Influence of Different Mango Phenological Stages on Fruit Fly Populations in Mango Orchards in Northern Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

Côte d’Ivoire is the third largest supplier of mangoes to the European market, after Brazil and Peru, and the leading exporter of mangoes to the African market. However, mango production is faced with the problem of fruit flies, which cause yields to fall. In order to combat fruit flies, a study was launched into the early detection of fruit flies at different phenological stages of the mango tree. The overall aim of the study is to help improve mango productivity through early detection of fruit flies at different phenological stages. Accordingly, a trapping system containing sexual attractants and insecticides was set up in the four cardinal directions of the mango orchard. Insects were collected once a week during the vegetative, flowering, mango development and mango ripening stages. Twelve fruit fly species in four genera and seven species were identified, with a high abundance of Bactrocera dorsalis ((265.64 ± 132.82) individuals) and Ceratitis cosyra ((171.87 ± 85.94) individuals). Fruit flies were most abundant at the maturity stage, with a high abundance of Bactrocera dorsalis species ((129.20 ± 46.15) individuals) and at the vegetative stage ((597.80 ± 214.07) individuals), and a high abundance of Ceratitis cosyra species at the flowering (111.26 ± 33.71) and mango development ((187.47 ± 62.64) individuals) stages. In conclusion, the phenological stages of mango influence the population of fruit flies in mango orchards.