Evaluation of Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) Monitoring Systems on Mango in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Abstract:Fruit fly species' responses to lures are critically important, especially when a single lure might be recommended for the purpose of trapping multiple fruit fly species in commercial fruit orchards. Fruit industries are facing threats from the recent invasion of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) into novel areas in South Africa. The objective of this study was to test the relative efficiency of 13 different trapping systems for fruit fly species in mango orchards in South Africa. Evaluation of the different monitoring systems was conducted during the 2013-2014 mango season in the Vhembe district municipality of Limpopo, South Africa. Four orchards, where Tommy Atkins was cultivated, were used to compare the efficacy of the trapping systems. Trapping data (N = 48 observation incidences per trapping system) were analyzed using a non-parametric ANOVA. Pronounced variation in species attractiveness across the trapping systems was found. The enriched ginger oil (EGO) Pherolure TM captured 33.77% of all the Ceratitis spp., while the Invader-lure TM captured 36.47% of the total number of B. dorsalis trapped. Torula yeast pellets are not recommended for fruit fly trapping due to the relative low trap catch numbers and high non-target catches. These results are important and significant for on-farm monitoring strategies, as well as for invasion monitoring systems currently in place to detect the distribution of B. dorsalis in South Africa.

Progress towards an eco-friendly insect pest management approach in subtropical agro-ecosystems (South Africa)

“…Various traps and lures are available for monitoring fruit flies (Joubert et al 2015). Bait sprays containing spinosad and M3α bait stations can be used for the suppression of fruit flies.…”