Chronological Review of Fruit Fly Research and Management Practices in Sudan

Fruit flies are the main constraints that limit horticultural production in Sudan. More than 39 fruit fly species have been sampled by the Insect Museum of the Agricultural Research Corporation since the early nineteenth century. Studies from 2008 to 2017 have reported 19 species of economic importance. The situation regarding fruit flies worsened after the invasion of Sudan by the alien invasive species, Bactrocera dorsalis, in 2005 and by B. zonata in 2012. A competitive displacement was noticed between B. dorsalis and the species of the genus Ceratitis MacLeay, later also reported between B. zonata and B. dorsalis on mango and guava, mainly. Several host plants were reported to attract various species of fruit flies. Species of genera Bactrocera Macquart, Ceratitis MacLeay, and Dacus Fabricius responded positively to food bait attractants, mainly Torula and Mazoferm. More than ten local attractants are comparable with standard attractants and are capable of attracting both sexes of different fruit flies species. Male annihilation was the only governmental control option applied, countrywide, to control B. dorsalis for 12 years, and lately B. zonata, although resistance of the latter species to Malathion (an insecticide applied with Methyl eugenol) has been recently reported. The integration of different control measures, including cultural practices, the use of food-based attractants, the utilisation of biocontrol agents, and the application of post-harvest techniques, are suggested for application in an eco-friendly management approach.