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International Conference on

Recent Trends in Environmental Sustainability

ESCON22/CDMP/12
Biodiversity, spatial and seasonal occurrence of fruit flies in Gilgit region, Pakistan

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Muzammil Farooq , Sabyan Faris Honey , Fazlullah , Zakir Hussain and Iqbal Hussain
1 The Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), Regional Bioscience Centre,
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
2 IPDM Laboratories, Department of Agriculture Gilgit Baltistan
Correspondence: m.farooq@cabi.org
Abstract
The Belt and Road Initiative referred as Silk Road Economic Belt is a significant development
strategy of promoting economic co-operation among countries along the proposed routes. In
Pakistan, Gilgit region is the entry point for this corridor for regional trade and may act as a
potential primary source for pest contamination to horticultural produce if unattended.
Currently, fruit flies of genus Bactrocera are considered as a major threat to horticulture
production in Gilgit region and limited information is available on fruit fly population
fluctuation and seasonal abundance for this region. Therefore, to understand this phenomenon
based on geographical isolation, Centre of Agriculture and Bioscience International through its
Regional Bioscience centre in Pakistan collaborated with Directorate of Agriculture Gilgit
under the Phytosanitary Risk Management Program (PRMP) initiative. Under PRMP initiative
fruit fly seasonal abundance and biodiversity in growing areas of Gilgit were monitored during
the year 2018-19. Traps containing methyl eugenol and cue lure as attractants were installed at
experimental sites and data was recorded on fortnightly basis. The results on population species
composition and monitoring showed that four major fruit fly species i.e., B. zonata, B. dorsalis
and Zeugodacus cucurbitae were recorded in the installed traps from April to October during
each year. The maximum average fruit fly population (catches/trap) was recorded in August as
B. dorsalis (488/trap) > B. zonata (398/trap) > Z. cucurbitae (162/trap). In addition, apricot,
peach, apple and persimmon were recorded as main host plants for B. zonata and B. dorsalis;
while Z. cucurbitae was found associated with cucurbits. The findings of the current study
provide a baseline for the seasonal activity of fruit flies and provide support to develop and
implement integrated pest management strategies for fruit fly management in Gilgit region.
This will help farmers to grow and trade quality products to facilitate food security and increase
livelihood in the region.

Keywords: Cue lure; Fruit fly; Gilgit, methyl eugenol; monitoring; Traps

Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus

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