Monitoring the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Dip.: Tephritidae) in citrus orchards in west of Mazandaran and East of Guilan provinces

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) is one of the most destructive pests in the world. This pest is an internal and external quarantine pest in Iran which was seen again after 20 years in Mazandaran province. Accurate survey is the first step for its management. This survey was carried out along 150 km of Caspian Sea coast during 2008-2012 at citrus orchards from east of Guilan (Chaboksar, Kelachay, Rudsar and Langerud) to west of Mazandaran (Ramsar, Tonekabon and Chaloos) provinces. McPhail traps baited with Ceratap attractant and Jackson traps baited with trimedlure were used to monitor the population dynamics in citrus orchards. The traps were checked weekly and number of flies and infested areas in each city were separately recorded. The results indicated that the fly was active in Tonekabon and Chaloos in 2008 and Ramsar in 2009 in the east part of Mazandaran province. In 2010, it was captured from Chaboksar and in 2011 with a drastic movement was distributed in entire parts of eastern Guilan province. Study on pest population density showed that the fly density in Tonekabon and Chaloos which were previously infected was higher in Rudsar and Langerud. The population dynamics of the Mediterranean fruit fly showed a single peak in the autumn of each year.

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