Annona Species Monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future

Chapter 10. Agronomy
cherimoya producers, the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) has a
major economic impact, attacking up to 50% of cherimoya fruits (Farré et al.,
1999), while in Ecuador the incidence of cherimoya fruit fly (Anastrepha
spp.) is greater than 94% (Alvarez et al., 1999). However, in Brazil, a
typically tropical country with very small areas producing cherimoya, the
incidence of fruit flies on this species, or even on its hybrid atemoya, is not
mentioned in the literature (Kavati et al., 1997; Bonaventure, 1999). Also,
the incidence of fruit flies on soursop, sugar apple and custard apple fruits is
negligible or without economic importance, since there is no citation in the
literature reviewed (Torres and Sánchez, 1992; Junqueira et al., 1996; Pinto
and Silva, 1994; Kavati and Piza Jr., 1997). The only exception occurs in
Mexico, where the attack of Anastrepha ludens on soursop is cited by
Rebollar-Alviter (1987), describing the work of Ponce and Vidal (1981). It is
not clear why fruit flies are only minor annona pests in this area, because the
flies attack other fruit species in the same areas where annonas are grown.
The mining character of fruit fly larvae, together with their underground
pupation, has led practically all control methods to be directed at the adults,
by using insecticides (Farré et al., 1999). The spraying of insecticide on
entire plants is still the most common practice. Distribution of a toxic bait,
consisting of 4% hydrolyzed protein and 0.15% dimethoate, on the entire tree
or over the top third only, has also been used (Fuentes et al., 1999) to control
Mediterranean fly (Ceratitis capitata) on cherimoya fruits. However, besides
having questionable effectiveness, this method is also questioned by an
increasingly environmentally sensitive society.
An integrated control system involving chemical, biological and cultural
methods should be implemented for management and control of the fruit fly.
For instance, in Spain, Farré et al. (1999), describing work of Hermoso et al.
(1994) in the Experimental Station of La Mayora, affirmed that phosphate
baits or pheromone traps, combined with field hygiene (removal of fruits on
the ground), can reduce fruit fly attacks to 4 - 7% without any insecticide
treatment. This percentage of fruit fly attack can be further reduced (to 0.5 -
2.0%) with immersion of cherimoya fruits in hot water (between 45 and
47°C) for 60 minutes. Similarly, Rebollar-Alviter et al. (1997) suggest that
control involving only the removal of dropped over-ripened fruit on the
ground can reduce fruit fly populations by up to 80%. Fruit bagging also
provides an adequate protection against attack (Nakasone and Paull, 1998).
After the removal of the fruit, a cultural practice commonly used in mango
orchards in north-eastern Brazil, harrowing beneath the canopy, i.e. turning
over the first soil layer, impedes pupation of fruit flies and interrupts their life
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