Susceptibility of Bagged Guavas to the Attack of Fruit Flies (Tephritidae)

Abstract

Fruit bagging is an important strategy to protect fruit against fruit fly (Tephritidae) infestation and pesticide contamination. In laboratory, we compared the forced infestation of guavas by Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) when wrapping them with non- woven fabric (NWF) bags. The combined repellence and protection effects of white, green, blue and red NWF bags were tested in comparison with un-bagged guavas. Bagged fruit with the NWF tissue stuck to the pericarp were separately exposed to both fruit fly species for 48 hours, with a ratio of 10 females per fruit inside of laboratory cages. In C. capitata, the number of pupae per fruit was significantly higher in the green NWF bags, and the infestation in the other colour bags were similar to the control group (non-bagged). In A. fraterculus, guavas with red NWF bags had significantly higher infestation (205.42 pupae per fruit) than fruit that received the other colour bags White and blue bags were less attractive for oviposition from both fruit fly species. The adherence of the NWF bags to the fruit surface causes egg-laying of fruit flies.