Development and standardization of fruit fly traps against Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel in Custard apple

Abstract

Studies were made to standardize methyl eugenol concentration and trap design for Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel on custard apple during 2015-16 at University of Horticultural Sciences (UHS), Bagalkot. Among the different concentrations of methyl eugenol, 2 percent was significantly superior in attracting highest number of B. dorsalis (5.00 fruit flies/trap/day) compared to its higher dose i.e., 5 percent (4.00 fruit flies/trap/day) and its lower doses. With respect trap design, bottle trap with bottom hole charged with 2 percent methyl eugenol was found superior by attracting highest number of fruit flies (9.66 flies/trap/day) compared to trap with top hole charged with 2 and 5 percent methyl eugenol (0.00 and 1.20 flies/trap/day, respectively). Among the different coloured trap charged with 2 percent methyl eugenol transparent bottle captured significantly highest number of B. dorsalis (5.44 fruit flies/trap/day) as compared to yellow, green, blue and white coloured traps (1.44, 0.44, 0.44, 0.44 and 0.22 flies/trap/day, respectively).