Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture (MJSA)

Fruits & vegetable commodities incur huge loss in field & postharvest conditions due to infestation by Tephritid Fruit Flies. The adult female flies lay eggs inside near maturity fruits & vegetables. The eggs hatch into apodous larvae which feed on the pulp; making them unfit for human consumption and marketing. Using male pheromone lures like Cue Lure & Methyl Eugenol Lure is one of novel techniques for annihilating male fruit flies only. Female flies can still mate & keep ovipositing fruits. So, an experiment was carried at Maranthana, Pyuthan, Nepal with 3 replications & 7 treatments to devise techniques for female fruit flies management. The experiment comprised of commercially used pheromones like Cue Lure & Methyl Eugenol Lure and 5 home based baits viz. Apple Cider Vinegar, Yeast fermented sugar, Tulsi Lure, Local Liquor Lure & Pumpkin Lure; all poisoned with Malathion, soaked in cotton wick and assembled in Lynfield traps. The experiment was completed in two trappings; 2021/04/18 to 2021/05/09 and 2021/04/16 to 2021/07/07; with similar results in both trappings. The commercial were able to attract the highest number of flies; all of which were male. Local liquor lure & tulsi lure attracted least number of male fruit flies. The Apple Cider Vinegar Lure and Yeast Lure attracted both male & female flies while pumpkin lure attracted only female flies of genus Zeugodacus. Results revealed that female flies of genus Zeugodacus tau & Z. cucurbitae could be attracted efficiently by making use of Apple Cider vinegar and Pumpkin.