Native hymenopteran parasitoids associated with fruit‐infesting flies in three plant formations and prospects for biological control in Western Burkina Faso, West Africa

Abstract

In Western Burkina Faso, fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) cause economic impacts. Damage on a mango can reach 100% in late varieties, and on shea fruits, the average attack rate is 66.5%. Parasitoids offer natural biocontrol services, but the potential for this in Burkina Faso remains unknown. We performed a survey (2017–2019) in three plant formations (natural fallows n = 6; agroforestry parks n = 6 and mango orchards n = 6) to determine the levels of parasitism of tephritid fruit fly pests. For this purpose, fruits from cultivated and wild fruit fly host plant species were sampled in these plant formations and incubated for insects' emergence. In total, 1822 adults belonging to 7 parasitoid species were found. Fopius caudatus (Szépligeti) and Psyttalia concolor (Szépligeti) with 51.47% and 30.60% of the total of parasitoid adults emerged, respectively, were the most predominant. Parasitism rate varied according to host fruit species. Pupae recorded from Sarcocephalus latifolius and Vitellaria paradoxa were most parasitized (27.22% ± 3.96%) and (17.08% ± 2.37%), respectively, while those obtained from mangoes were the less parasitized (3.73% ± 0.91%). Mass rearing of F. caudatus and P. concolor, as well as habitat management, will contribute to the promotion of both, augmentation and conservation biological control.

Native Hymenopteran parasitoids associated with fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in fruits and vegetables in three ecological zones of Togo

“…A total of 116 fruit and vegetable samples (corresponding to 9,150 fruits and vegetables) belonging to 28 plant species were sampled in the three zones combined. Of the 116 fruit samples incubated, 39 (33.62%) corresponding to 2,750 fruits and vegetables allowed to recover 613 parasitoid wasps belonging to the Braconidae family and associated with 3,275 fruit flies (emerged from 4,039 pupae) all species combined (Table 1 and Figure 2) (Gilstrap and Hart, 1987), Mali (Vayssières et al, 2002;2004), Ivory Coast (Kadio et al, 2011), Senegal (Vayssières et al, 2012;Ndiaye et al, 2015), Ghana (Badii et al, 2016), Benin (Vayssières et al, 2011;Sambo et al, 2019), Burkina Faso (Zida et al, 2022) and even Togo (Steck et al, 1986;Gomina et al, 2020). To our knowledge, it is the first time that the genus Bracon has been reported in Togo.…”

“…Consequently the density of F. caudate in S. Latifolius was the highest (Kruskal-Wallis: Chi-square = 40.427; df = 4; P = 0.000) and varied between 2 and 71.85 parasitoids/kg with an average of 46.86 ± 19.96 parasitoids/kg of fruit (Figure 8). Vayssières et al, 2014;Zida et al, 2022), it is desirable to promote augmentative biological control. As a prelude to this control, it is necessary to maintain this natural enemy in its natural habitat (conservation biological control) and assess its demographic parameters in controlled and natural conditions for mass rearing and releases of individuals able to significantly reduce populations of the target fruit fly in agroecosystems.…”

“…Number and percentage (%) of the different braconid parasitoid species identified in the different localities in ecological zones III, IV and V.In the conditions of the current study, the abundance and frequency of the braconid parasitoid, F. caudatus, which was mainly associated with C. cosyra in the fruits of S. latifolius, was probably related to the fact that F. caudatus is more (i) specific (preference and performance) to C. cosyra on these fruits than the other braconid parasitoids recovered and (ii) competitive on this same host (C. cosyra) associated with the same host plant. Indeed,Vayssières et al ( , 2012,Badii et al (2016),Sambo et al (2019),Zida et al (2022) have shown that in S. latifolius associated mainly with C. cosyra, F. caudatus was the most abundant and frequent native parasitoid than other native species such as D. fullawayi, Fopius silvestrii(Wharton), Fopius desideratus (Bridwell), Psyttalia concolor (Szépligeti), Psyttalia cosyrae (Wilkinson). In addition, as shown by the work ofGripenberg et al (2010),Quilici and Rousse (2012),Cusumano et al(2016),Ayelo et al (2017),Das et al (2017) in other parasitoids, females of F. caudatus are probably able to more easily identify (locate) the fruits of…”

Fluctuation des populations et évaluation des dégâts des mouches de fruits (Diptera : Tephritidae) dans les parcs à karité de l’Ouest du Burkina Faso : cas du transect Koumbia-Dano

“…Les deux espèces de parasitoïdes, Psytallia concolor et Fopius caudatus, identifiées au cours de la présente étude ont déjà été rencontrées dans les fruits du karité par Zida et al (2021) à l'Ouest du Burkina Faso. En Afrique de l'Ouest, Vayssières et al (2011) et Badii et al (2016 avaient aussi rencontré des parasitoïdes des mouches de fruits dans les fruits du karité, respectivement au Bénin et au Ghana.…”

“…En Afrique de l'Ouest, Vayssières et al (2011) et Badii et al (2016 avaient aussi rencontré des parasitoïdes des mouches de fruits dans les fruits du karité, respectivement au Bénin et au Ghana. En plus de P. concolor et F. caudatus, Zida et al (2021) avaient identifié quatre autres espèces de parasitoïdes de mouches de fruits associées aux fruits du karité. En effet, Zida et al (2020a) ont montré que les fruits du karité sont attaqués par sept espèces de mouches de fruits à l'Ouest du Burkina Faso.…”