اولین گزارش استقرار مگس میوه مدیترانه Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) در باغات زردآلو شهرستان خرم آباد استان لرستان

The Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) is one of the significant pests in orchards that can cause substantial damage to fruit crops such as citrus, peach, apricot, plum, apple, pear, and persimmon. Due to its high adaptability to various environmental conditions and wide host range, this insect has spread to many regions worldwide. The first report of the establishment of the Mediterranean fruit fly in the apricot orchards of Khorramabad County in Lorestan Province is considered a significant event in the region's agriculture. On June 1 and June 27, 2024, visits were made to an apricot orchard in the village of Sarab Suri (N 33° 25' 51.78804" E 48° 32' 51.16624") located on the Azna Sagvand Road in Khorramabad County, Lorestan Province, and samples were taken from apricot trees. A total of five ripe or semi-ripe apricots, commonly referred to as "egg-shaped," infected with white maggot larvae of various ages were collected from the tree and ground and reared under controlled conditions. After a few days of larval feeding, small brown pupae formed at the bottom of a container filled with clean soil. Finally, after one week to ten days, twenty adult brown flies with patterned wings emerged. After identifying the adult samples, it was confirmed through the identification of larval specimens (using spiracular respiratory features) and the jumping behavior of the final instar larvae that these flies belonged to the well-known Mediterranean fruit fly species, scientifically named Ceratitis capitata (Dipt.: Tephritidae). Upon revisiting and interviewing the orchard owner, it was claimed that this pest had been present in the orchard for about ten years and actively infested this relatively early-ripening apricot variety before the weather became very hot. However, it was less commonly observed on later-ripening varieties. The pest meticulously attacked the fruits on the branches and avoided laying eggs on rotten fruits on the ground. Given the previous report of the Mediterranean fruit fly in Khorramabad city in 2020 on tangerines published by the authors, the presence and establishment of the pest in the orchards were anticipated. This current report suggests a potential spread of the pest throughout the susceptible orchards in the province. Implementing a monitoring and surveillance system in the orchards, including installing Ceratrap and McPhail traps, is among the recommended measures. The first report of the establishment of the Mediterranean fruit fly in the apricot orchards of Khorramabad County highlights the importance of careful pest monitoring and management in agricultural areas. These reports serve as a scientific basis for planning and executing effective pest control strategies, which can help improve the production and quality of orchard crops.