Mango season fast approaching; learn to prevent fruit flies from ruining tropical fruit

Summer signifies the beginning of mango season, but farmers are facing challenges in controlling the fruit fly that damages the mangoes. The appearance of worms in ripe mangoes is a clear indication of fruit fly infestation. India, being the world's largest mango-producing country, ends up discarding the most mangoes each season due to this issue. Unfortunately, many farmers neglect to wrap the fruits or set up pheromone traps during cultivation. Instead, they often resort to spraying chemical pesticides using high-pressure sprayers. To improve mango yield, it is advisable to prune excessive small branches, as this makes it easier to protect the fruits with covers.

👉Dangerous

Fruit flies are the primary pests that damage mangoes. These flies have two large wings that enable them to fly and smaller wings that help with flight control. When a fruit fly punctures a mango, it leaves a small drop of glue behind. Within two days, the heat beneath the mango's skin causes the eggs to hatch. Then, within ten days, the larvae will burrow into the mango and begin feeding on it. This area of the mango will begin showing signs of damage, such as soft spots. Eventually, the mangoes will fall to the ground before reaching maturity, and the larvae will emerge as adult flies.

👉 Remedy

When the mangoes are half grown, they should be covered with plastic or paper covers with holes. The base of the mango tree should be cleaned. The garbage should be burned and the mango tree should be fumigated in the morning and evening. Each damaged mango should be collected and destroyed safely.