL Otae (88.5%) compared to the whole plant (84.0%). In large arena experiments, Otae attracted the most B. dorsalis males (47.7%), followed by Zeugodacus cucurbitae males (25.1%), while males of Ceratitis species were the least attracted. The analysis of headspace volatiles from aerial plants, Otae and essential oil using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detected 97 compounds. The intact plant without flowers, intact plant with flowers, Otae, and the O. tenuiflorum essential oil contributed 76, 62, 33 and 28 compounds, respectively. ME comprised the top three most abundant compounds, especially in the essential oil.DiscussionOur study confirms the potential of O. tenuiflorum as a source of ME for tephritid fruit fly integrated management in Africa. Otae, a readily available alternative to commercial ME, can be used to develop fruit fly-baited traps, particularly for smallholder farmers.

Lethal and sublethal effects of toxic bait formulations on Doryctobracon areolatus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and implications for integrated fruit fly management.

The use of toxic baits has become one of the main methods of management of fruit flies in Brazil. The application of toxic baits may cause side effects on the native parasitoid Doryctobracon areolatus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Based on the results, formulations made from the food attractants 3% Biofruit, 1.5% Ceratrap, 1.25% Flyral, 3% Isca Samaritá, 3% Isca Samaritá Tradicional, and 7% sugarcane molasses associated with the Malathion 1000 EC and the ready-to-use toxic bait Gelsura (containing the active ingredient alpha-cypermethrin) were classified as harmful (class 4) to D. areolatus (mortality > 85% at 96 HAE). In contrast, for toxic baits formulated with insecticide phosmet, the mortality ranged from 38% to 72%, classified as slightly harmful or moderately harmful. However, when phosmet was added to the 3% Samaritá Tradicional bait, the mortality was only 3.9% (class 1-harmless), similar to the toxicity observed for the Success 0.02 CB ready-to-use bait (0.24 g a.i. spinosad/l) (<5% mortality). Although toxic baits were formulated with spinosyn-based insecticides, all toxic bait formulations were classified as harmless or slightly harmful (<50% mortality) to D. areolatus, with the exception of 1.5% Ceratrap + spinetoram and 7% Sugarcane molasses + spinosad (≈ 60% mortality-moderately harmful). In addition, these formulations did not show sublethal effects in reducing the parasitism and emergence rate of the F1 generation of D. areolatus in A. fraterculus larvae. The results serve as a basis for the correct use of toxic food baits without affecting the biological control.

A review of the efficacy and management of fruit flies, through different techniques used in fruit orchards of Pakistan

A review of the efficacy and management of fruit flies, through different techniques used in fruit orchards of Pakistan

Monitoring and eco-friendly management of cucurbit fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) on bitter gourd

An experiment was conducted to assess the adequacy of distinctive management practices, viz. yellow sticky trap set at 50, 100, and 150 cm height, fruit fly bait with a mashed sweet gourd (MSG), bagging, sanitation, and Ecomec 1.8 EC at the rate of 1mL per liter of water sprayed at 7 days interval. The experiment was carried out with a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 8 treatments and 3 replications. All the treatments significantly differed from the control. The total highest number and weight of healthy fruits were recorded in bagging (41.33 and 6.08 kg) but the lowest in control (19.00 and 2.22 kg, respectively). No infested fruits were found in bagging, meanwhile, the highest number and weight of infested fruits were counted in control (13.00 and 1.27 kg). In addition, bagging appeared to have no percent of infestation by number and weight. The highest percent of fruit infestation was found in control (40.75% and 36.48%) treatments based on number and weight. No wet reduction was found in the bagging treatment and the highest percent weight reduction per fruit was recorded in Ecomec 1.8 EC (30.17%). The highest number of larval densities were found in fruit fly bait with MSG (15.83) and the lowest in a yellow sticky trap set at 150 cm height (6.7). The highest number of fruit flies in a yellow sticky trap set at 50 cm height was captured on 21 March 2021 (4.33) and the lowest was on 29 April 2021 (1.33). The highest number of fruit flies were captured in a yellow sticky trap set at 50 cm height (43/trap) and the lowest in a bait trap with MSG (9.70/bait). The highest yield and increase of yield over control were found in bagging (12.16 tons/ha and 176.10%). J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 48(1-2): 67-82, June-December 2022

Does empowerment influence women’s willingness to pay for integrated pest management practices? A case study of mango growers in Zambia

Mango is an important fruit crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including Zambia, due to its nutritional value and contribution to food security. However, the invasive and mango-infesting fruit fly is a significant constraint in mango production. Therefore, icipe and partners developed and disseminated the integrated pest management package to curb this menace. The current study uses household-level data from 325 smallholder mango-growing households from selected regions in Zambia to evaluate how empowerment affects women's willingness to pay (WTP) for an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) package for the suppression of mango-infesting fruit flies. We used a double-bounded contingent valuation model to determine the association between Project-Level Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (pro-WEAI), other social-economics factors, and WTP. The results show that women’s empowerment status positively and significantly increased the likelihood of considering a higher bid for the IPM package. Other factors affecting women’s WTP for the IPM package were women's education level, access to extension services, non-farm occupation, and household income from mangoes, with a positive and significant influence on their WTP. However, distance to the input market, perception of the effectiveness of current fruit fly management methods, and level of mango loss due to fruit flies negatively influenced WTP for the IPM package. Empowering women, especially increasing their access to extension services, and providing livelihood alternatives would increase their uptake of pest management technologies. Efforts to lower women’s domestic workloads, boost their finances, and sensitize others in the community to promote women’s freedom of movement would be vital to empowering women hence increasing their uptake of new agricultural innovations.

