Bird damage and its effect on infestation by fruit-flies in various orchards in Ludhiana.
Grewal J. S., Kapoor V. C.
Author Affiliation: Punjab Agric. Univ., Ludhiana, Punjab, 141?004, India.
Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 56 : 370-373
Abstract : A survey was conducted in Punjab, India, in 1982-83, to determine the damage caused by birds and tephritids in orchards of mango, guava, peach, plum, pear, grape and jujube [Ziziphus jujuba]. Bird damage started at budding stage and lasted until harvesting of the fruits; Psittacula krameri, Corvus splendens and Dendrocitta vagabunda damaged a wide array of fruits. Tephritid attack started when the fruits entered the ripening stage, Dacus zonatus was the predominant species, but D. diversus, D. dorsalis, D. tau, D. cucurbitae and Carpomyia vesuviana were also collected from the orchards. Bird attack on unripened and semi-ripened fruits resulted in a build up of initial populations of tephritids, causing heavy losses at later stages.