Title: Recent invasion by Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) as a new pest competing with Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) in attacking fruits in Egypt.
Abstract: Summary Different species of Family Tephritidae have been accidentally introduced into Egypt. Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) was reported in Egypt early last century and ever since has been the serious pest of fruits. Recently in 1990, the peach fruit fly (PFF), Bactrocera zonata (Saunders), although recorded in Egypt as early as 1924, has been recognized as causing fruit damage on a range of fruits including mango, guava, apricot, peach, apple and pear. Three seasons of field monitoring, revealed a significantly higher abundance of B. zonata than of C. capitata, on all major fruit hosts in three different localities in Egypt. In laboratory comparisons, B. zonata manifested a higher threshold of temperature than C. capitata. The reduced survival rate of immature stages of B. zonata at 35°C was less acute than that observed for C. capitata. B. zonata immature stages survived 40°C while those of C. capitata failed to survive. B. zonata appeared to prefer warmer conditions and seemed well adaptable to hot climates. The seasonal abundance data suggested that the milder climate conditions in spring, autumn and early winter was favoured by C. capitata, while extreme summer high temperatures supported survival of B. zonata. Both fruit fly species disappeared during extreme cold winter. The present study concludes that B. zonata has gradually become so widely spread that it surpasses domination of C. capitata as the major fruit pest. It is possible that climate change is responsible for the appearance of B. zonata as a pest over the past 20 years, although the species was recorded in Egypt about 50 years earlier.
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 10
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