2. Fruit fly: Bactrocera diversus (Tephritidae: Diptera)

Distribution and status: All guava orchards throughout the country
Host range: Guava, Tomato and other commercial fruits.

Damage symptoms

Maggots bore into fruits and feed on soft pulp.  The infested fruits show small cavities with dark greenish punctures and when cut open, the wriggling maggots are seen inside.  The infestation causes rotting and dropping of fruits.

Bionomics

Eggs laid on soft skin of fruits and egg period 1-4 days. Maggot pale cream, cylindrical, 5-8 mm in length, larval period  4-5 days. Maggot pupates in soil, pupal period 7 - 13 days. Adult smoky brown with greenish black thorax having yellow marking.

Management    

• Collect and destroy the damaged plant parts.
• Summer plough to expose and kill pupae.
• Harvest the fruits when slightly hard and green.
• Spray fenvalerate 20 EC 1 L or endosulfan 35 EC or malathion 50 EC 2 L in 1500 – 2000 L of water per ha.
• Rake the soil around the tree and apply lindane dust 1.3 D @ 25 kg per ha.