Incidence of Fruit Flies [Bactrocera spp. (Tephritidae: Diptera)] on Economically Important Guava Fruit in Western Uttar Pradesh, India
Irsad *
Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, India.
Masarrat Haseeb
Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Fruit flies (Bactrocera spp.) pose a significant threat to guava production, leading to substantial yield losses. This study assesses fruit fly infestation in guava orchards across selected localities in Aligarh and Hathras districts. Data recorded from May to August 2018 indicate that fruit losses in Aligarh ranged from 18.40% to 42.66% by weight and 17.45% to 44.33% by number, with peak infestation (41.57% by weight and 43.03% by number) observed in July. Similarly, in Hathras, fruit losses varied between 20.60% to 45.20% by weight and 22.30% to 48.00% by number, with the highest infestation (43.7% by weight and 44.14% by number) also recorded in July. The lowest losses were noted in May for both districts. The overall average fruit fly infestation was 31.81% in Aligarh and 34.2% in Hathras on a weight basis. These findings align with previous studies, emphasizing the economic impact of fruit fly infestations.
Keywords: Fruit fly infestation, guava orchards, Bactrocera spp., integrated pest management, yield loss