Invader fruit fly a major threat

NATIONAL AGRI NEWS - The R13bn South African fruit industry is rightfully concerned about a new pest on the block. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) confirmed new detections of an invader fruit fly known as Bactrocera invadens - a quarantine pest - in Limpopo Province.

This fruit fly is a highly invasive specie with a wide range of hosts. It causes severe damage to its host plants. The hosts include commercial fruit such as mango, citrus, guava, papaya and bananas, wild fruits such as Marula and wild figs, as well as vegetables such as bell peppers, pumpkin and tomatoes.

Earlier this year several new detections were made in the Vhembe district in the Limpopo Province. The first of the series of detections occurred next to the Limpopo River on 15 February at the Beit bridge, Weipe and the Pontdrift areas. The other detections occurred in the Musina town, Tshipise and in Louis Trichardt. The process of eradicating the current pest has been initiated in all the affected areas.

After being detected in Kenya in 2003 the fruit fly has spread across Sub-Saharan Africa. Now it occurs in many African countries including, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi and Zambia as well as the northern parts of Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia. It evidently also occurs in Zimbabwe.

Quarantine measures are being implemented in all the affected areas, including the residential areas, to contain and to eradicate the pest. Unsuccessful eradication and establishment of a resident population may lead to the dispersal of the pest from the affected areas to other production areas throughout South Africa. This may result in production losses for small and commercial scale farmers, and additional costly trade restrictions and phytosanitary measures, or even temporary loss of export markets.

As populations increase in one area, fruit flies will disperse to new areas. However, fruit flies spread most often with the transportation of infested fruit from an infested area to a non-infested one. An infested fruit can spread a quarantine fruit fly to a new area. The DAFF wishes to emphasise the importance that no fruit must be brought into South Africa from any country without a permit.

ARTICLE: JAN GREYLING

- Knysna/Plett Herald