Evaluation of different types of attractants for Bactrocera correcta (Bezzi, 1916) in the Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.) ecosystem

Fruit flies pose a significant threat to ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.) cultivation, necessitating effective monitoring and management strategies. This study evaluated the efficacy of various attractants in trapping Carpomya vesuviana and Bactrocera correcta. Various baits were tested, including ripe pulp of ber, guava and banana; fish meal; jaggery solution; honey solution; ammonium acetate; proteinex and commercial lures (methyl eugenol and cue lure). However, no adults of C. vesuviana were captured. But B. correcta was effectively trapped, with methyl eugenol (T9) and cue lure (T10) consistently demonstrating superior efficacy across all standard weeks. These traps captured the highest mean number of fruit flies (54.6 and 49.5 flies/trap respectively), followed by proteinex (T8) (13.3 flies/trap) and guava pulp (T3) (7.4 flies/trap). Banana pulp (T2), fish meal trap (T4) and ammonium acetate (T7) showed moderate attraction, with mean trap catches of 6.2, 5.1 and 5.4 flies/trap respectively. In contrast, ripened ber fruit pulp (T1) showed limited effectiveness, with a mean trap catch of 4.8 fruit flies/trap. Honey solution (T6) and jaggery (T5) recorded the lowest trap catches, with mean values of 1.4 and 1.1 fruit flies/trap respectively, indicating minimal attractiveness. The findings confirm the efficacy of methyl eugenol and cue lure traps in attracting B. correcta, reinforcing their role in integrated pest management strategies. However, the failure to trap C. vesuviana highlights the need for alternative attractants tailored to its behavioural ecology. Future research should focus on developing more efficient trapping methods for C. vesuviana to enhance pest control in ber orchards.