Key Rules to Get Rid of Fruit Fly in Mango: Symptoms, How to Treat, Chemical, Management, and Organic Control

A frequent insect that can seriously harm mango crops are fruit flies. These tiny insects nest inside the fruit, causing the fruit to deteriorate and lose its marketability. However, fruit flies commonly attack mango fruits, especially throughout the fruit's development and ripening stages, costing growers between 25 and 30 percent of their yield. A substantial pest population and infestation could cause a 100% yield loss. Let's look at the main guidelines for eliminating fruit flies in mangoes below.

Fruit fly infestations cause fruit to lose quality and have a significantly lower market price and demand, which causes growers to lose money. Mango crops are susceptible to fruit fly infestations, which can seriously harm the fruit and impair productivity and quality. In order to safeguard your crops and guarantee a healthy harvest, it is crucial for mango growers to have a thorough understanding of managing fruit flies.

The signs of a fruit fly infestation in mango plants, available treatments, practical management strategies, and an overview of the synthetic and natural pesticides that can be used to regulate fruit fly populations are all covered in this guide. Mango growers may efficiently manage and control fruit fly infestations in their plantations with the help of the information supplied. You may successfully control this pest and safeguard your mango crops by comprehending the biology, behavior, and ecology of fruit flies.

Key rules to get rid of fruit fly in Mango

The mango tree's pests

Tropical trees in the genus Mangifera are known as mango trees, and they are indigenous to Southeast Asia and India. They are commonly grown for their succulent fruit, which is full of vitamins and minerals and tastes great. Mango hoppers, mango stem borer, and mango mealybug are just a few of the insect pests that mango trees are vulnerable to. The following are the main mango tree pests:

1. The mango hopper (Amritodus atkinsoni) is a tiny, green bug that eats the mango tree's leaves and shoots, turning them brown and making them wilt. Additionally, they expel sticky honeydew, which can draw sooty mold.
2. The caterpillar known as the mango stem borer (Batocera rufomaculata) penetrates into the tree's trunk and branches, weakening them and making them more vulnerable to wind and storm damage.
3. The mango mealybug (Rastrococcus invadens) is a tiny, white insect that feeds on the sap of the tree, resulting in restricted growth and reduced fruit production.
4. The mango scales (Aulacaspis tubercularis) are a tiny, brown bug that feeds on the mango tree's leaves, branches, and fruit, discoloring them and causing early fruit drop.
5. The mango shoot webber (Eutectona machaeralis) is a tiny, reddish-brown caterpillar that eats the new growth of the tree, causing the shoots to twist and become deformed.
6. Mango trees suffer greatly from the Ceratitis cosyra fruit fly, which is a serious pest. A little, yellow-brown fly that deposits her eggs inside the tree fruit is what this is. The fruit becomes soft and discolored as a result of the larvae feeding on it when the fertilized eggs hatch, finally resulting in fruit drop. The juice of the fruit can be consumed by the adult fly, adding to the harm.

What causes mango fruit fly infestations and how do mango fruit flies look?

The mango fruit fly is a tiny, yellow-brown fly that is also referred to as the African fruit fly or the Mediterranean fruit fly. The wings of adult flies are dark in color and have a yellow-brown body. They are 6-7mm length. Their thorax and abdomen have a distinctive pattern of black and yellow markings, and their eyes are red. Mango fruit fly infestations are brought on by adult flies that lay their eggs inside the tree's fruit.

When the eggs hatch, the fruit is eaten by the larvae, which causes it to soften and turn brown before dumping it. Adult flies can consume the fruit's juice and cause more harm by doing so. When the flies are present and the surroundings are favorable for their growth, infestations of mango fruit flies might happen. Fruit that is ripe or overripe attracts the flies. In tropical and subtropical areas, they are capable of many annual reproductions.

Factors contributing to Mango fruit fly infestations

• Before emerging as adult flies and infesting the crop, the fruit fly larvae will go through the pupal stage and finish their life cycle in the soil. Because of this, it's crucial to use control methods that concentrate on both adult flies and their larvae.
• Fruit flies are particularly common in crops like watermelon, muskmelon, gourds, lemons, guava, papaya, and others. Being close or in a mango plantation can make fruit fly infestations worse. These crops might provide flies with food and a place to reproduce, which would boost their numbers and make management more challenging.
• By cultivating many mango varieties with various maturation cycles in the same orchard, fruit fly infestations may be made worse. Due to the fruit flies' successive and longer life cycles, late-maturing cultivars are typically the most harmed when they attack the crop, especially during fruit growth.
• Fruit flies can use weeds as an alternative host. Fruit fly infestations can also be a concern if infested fruits drop into the plot or are close to the fruit packaging equipment. These could be used by flies as a food supply and a place to breed, making control more challenging.

Mango FruitFly’s lifecycle

A mango fruit fly's life cycle consists of four distinct stages: egg, maggot, pupa, and adult. The female fly often deposits her eggs on ripe or overripe fruit, clustering them beneath the fruit's skin. The eggs develop into tiny, white maggots that burrow into the fruit and eat on the flesh, making it mushy and discolored and ultimately causing fruit to fall from the tree. After that, the maggots fall to the ground and pupate in the dirt. The pupae are seed-like and yellowish-brown in color.

The adult flies emerge after about ten days and start laying eggs once more, restarting the cycle. The wings of adult flies are dark in color and have a yellow-brown body. They are 6-7mm length. Their thorax and abdomen have a distinctive pattern of black and yellow markings, and their eyes are red. In their lives, female flies can produce up to 3,000 eggs. The life cycle can be finished in as little as 21 days under ideal circumstances.

