Status, Distribution and Parasitism Rate of Olive Fruit Fly (Bactrocera oleae.Rossi) Natural Enemies in Lebanon

Abstract

Olive tree is considered one of the most important cultivated crops in Lebanon. The cultivated area is mainly concentrated in the north and south Lebanon. Among the obstacles affecting olive cultivation is the olive fruit fly infestation which negatively alters the quality of olive oil. Olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae) is mainly controlled by chemical means. At the present time, no biological program against this pest is considered in Lebanon. The aim of this study is to investigate the status of olive fruit fly parasites in Lebanon. The study was conducted for one year in 28 orchards located in five regions of olive production. Fruit samples were collected weekly from June to October. A total of 23096 fruits was collected from all orchards. Eight parasites were detected. Eupelmus urozonous and Opius concolor were the most abundant parasites in most orchards, the others were restricted to specific locations. The only exception was observed at Abdeh site where most of the parasites were isolated. Parasitism rates ranged from 2.4 to 42.1 % and the average rate of all locations was 13.3%. The low parasitism rate recorded in this study is insufficient to control olive fruit fly. Introduction and rearing of natural enemies along with other management tactics may enhance the control of olive fruit fly infestation