Fruit fly species diversity in selected fruit crops in Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

A study to document the diversity of fruit fly species infesting selected fruit crops viz., mango, guava, custard apple and ber in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh was conducted at College of Horticulture, Anantharajupeta during 2023-24. Random collection of infested fruit samples through roving survey in potential crop growing areas of Annamayya, Ananthapuramu, Chittoor and Nandyal districts of Rayalaseema was done for rearing and further species identification. The study revealed that infestation of three major fruit fly species viz., Bactrocera dorsalis, Bactrocera zonata and Bactrocera correcta in these crops. In four districts, highly predominant species in all these crops is B.dorsalis with infestation percentage ranging from 45-64.7, followed by B. correcta (20.0-31.42%) and B. comata (11.66-33.33%). In ber crop, it was found that, there is complete displacement of ber fruit fly, Carpomyia vesuviana, a monophagous species by genus Bactrocera. This displacement may be due to wide host range and adaptability of B. dorsalis complex in fruit crops. This is also a first report on ecological species displacement of Carpomiya vesuviana by Bactrocera dorsalis complex in ber crop from Andhra Pradesh.