Studies on the Biology and Commodity Control of the Banana Fruit Fly, Dacus musae (Tyron) in Papua New Guinea.

Abstract

Work on the distribution, oviposition behavior, life stage duration and seasonal population fluctuations of Dacus musae (Tryon), a serious pest of cultivated bananas in Papua New Guinea, is reported and discussed. Female flies oviposited into full-sized green bananas, and the incubation period ranged from 3 to 11 days. If, after 11 days , the pulp had not softened, eggs failed to hatch. The larval and pupal duration were 7 to 11 and 7 to 10 days respectively. In a 2 ha banana block, male flies were trapped throughout the year, but peak populations occurred during the dry season (July to September) and in December during the wet season. In other studies, it was shown that the banana variety Giant Cavendish was less infested by larvae than the shorter varieties Tui and Dwarf Cavendish, and that this may have been
due to a preferred flight height, or to the differing hardness of the fruit skins. D . musae was also found to infest chilies, tomatoes and guavas. An earwig, Chelisoches morio F., which may exert a small predatory influence on larvae and pupae in the field, was the only natural enemy detected. Based on the biological data reported, and on - results of insecticide dipping trials, recommendations for commodity treatment of export bananas are given.