References on Mango

Sutantawong M., Orankanok W., Enkerlin W. R., Wornoayporn V., Caceres C.

Abstract : During 1999 and 2000, weekly ground shipments of 5-10 million sterile pupae of B. dorsalis were transported from the production facility in Pathumthani to Paktor District, Thailand, for ground release in 1120 ha of small commercial mango orchards. Quality control tests of the released sterile flies were routinely conducted. A trapping network of 25 methyl eugenol traps (2.2 traps/km2) was serviced weekly to monitor the distribution and abundance of the sterile flies released. Periodic fruit sampling was carried out to assess the impact of the control measures by determining the percentage fruit infestation. Infestation levels were reduced from more than 50% before the application of the integrated SIT to an average of less than 4% in the past 7 years (1994-2000), with a significant reduction to 1.3% in 2000. The mango growers in the area of the project have been exporting more than 50% of their mango production to countries that do not require a fly-free certificate, such as Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, but discriminate against pesticide residues and fruit quality. Small volumes of mango have also been exported to Japan but only after attaining compliance with a post-harvest treatment and a Federal Phytosanitary Certificate. The economic benefits of SIT for the participating mango growers have been substantial. Farmers claim that mango has become a profitable business since the use of SIT for control of the key pest (i.e. OFF) and that mango growers in the neighbouring areas are eager to join the SIT project. An economic analysis projected over 14 years indicates a benefit to cost ratio of 7.5 to 1.0 and a net benefit of US$7.5 million for the mango growers of Paktor.