Micro-organisms associated with fruit fly infestation in mango fruits
Akpe M Eddy-Doh, Maxwell K Billah and Rosina Kyerematen
One of the major setbacks with the mango production and export is the incidence tephritid fruit flies. As the female oviposits on the fruits, bacteria on the surface of the fruit are pushed into the fruit resulting in decay, allowing for secondary infestations by other microorganisms in addition to gut bacteria. Determination of the population of microorganisms associated with fruit flies in mangoes can give a clue about the possible health hazards associated with fruit fly infested fruits. Loops of pulp from feeding areas of infested mangoes were cultured on agar and growths were identified. The fruits were incubated and the flies reared out and identified. Four genera of fungi were identified, including Aspergillussp. in 3 samples, Phoma sp. in 2 samples, Penicillium sp. in 8 samples, and Trichoderma sp. in 3 samples. Cross-infestations were recorded in some samples. Bactrocera dorsalis was the only fruit fly species reared from the mango samples collected.
Akpe M Eddy-Doh, Maxwell K Billah, Rosina Kyerematen. Micro-organisms associated with fruit fly infestation in mango fruits. J Entomol Zool Stud 2018;6(1):1517-1522.