Impact of dispenser block material on the persistence of methyl eugenol in Rakshak traps

Abstract

A study was undertaken to evaluate the persistence of methyl eugenol in various dispenser blocks for the management of mango fruit fly in Rakshak traps. Ten different materials, including cork, lantern wick, drumstick wood, pangara wood, bhend wood, shivan wood, coco peat, plywood, sphagnum moss, and cotton, were tested across 10 treatments with 3 replications. Weekly fruit fly captures were recorded over an 8-week period, with the traps being recharged with methyl eugenol after each interval. Drumstick wood was found to be the most effective dispenser, consistently capturing the highest number of flies from the second week onward, while cotton demonstrated peak efficacy in the first week before a subsequent decline. Overall, drumstick wood and cotton emerged as the most efficient dispenser blocks for sustained fruit fly capture.