Diversity of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) attacking Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) in two agro-ecological zones of Northern Cameroon

Abstract

Guava (Psidium guajava L.), a fruit of high nutritional and economic value, is highly susceptible to infestation by tephritid fruit flies (Diptera), posing a significant threat to its production. To address this issue, a biodiversity study was conducted during two fruiting guava season (2020 – 2021), in six orchards located in two agro-ecological zones of Cameroon: the Sudano-Sahelian Savannah and the High Guinea Savannah. The study focused on five guava varieties: P. guajava pomifera var. white, P. guajava pomifera var. Pink, P. guajava pyrifera var. White, P. guajava pyrifera var. Pink, and P. guajava pyrifera var. Yellow. Guavas infested by tephritids were collected and incubated for insect emergences. A total of 7,693 tephritids individuals, representing four species, emerged from 60.46% of guava sampled. Using the Dajoz index and species diversity indices, Bactrocera dorsalis was most abundant and widely distributed across agro-ecological zones, whereas Ceratitis anonae, Ceratitis fasciventris, and Ceratitis cosyra were less prevalent. The infestation density of B. dorsalis was significantly higher than that of the other species. These findings highlight the critical need for continued research to better understand the interactions between guava varieties and their associated tephritid communities, vital for developing effective pest management strategies to protect fruit production. Key words: Guava, tephritid, Bactrocera dorsalis, fruit fly abundance, fruit fly infestation density.