Populational dynamics of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in guava orchards in the Northwest region of Esprito Santo, Brazil

Abstract

The diversity of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in commercial guava orchards in the Northwest region of Espírito Santo, Brazil was recorded. Also, their population dynamics, correlation with climatic factors and their parasitoids were recorded. This study was carried out in three commercial guava orchards of the cultivar Paluma, located in the municipality of São Roque do Canaã, Central region of the Northwestern Capixaba territory, from October 2013 to September 2014. The population monitoring of fruit flies was done by installing McPhail traps provided with an attractive solution (BioAnastrepha®), hung ¾ of the guava canopy height, starting from the ground level. After obtaining the data, the following indexes were calculated: pupal viability (PV), parasitism (P) and fruits infestation (I). A correlation analysis was performed between the number of flies collected, and the meteorological variables of the region. A total of 31.51 kg of guava was collected, in which 18.31 kg were collected in the guava trees and 13.2 kg were found on the ground. 1,699 pupae were obtained, and from these, 442 flies emerged with three genera, Anastrepha species and one genus, Ceratitis (Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann). Only two parasitoids were obtained from the fruits from the ground, which both belong to Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). The correlation analysis showed a strong correlation between the flies and fluctuating temperatures. Population peak of fruit flies occurred in February 2014.

Frugivorous flies (Diptera: Tephritidae; Lonchaeidae) associated with guava tree: species diversity, parasitoids and population fluctuation in the Espírito Santo state, Brazil

“…The South American fruit fly, A. obliqua, A. zenildae and C. capitata were also the most frequent species. In contrast, the low importance of the medfly as a pest of guava crops observed in the present study is similar to the results of Madalon et al (2017). The medfly was first noted in Brazil at the beginning of the last century, and it is now distributed in all regions of the country.…”

“…It is also the fruit fly species with the highest number of associated host plant species (159), belonging to 34 botanical families, including Myrtaceae (54), Rosaceae (17) and Rutaceae (15) (Zucchi & Moraes 2022a). As observed in this study, the species is considered the main tephritid that causes damage to guava crops in the Brazilian states of Bahia, Santa Catarina, São Paulo and northwestern Espírito Santo (Raga et al 2006, Garcia & Norrbom 2011, Madalon et al 2017, Sousa et al 2021. However, this species has less importance for this crop in other states: Anastrepha zenildae is the predominant fruit fly species in the northern Minas Gerais state (Alvarenga et al 2009); A. striata in Acre, Amapá, Maranhão, Rondônia and Roraima (Silva et al 2007, Pereira et al 2010, Marsaro Júnior et al 2011, Adaime et al 2017a, Adaime et al 2017b; and C. capitata in Ceará and Mato Grosso do Sul (Souza et al 2008, Nicácio & Uchôa 2011.…”

“…Pupal viability (PV) was calculated by the formula: PV (%) = [(number of emerged parasitoids + number of emerged frugivorous flies)/total number of obtained frugivorous fly pupae] x 100. The parasitism index was calculated by the formula: parasitism (%) = [number of emerged parasitoids/(number of emerged flies + number of emerged parasitoids)] x 100 (Madalon et al 2017).…”

“…Diachasmimorpha longicaudata and F. arisanus were introduced into Brazil in 1994 and 2012, respectively (Paranhos et al 2013). Few studies associating fruit flies and their host fruit trees and parasitoids have been conducted in the Espírito Santo state, of which just one reported the braconid Doryctobracon areolatus (Szepligeti, 1911) associated with guava (Madalon et al 2017).…”

Diversity and species composition of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Lombok Island, Indonesia

“…Meanwhile, according to Vayssieres et al (2009), the existence of plants deliberately cultivated in high numbers dramatically affects the population of fruit fly species that become pests of these plants. In addition, the period that had the lowest population peaks was precisely in the months when the native vegetation of the region suffered from adverse climatic factors and consequently produced fewer fruits, which would serve as hosts for the flies (Madalon et al 2017).…”