Study some biological aspects of peach fruit fly Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Diptera: Tephritidae) In laboratory and field

Abstract

The objective of the study is to establish the basic rules for studying the life of the insect, for subsequent studies because the insect has recently entered Iraq, study investigated the effect of temperature 20, 25, 30 ± 2 °C and field conditions on the biological aspects of peach fruit fly Bactrocera zonata. The results of the study showed that the shortest incubation period for eggs, larvae, pupae, pre-oviposition period, and post-oviposition period  and life cycle duration was 8.7, 8.2, 10.8, 26.4, 4.2, 16.9 days respectively at 30 ± 2 ° C. Moreover, the highest incubation period was 17.8, 19.3, 23.9, 43.6, 9.4 and 37.1 days respectively at 20 ± 2 ° C when larvae fed on artificial larval diet. While it was 19, 13.6, 22.3, 29, 5.3, and 32.6 days respectively in field conditions when feeding the larvae on the mandarin fruit, with a statistical significant difference between temperature. The ratio of emergence was 86, 86, 68% at 30, 25, 20 ± 2 m and 63% at field conditions and with significant difference. The highest number of eggs was 218 egg/female at a temperature of 30 ± 2 ° C, the lowest number was 70.8 egg/female at field conditions, and there is a statistical significant difference. The highest hatching rate for eggs was 80% at 25 ± 2 ° C and the lowest hatch rate was 64% at 20 ± 2 ° C. The ratio of sex (females: males) was 0.54: 1, 0.79: 1, 0.79: 1 at 20, 25, 30 ± 2 ° C respectively and it was 0.58:1 in field conditions. The highest number of eggs in virgin reproduction was 83.2 egg/female at 30 ± 2 ° C, and the lowest was 65.4 egg/female at 20 ± 2 ° C, and hatching rate was zero. The longest age of the female in virgin  reproduction was 80.4 days and the shortest 44.4 at 30 ± 2 ° C, while in the field conditions 62.3 days. It is clear that the difference in temperature and environmental conditions have a significant impact on all biological aspects of the insect.

Keywords: Peach fruit fly,Biological aspects, different environmental conditions, virgin breeding