Efficacy of methyl eugenol bait traps for controlling the mango fruit fly Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Diptera: Tephritidae), an extremely aggressive species infesting some of the main commercial fruit and vegetables, has been subjected to a diverse array of control approaches. In the current study, performance of various Methyl Eugenol (ME) dispensers in combination with an organophosphate insecticide, Malathion, were evaluated against B. zonata in two consecutive years (2006-2007). Treatments efficacy was studied in various months using the criterion of trapped B. zonata flies. ANOVA revealed a significant difference among various application methods in both fruit infestation rate and capture of B. zonata flies. So that impregnation of chipboard block in ME caused the lowest B. zonata infestation and the highest B. zonata capturing values in both years. Population fluctuation study revealed a major peak for B. zonata in September i.e., mango ripening time. According to our results, it could be suggested that chipboard dispenser is the best application method as attractant in bait trap which exhibits more potent and longer lasting activity.