Organic-Based Attractant For The Control Of Fruit Flies Diptera TephritidaeInfesting Ampalaya Momordicacharantial.

ABSTRACT One of the major constraints in obtaining good quality fruits and better harvest in bittergourd production is the infestation caused by fruit flies Diptera Tephritidae known to inflict damages in cucurbits thus rendering the crop unfit for human consumption. Field experiment on the bio-efficacy of different coco-based organic attractants was carried out to determine the behavioural preferences of fruit flies among food sources designed in a trap-and-killed approach. As revealed by the body coloration and distinct marking patterns on the dorsal i.e. back part of the thorax and the forewings i.e. presence of infuscation three 3 discrete species were identified under genus Bactrocera including melon fruitfly BactroceracucurbitaeCoq. which was predominant than the oriental fruitfly BactroceradorsalisHendel and Bactrocera tau Walker observed in the study site. The cocosugar solution 11vv exhibited a significant fruitfly population count number of species attracted and is generally preferred by both female and male fruitfly but relatively selective to non-target organisms. The bio-efficacy of the cocosugar solution was observed until 2-3 weeks compared to the other coco-based attractants and the control treatment i.e. plain water. More female fruitflies were observed than male across cocobased attractants. Behavioural preference of the female fruitflies is outright directed to a sucrose-enriched diet i.e. cocosugar 11vv but sustained preference over the cocobased treatments might be implicated to a coconut toddy as a natural complete food affecting behavioural choices of fruitfly among food sources. However the use of cocosugar solution obtained 30 better harvests than plain coconut toddy. Similarly the marketable yield is enhanced up to two-fold relative to the control treatment. Yield reduction due to fruitfly infestation had reached 42 when no control measures were employed of which only 26.18 and 50 of the totallosses i.e. relative to without control measures due to incurred damage are accounted by cocosugar and plain coconut toddy respectively. Hence infusion of sugar into the treatment has rendered the solution to twice as effective as plain coconut toddy in abating fruitfly infestation. Results were discussed in reference to its significance of obtaining a simple low-cost yet effective organic-based control of tephritid fruit flies.