Evaluation of food-based attractants with low cost fruit fly trap against cucurbit fruit fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coq.) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Field experiments on effectiveness of food baits in attracting fruit flies under cucurbit ecosystem were conducted at Coimbatore (1101’6’’N 760 58’21’’E and Dharmapuri (400 26.767’N 79058.9331’W) Tamil Nadu, India. The pulps of banana, papaya, sapota, snake gourd and pumpkin were used as base baits at different concentrations and food grade alcohol and vinegar were used as additives to endure attraction of fruit flies. The newly designed low cost fruit fly trap was used for keeping the food bait to trap the fruit flies. Among the fruit pulps tested, the banana and papaya attracted more number of fruit flies (116.25 and 96.25 flies/ trap/ day, respectively) at 30g concentration. Among the additives tested, 30g base bait added with alcohol was effective in attracting fruit flies at 3 ml concentration. The combination of 30 g of banana with 3 ml alcohol (157.5 flies/ trap/ day) and 30 g of papaya with 3ml of alcohol (153.25 flies/ trap /day) was found best food base baits for fruit flies under cucurbit ecosystem. The combination of 30 g of banana with 3 ml alcohol was highly economic and longevity (5-14 days) was more as compare to 30 g of papaya with 3ml of alcohol. The highest female to male ratio was recorded in ridge gourd in Coimbatore (0.78:1) and Dharmapuri (0.67:1). The F: M ratio in the trap catches revealed that parapheromones were completely male biased while the food bait based traps were attractive to both sexes. Thus, the indigenously designed low cost trap is highly economic, effective and target oriented.