The larvae of the fruit fly is a farmers‘s enemy in mango farming. Infected mangoes cannot be sold to the market hence become waste in the farm and a loss to the farmer.
The problem of using chemicals to control fruit fly is that when you apply the cover spray, it kills both fruit flies and some of the beneficial insects found in the orchard. A revolutionary insect killing fungus called metarhizium 69 has been developed to control fruit flies. The insect killing device contains two components; metarhizium powder and a pheromone plug.
How it works
Fruit flies are used to disseminate the killing agent powder out to the other flies. The male fruit fly flies into the trap that has the powder while trying to follow their female pheromone. In the process, they pick up the spores and when they leave and disseminate it to other fruit flies.
Molasses is put in the trap as a food bait to attract a broader range of species: both male and female. The traps are then hung in the orchard farms to attract the insects.
Advantages
Biological control methods are cost effective, environmental friendly, very effective and sustainable in the long run to use.
It is a preferred method because it is a biological and reduces the effects of pesticides so as to protect fruits and vegetables.
