Host Range and Parasitoid Associations of the Fruit Fly Bactrocera caryeae (Kapoor) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract

The fruit fly Bactrocera caryeae (Kapoor) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is an economically important pest of several tropical and subtropical fruit crops. Understanding its host range and natural enemy complex is critical for effective pest management and quarantine risk assessment. The present study investigated the host plant range of B. caryeae and documented its parasitoid assemblage through systematic field surveys and fruit rearing studies. A total of 23 fruit species belonging to 12 plant families were recorded as hosts, with Avocado (Persea americana), Karonda (Carissa carandus), Malayan apple (Syzygium malaccense) and Amtekayi (Spondias dulcis) identified as major hosts. A hymenopteran parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata was recovered from B. caryeae pupae, as dominant species with 100 % parasitisation. The findings highlight the ecological adaptability of B. caryeae and emphasize the role of parasitoids in regulating its populations, providing valuable insights for integrated pest management and biological control programs.