Articles
THE EFFICACY OF TRAPS IN PREDICTING FRUIT FLY INFESTATION LEVELS IN MANGO ORCHARDS
Article number
992_54
Pages
429 – 439
Language
English
Abstract
Fruit fly larvae developing in mango fruit flesh affect marketability on local markets, while influencing producer-consumer relationships adversely.
Fruit flies are also considered a phytosanitary pest, influencing the export of mangoes to foreign markets and limiting access to potential new markets.
The key to successful control is effective monitoring, with early detection important to prevent the establishment of populations in the field, and to prevent unnecessary applications.
Fruit flies in South Africa are usually monitored with a various fruit fly attractants and traps, monitoring the traps constantly to determine the first increase in population numbers, at which stage chemical control commences.
In order to establish the accuracy of various traps and attractants commercially available in South Africa for predicting probable fruit infestation levels, Westfalia Technological Services conducted field trials in the 2007/ 2008 and 2008/2009 mango growing seasons.
Traps were placed in the orchards prior to the first population build-up and monitored weekly, up to the time of the commer¬cial harvesting date.
Fruit were sampled with each assessment in order to determine fruit infestation levels.
The results showed that the majority of traps were effective in attracting adult fruit flies, with population numbers increasing progressively towards the end of the mango season as more tree-ripening fruit were present in the orchard.
None of the traps used, however, correlated strongly with fruit infestations and the traps were therefore considered ineffective in indicating probable fruit infestation levels.
Fruit flies are also considered a phytosanitary pest, influencing the export of mangoes to foreign markets and limiting access to potential new markets.
The key to successful control is effective monitoring, with early detection important to prevent the establishment of populations in the field, and to prevent unnecessary applications.
Fruit flies in South Africa are usually monitored with a various fruit fly attractants and traps, monitoring the traps constantly to determine the first increase in population numbers, at which stage chemical control commences.
In order to establish the accuracy of various traps and attractants commercially available in South Africa for predicting probable fruit infestation levels, Westfalia Technological Services conducted field trials in the 2007/ 2008 and 2008/2009 mango growing seasons.
Traps were placed in the orchards prior to the first population build-up and monitored weekly, up to the time of the commer¬cial harvesting date.
Fruit were sampled with each assessment in order to determine fruit infestation levels.
The results showed that the majority of traps were effective in attracting adult fruit flies, with population numbers increasing progressively towards the end of the mango season as more tree-ripening fruit were present in the orchard.
None of the traps used, however, correlated strongly with fruit infestations and the traps were therefore considered ineffective in indicating probable fruit infestation levels.
Publication
Authors
C.E. Louw
Keywords
Ceratitis, Diptera, Tephritidae, phytosanitary pest, marketability, South Africa
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