Abstract
A study was carried out during 2014-15 and 2015-2016 at Government Agriculture Farm, old Shujabad Road, Multan, Punjab-Pakistan to assess the preference of five ber varieties for fruit flies. Fruit flies, Carpomaya vesuviana and Bactrocera spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) are considered as the serious pest of ber that breeds on fruit and create interruption in fruit quality. So the choice of fruit flies to ber varieties from fruit setting to maturity is crucial. Four grafted and one 'Tukhmi' ber (Zizyphus jujuba) viz., 'Kheeri', 'Umri', 'Ajooba', 'Dokil' and 'Tukhmi' were evaluated for their suitability for fruit flies. The results indicate that maximum damaged fruits were recorded on 'Umri' and 'Dokil' i.e. 18.8 and 14.6 percent as compared with other varieties and lower on 'Ajooba' and 'Kheeri' with 10.40 and 9.7 percent damaged fruits. The minimum damaged fruits were recorded on 'Tukhmi' varieties of ber i.e. 6.8 percent. Further, it was also recorded that in the month of November, December and January only C. vesuviana attacked the ber fruits but in the month of February along with C. vesuviana; Bactrocera zonata and Bactrocera dorsalis attacked the ber fruits. The ranking positions towards their suitability as host plant for Bactrocera spp was observed: 'Umeri' > 'Ajooba' > 'Dokil'> 'Kheeri' > and 'Tukhmi'. So it is concluded that the special attention should be given on 'Umri' a high value variety, for the management of fruit flies when devising an IPM program for the control of fruit flies as well as a guideline for the horticultural scientists/ breeders when developing new ber varieties.