Preventive measures for controlling fruit fly in Mango

• Every day fruit collection and removal is a crucial preventive measure since fallen fruit attracts fruit flies and serves as a habitat for their larvae.
• Additionally, it is essential to avoid growing crops in the mango orchard or any nearby orchards that are commonly impacted by fruit flies. It might make infestations less likely.
• Removing wild or old trees from the orchards could prevent the infestation from having a place to reproduce.
• Picking up fallen fruit is made simpler and the number of fruit flies is reduced by removing weeds from the area surrounding the trees and maintaining orchard cleanliness.
• The pupae can be exposed to sunlight and destroyed by cultivation of the topsoil down to a depth of 10 cm, which will help stop the spread of illness.
• Since fruit flies attack the crop mostly during fruit development, growing mango types with similar growth cycles might reduce the risk of infestation. Late maturing varieties are typically affected the most due to the fruit flies' successive and longer life cycles.
• Another effective strategy to prevent infection is to plant varieties that mature early, allowing the fruits to ripen and reach the market when fruit fly populations are low.

Home remedies to control or get rid of fruit fly in Mango

Apple Cider Vinegar Wrap	Use Yellow Sticky Traps
Vinegar and Dish Soap	Homemade Non-toxic sprays
Wine or Beer Bottle	Product for fruitflies Traps
Rotten fruit Pulp Trap	Using Machines to Kill Fruit Fly/ Attract Fruit Fly
Candle and Water Trap

Mango fruit flies can be controlled biologically.

1. Insects called parasitoids lay their eggs within or on fruit fly larvae. After feeding on the fruit fly larvae, the parasitoid larvae successfully restrict the population.
2. Predatory insects: Predatory insects that feed on fruit fly eggs and larvae include ladybugs, lacewings, and tiny pirate bugs. This decreases the population.
3. Fruit fly lures, fruit fly traps, and pheromone traps made by Tapas are of the highest quality.
4. Bacillus thuringiensis and Beauveria bassiana are two entomopathogenic bacteria that can be utilized to decrease fruit fly populations.
5. Technique for sterile insects: When male fruit flies are gamma-irradiated to sterilize them and then released in an orchard, they mate with wild females but have no offspring, which gradually causes the population to decline.

Organic methods to get rid of fruit fly in Mango

1. Pheromone traps are useful for monitoring fruit fly numbers and spotting early infections.
2. Intercropping: Intercropping with trap crops can help an orchard get rid of fruit flies.
3. Neem oil, spinosad, and pyrethrin, which are plant-based and can be used as a spray to control fruit flies, are organic insecticides. However, they are less effective than chemical insecticides.
4. Organic acids: To ward off fruit flies, use a spray of organic acids such acetic acid, citric acid, vinegar, and malic acid.
5. Natural predators: By releasing beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and tiny pirate bugs, the number of fruit flies can be controlled. These insects feed on fruit fly eggs and larvae.

Chemical methods to get rid of fruit fly in Mango

1. Fruit fly males are attracted to and caught in pheromone traps using a combination of food and pheromones (sex attractants).
2. Fruit flies can be killed by insecticides such malathion, methomyl, and carbaryl. Follow the application instructions on the label when using them. Pollinators and beneficial insects should be protected at all costs.
3. IPM, or integrated pest management In order to control fruit flies, this strategy combines a number of techniques, including pheromone traps, pesticides, and cultural practices.
4. Spinosad: A soil bacterium is the source of this naturally occurring pesticide. The fruit fly's nervous system is paralyzed, which results in their death in a matter of hours. To the mango tree's base, it can be sprayed on or soaked in water.
5. Malathion is a broad-spectrum pesticide that has a strong anti-fruit fly action. The bug dies within a few hours as a result of the disruption to its neurological system. To the mango tree's base, it can be sprayed on or soaked in water.
6. Imidacloprid is a systemic pesticide that is absorbed by the roots of the tree and moved to the leaves and fruits. Fruit flies are killed within a few days as a result of the disruption to their neurological system. It can be sprayed on the mango tree's base as a drench.
7. The naturally occurring bacteria Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is harmful to many insects, including fruit flies. In a few days, the insect dies as a result of the disruption to its digestive system. To the mango tree's base, it can be sprayed on or soaked in water.
8. A natural insecticide developed from chrysanthemums is called pyrethrin. Fruit flies are killed within a few hours as a result of the disruption to their neurological system. To the mango tree's base, it can be sprayed on or soaked in water.

To effectively manage fruit flies, a thorough strategy is needed. It requires keeping the area around the mango trees clean, getting rid of any fruit that has fallen, and keeping an eye out for signs of infestation on the tree. Rotating crops and growing fruit trees that are unattractive to fruit flies can both reduce the likelihood of infestation.

Conclusion

Mango farmers may have serious fruit fly problems. However, these pests can be contained and your crop protected with early discovery, appropriate treatment, and excellent management. Both chemical and organic therapeutic methods are available. Chemical control methods include pesticides and insecticides. On the other side, organic management methods include use of sticky traps, diatomaceous earth, apple cider vinegar, and homemade traps.

Chemical control methods can be harmful to the environment and should only be used with caution even if they may be more effective in the short term. While using chemical control methods might be beneficial, it is always better to use organic methods whenever possible to minimize environmental harm.

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