Efficacy of protein food baits in attracting female fruit flies in guava and mango orchards.
Kumar C. H. R., Shashidhar Viraktamath
Author Affiliation: Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka 580 005, India.
Pest Management and Economic Zoology 15 : 13-18
Abstract : The efficacy of different protein sources, viz., peptone, protone, soybean, yeast, malt, casein and a commercial formulation of fruit fly diet in attracting female adults of fruit flies in guava and mango orchards during peak fruiting season of both the crops, was evaluated at Dharwad, Karnataka during 2004-05. All the protein sources were mixed with sugar and banana pulp (1:1:1) and ammonium acetate (5%) was added to the food baits in order to make them attractive to the adults. In guava orchard, Bactrocera correcta (Bezzi) responded poorly to all the baits. However, B. dorsalis (Hendel) females were attracted to bait containing casein or commercial fruit fly bait in significant numbers (3.25 and 3.5/trap/week, respectively). The adults of B. cucurbitae (Coq.) showed significantly higher preference to baits containing commercial fruit fly diet and yeast (4.0 and 3.25/trap/week, respectively). Irrespective of species, bait containing commercial fruit fly diet, casein and yeast were more attractive to females (8.0, 7.0 and 5.75/trap/week, respectively). A similar trend was evident in the mango orchards.