Paper Details

Abstract

Multan, an important city of Punjab province, is famous for its mangoes. The mango crop is facing significant losses due to infestation of Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera zonata. The present study investigates the population fluctuations of fruit flies concerning abiotic factors, with the aim of supporting eco-friendly pest management strategies. The field data were collected during the mango seasons of 2015 and 2016 to examine the relationships between population levels of pest flies and temperature, relative humidity, rainfall (precipitation), and wind speed. The results revealed a strong positive association between temperature and the density of flies under investigation. The population of flies decreased with increase in relative humidity and rainfall. The seasonal patterns revealed higher fruit fly activities during warm, dry months, which aligns with the development and ripening of mango fruit. These findings highlight the significance of meteorological data and its incorporation with an integrated pest management plan, and the prediction of pest outbreaks and to optimize effective control measures. The study recommends the use of forecasting models/tools and real-time pest monitoring systems to make fruit fly control in mango orchards more targeted and sustainable. Future research should continue to asses and explore how long-term climate changes and meteorological factors influence pest behavior, to further improve integrated pest management strategies.

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