What is the level of fruit infestation by pulp-feeding insects? An overview of their meaning and measurement

Abstract

Despite the economic, ecological, and evolutionary importance of the fruit infestation level by pulpfeeding insects, its meaning and measurement are infestation level, which emphasizes the problems to Employing a literature search concerning the fruit infestation level, we identify different concepts, estimations, and assumptions. This exercise reveals that commonly the interpretation of the infestation level is confusing. We highlight that the data use of the infestation level may drag interpretation problems that depend on (1) the study objectives, (2) the developmental insect stage, and (3) the sampling management. Also, jargon problems arise concernstudy. Lastly, we explain how to calculate and report the fruit infestation level taking into account the samas a model, we show the main topics and guidelines for better study design of the infestation level, either in agricultural, ecological, and evolutionary contexts. Keywords crop protection, frugivorous insects, fruit-pest measurement, insect-plant interactions, pest management, Tephritidae What is already known on this subject? • Fruit infestation results from insect oviposition choice. determining its success.