Synergist Response of the Peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Sunders) to some Ammonium based proteinaceous food bait attractants

Abstract Family Tephritidae, Bactrocera zonata is a serious pest, attacking fruits and vegetables causing a large quantitive and qualitative damages throughout the world. Fruit fly required proteinaceous food for sexual maturation and eggs development. Therefore, food bait attractants are widely used for detection, monitoring, mass trapping and controlling fruit flies. We therefore screening out the most suitable synthetic proteinaceous food bait attractants to volatiles distinguished by the fruit fly antennae through Y-shape olfactometer (Behavioral assays). The response of B. zonata adults male and females to some ammonium compounds (ammonium acetate, trimethylamine and putrescine) that mixed with certain food attractants were evaluated under laboratory conditions from 5-day old flies to 30 days old. To find potential mixtures that might be beneficial in developing fruit fly attractants for male and especially for females. So, four base baits developed by mixing protein hydrolysate with Jaggery, papa powder, kachri powder, KOH and guava pulp. Finally, thirty-two (32), synthetic blends were developed when above four base baits mixed with synthetic attractants. Results from the olfactometer bioassay indicated that protein hydrolysate + jaggery, protein hydrolysate + jaggery + AA and, protein hydrolysate + Jaggery + AA + TMA + Putrescine were effective both male and female throughout the adult life span when jaggery was used as base baits. Similarly, protein hydrolysate + Guava pulp + AA + TMA and protein hydrolysate + Guava pulp + AA + TMA + Putrescine also effective for the attraction of both male and female from 5th to 30 days life span when guava pulp was used as base baits. There was also variation in the pH of the baits due to different chemical composition of attractants as well as different food constituents. Bait proteins pH was a significant factor that may be strongly associated with the attraction efficiency of male and female fruit flies B. zonata.