Integrated management of fruit flies-case studies from Mozambique

Abstract

The invasive fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, has become a major threat to the production and trade of fresh fruits in Mozambique. With reports of 94.0 % of mango fruits being damaged by B. dorsalis in the Northern region of Mozambique exports of fruit and vegetable to the country’s major trading partners were suspended causing severe financial losses to producers and a virtual cessation of investment. Fruit fly monitoring throughout the country has revealed the fruit fly species composition, distribution and pest status. The 165,102 adult fruit fly specimens collected belonged to 43 species of which only eight species are of economic importance. The two invasive fruit fly species reported were B. dorsalis and Zeugodacus cucurbitae, and accounted for 85.21 % and 1.4 % of all flies collected, respectively. Management strategies based on combinations of protein bait spraying, deployment of male annihilation techniques, orchard sanitation and biological control resulted in 93.5, 93.8 and 92.6 % reductions in B. dorsalis populations in Pemba, Maputo and Manica Provinces, respectively. These results suggest that B. dorsalis populations can be effectively suppressed using integrated pest management (IPM). The national phytosanitary authorities of Mozambique should now put emphasis on IPM approaches for effective suppression of the B. dorsalis population to an acceptable level.