According to the coordination made by the Public Relations office of the Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Dr. Najmeh Ebrahimi, faculty member of the Agricultural Entomology Research Department of the institute, on Saturday, April 25, made an interview with the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on the subject: “Destruction of fruits infected with Mediterranean flies at a depth of 50 cm in the soil” in the following link:
https://www.irna.ir/news/84306983/
In an interview with IRNA economic reporter about the history, economic importance and geographical distribution of Mediterranean fruit flies, she added: "This pest causes damage to more than 350 plant species, including stone fruit trees, pome fruit trees, some forest and ornamental species and also vegetables and summer crops. Features such as wide host range, lack of forced diapause, high fertility and continuous reproduction in suitable weather conditions, adaptation to various environmental conditions and greater cold tolerance compared with other species of fruit flies, have caused it to be at the top of the list of quarantine pests in the world. By laying eggs under the skin of the fruit, the adult insect causes depressions, changes the skin color and reduces its marketability. The main damage is done by the larvae that feed on the skin and flesh of the fruit, as a result of which the fruit changes color earlier than expected (abnormal maturity) and causes rot and decay at the larval site on the fruit and eventually the fruit drops in some hosts including persimmons, figs, and citrus fruits. She recommended the principles of quarantine, post-harvest fruit disinfection, agronomic and mechanical methods to manage and control Mediterranean fruit flies.
Continuous and general collection of infected fruits in the garden and their complete destruction (burial at a depth of 50 cm in the soil), deep plowing after harvesting the fruit of infected gardens, fruit cover (with Kraft paper, newspaper or cloth net), planting high value-added crops, early harvest of crops such as persimmons, bananas, tomatoes, papaya and avocados, avoiding late harvests and not storing crops in the garden are very important in managing this pest. The faculty member of the Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection emphasized on using the following methods to reduce the pest damage of Mediterranean fruit flies in orchards: hunting male insects, mass hunting, early harvest to avoid pest damage, cleaning and clearing the surface of the orchards free from fruits infected with Mediterranean fruit flies, harvesting all fruits at the end of the season, monitoring the transfer of infected fruits to other areas, managing the size of fruit trees (especially citrus), and releasing sterile males.
According to IRNA, the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata Wied (Diptera: Tephritidae) is one of the most important and harmful pests of fruit trees in the world and in Iran, including Mazandaran province.
