Species diversity and identification of important fruit flies damaging Guava (Psidium guajava L.) in Ranga Reddy district, Telangana, India

Studies were conducted during the rainy season of the years 2018 and 2019 to identify the economically important fruit fly species that are damaging guava crop in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana State. In Telangana State, guava is grown in about 2608 ha. Different pest and diseases found to damage the guava fruit and tephritid fruit flies is an important and economically significant pest as it causes huge damages to guava fruits. The fruit fly surveillances were conducted using methyl eugenol para pheromone traps. The results revealed that a significant population of three species of fruit flies belongs to Genus Bactrocera namely; Bactrocera dorsalis, B. correcta and B. zonata were trapped during both years. A total of 698 and 971 numbers of B. dorsalis flies were trapped during the year 2018 and 2019 respectively. The commonly damaging guava fruit fly, B. correcta population was lesser than the other two species. During the year 2018, a mean number of 4.80 flies of B. dorsalis were trapped at 7 DATP (days after trap placement) and population gradually increased during subsequent weeks and reached a peak of 40.80 numbers at 49 DATP. A similar trend was noticed during the year 2019 in the population of B. dorsalis. However the peak population of 43.20 numbers were recorded at 42 DATP. Among the three species B. dorsalis was found to dominate the other two species during the years 2018 and 2019. The identification keys provided in this paper will be useful to identify the fruit fly species by extension functionaries.