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Mango fruit fly

Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)

(Tephritidae: Diptera)

Fruit fly

Symptoms: The flies breed on fruits that are mature

The pest is active throughout the year in South India, whereas in northern parts it hibernates during winter (November to March) in pupal stage. The flies breed on fruits that are mature and lay eggs below the fruit epidermis (1-4 mm deep). On hatching the maggots feed on pulp of these fruits. As a result a brown patch appears around the place of oviposition and the infested fruits start rotting. These affected frits drop down prematurely and the maggots come out of these fruits to pupate in the soil and population increases rapidly during summer.

Control

Pre harvest Management (45 days prior to harvest)

Destroy all fallen fruits at weekly intervals
Install methyl eugenol traps @ 8-10/ acre. Recharge the traps for every 20 days.
Avoid delay in harvest

Post harvest Management (within 24 hr after harvest)

Follow the above pre-harvest treatments with a post-harvest hot water treatment, (within 24 hr after harvest after desapping and sorting) at 48°C (maintained by thermostat) for one hour.

Mango fruit fly trap

The trap works on a simple Male Annihilation Technique (MAT). The trap consists of a small plastic container with a piece of plywood treated with methyl eugenol and dichlorovos which in hung on the tree. This trap attracts the male fruit fly. In the absence of males, females fail to procreate and hence the fruit will be free from infestation. Six to eight traps are required for each acre.