SEASONAL OCCURRENCE OF MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY (CERATITIS CAPITATA) (WIEDEMANN) DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE, ON MIXED FRUIT ORCHARDS IN BAGHDAD (2014-2016)

Abstract

In the recent years the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitatadistributed in the orchards(Citrus and stoning trees) of central Iraq and causedhighly economic losses. This study was conducted in orchards (25donums) inNorth-East of Baghdad during the consequence growing seasons of 2014 and2016 in order to determine the pest annual existence . At the growing season ofthe year 2014,The highest existence of the pest was at the late of the first week ofApril. At that period the average of the captured pests,individuals was reached(2909) individual/ trap/week. With regards of the surrounding conditions were(30-43) 0C, and the relative humidity was 31%. Almost the same situation hasbeen occurred along with second week of April,. Since the average of thecaptured pests ,individuals on the stoning trees was reached (2909) individual /trap/ week. the surrounding conditions were (32-44)0C and (29%) was therelative humidity. At the growing season of the year 2015, the highest existenceof the pest was at the second week of June, At that period the average of thecaptured pests,individuals was reached (810.5) individual/trap/week. thesurrounding conditions were (30-43) 0C and the relative humidity was 31%.Finaly, At the growing season of 2016 the highest existence of the pest was atthe second week of June, At that period the average of the captured pests,individuals was reached (861) individual / trap/ week the surrounding conditionswere (30-43) 0C and the relative humidity was (28%). There were more thanindicators assured that the population density are in decreasing along with thecoming growing season, and that was because of the using of phermon traps andthe decreasing of fruits infestations average. The highest average of the pestcaptured individuals in Junes of the three years of the conducting surveyrepresented the increasing of pest population within these periods, and that wasbecause of the host plant abundancy and the suitability of surroundingconditions those included the temperatures and relative humidity