Evaluation of pheromone dispensers for eco-friendly management of mango fruit fly

The fruit fly is a pest of quarantine importance and is difficult to manage. It has a great impact on agricultural and causes enormous damage to fruits and vegetables. For the management of mango fruit flies, the Methyl eugenol-based pheromone trap was used. The trap efficacy is most affected by different factors. Among them, the dispenser played a crucial role in attracting fruit flies. In this regard, our investigation on the evaluation of pheromone dispensers was carried out and the results revealed that all the treatments were attracted to the fruit flies. Though, significantly more fruit flies were captured in both the plywood block (418.26 fruit flies/trap/month), and softwood block (389.58 fruit flies/ trap/month), which were at par with each other. Whereas, the least fruit flies were captured in the coal block (225.55 fruit flies/trap/month). It can be concluded that the plywood and softwood block performed better in terms of the number of fruit flies captured in the field and these can be used as dispensers in fruit fly traps for the management of fruit flies.

Evaluation of different combinations of insecticides and biopesticides for the management of fruit flies infesting bitter gourd

Evaluation of different combinations of insecticides and biopesticides for the management of fruit flies infesting bitter gourd

Monitoring of fruit fly in mandarin orchards of Jajarkot, Nepal: A mixed-method approach

The study was conducted to access the species diversity of fruit fly and their population dynamics, awareness among mandarin growers on the nature of damage, and factors affecting the awareness in the Jajarkot district of Nepal in 2021. The study consists of two parts: farmer’s survey and monitoring of fruit flies. The farmer’s survey was carried out in randomly selected sixty households whose orchards were at least five years old in command areas of citrus zone, Jajarkot. Fruit fly monitoring was done in three mandarin orchards of Kushe Rural Municipality and Bheri Municipality using cue-lure, methyl eugenol, and great fruit fly bait. The survey revealed that only thirty percent of the farmers were aware of the nature of fruit fly damage. Experience in mandarin cultivation was found to be significantly affecting the awareness of mandarin growers on fruit fly damage. The mandarin growers were practicing pruning, collection and destruction of fallen fruits, use of chemicals, and traps for fruit fly management. Monitoring data revealed that there were four major fruit fly species. Among the lures used, cue-lure attracted more number of fruit flies, followed by methyl eugenol and great fruit fly bait. Cue-lure trap was effective in trapping Bactrocera nigrofemoralis, Zeugodacus tau, and Zeugodacus scutellaris whereas methyl eugenol was found effective in trapping Bactrocera dorsalis. Great fruit fly bait captured Bactrocera nigrofemoralis and Zeugodacus tau, but in lesser number. The number of all the species of fruit fly started increasing in April and reached the highest during May.

Commercial extract of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) and mango essence as potential attractants for Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Various host compounds have been investigated to produce an alternative attractant for monitoring and controlling pest insects. Several studies evidenced that volatile molecules released by coffee and mangoes attracted both male and female Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), a significant pest in fruit crops. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of the commercial glycolic extract of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) and a commercial mango essence (Mangifera indica L.) to attract C. capitata. We identified the main volatile compounds (VOCs) emitted from such products. The experiments were conducted in field cages and showed that the glycolic extract of coffee attracts both sexes of C. capitata, while the mango essence attracts only males. After seven days, the pH of the coffee extract and mango essence did not change. These results indicate that attractants based on commercial fruit extracts and essences can be an option for integrated pest management of the Mediterranean fruit fly in orchards.

Evaluation of control for the management of four pest species (Rhagoletis cerasi L., Ceratitis capitata Wied. (Diptera: Tephritidae), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) and Zaprionus indianus (Gupta) (Diptera: Drosophilidae)) in organic cherry-growing area.

In recent years, the fruit flies Rhagoletis cerasi L., Ceratitis capitata Wied. (Diptera: Tephritidae), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) and Zaprionus indianus (Gupta) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) (Tephritidae and Drosophilidae) have become an increasingly serious problem for cherry production in Turkey, which ranks first among cherry-producing countries. Intensive chemical control of these pests is used and little information about alternative methods of control is available for these pests, especially in organic farming. The purpose of our study was to determine a new, cost-efficient and more ecofriendly method of pest control. The study was carried out during 2019-2020 at two different locations in Turkey: Adana-Pozantı (Alpu, 1070 m, and Belemedik, 700 m). This study investigated the effectiveness against fruit flies of netting covering trees, a mass capture technique and an insecticide suitable for use in organic agriculture (spinosad). A comparative insecticide (thiacloprid) was also applied. The methods performed quite differently from the control and were shown to be particularly effective against R. cerasi and D. suzukii. The most effective control method against the four pest species was the application of netting (100% effect). The other methods of control included in the experiment may also be useful in organic cherry cultivation. The methods presented here meet the requirements for conventional and organic production. Application of netting in particular can form the basis of organic production requirements for the management of fruit flies. It has been observed that fruits ripen a little later, and fruit monilia and aphid damage are less in trees protected by netting. This is a commercial advantage, especially for late maturing varieties, and additional studies are needed for these varieties. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.