Building a food secured Africa
THINGS WE LEARNT IN THAILAND 2023: BASIC FRUIT FLIES CONTROL TECHNIQUES IN FRUIT TREE FARMING
Fruit trees such as mango, guava, longyan, durian, grapes, avocado, etc. are commonly grown in Thailand. Fruits with sweet flesh like mango, guava, grape, etc. often get the attention of small insects known as fruit flies.
Fruit flies pose a threat to the development and quality of the fruits of the aforementioned crops. They make holes in the skin of ripening fruits, hence laying eggs in them. The bacteria from their intestinal flora that have been introduced into the fruits cause the pieced part of the fruit to rot. When the eggs laid are hatched, the maggots formed feed on the flesh of the fruit, which disfigures the fruit and renders it unmarketable.
Regulatory bodies in Thailand in charge of ensuring fruit crops taken to the market or final consumers are good for consumption often screen out or reject fruits with such blemishes. This is more of a concern, especially for farmers when counting their losses.
During our visit to the Maejo University Farm in Chiang Mai, we discovered that the mango trees have most of their fruits wrapped individually. This is an innovative idea: using a breathable paper bag to seal a fruit in order to prevent damage caused by fruit flies. It also aids in the ripening and quality of selected fruits for the market.
At the Maejo University Pomology Department, we also saw that the same technique was used to protect guava fruits and grapes.
Meanwhile, at the Royal Park Rajapruek, we came across another innovation, which was the installation of transparent plastic containers (more like pet drink containers) at strategic areas where fruit trees were planted. It’s mostly to trap fruit flies or flies that are attracted to sweet aromas, which may intend to damage ripe fruits.
These two innovations are safe as they don’t involve the use of chemical pesticides on the crops and are recommended as a Good Agricultural Practice (GAP).
What do you think about these innovations?
Which other methods do you know?
Do you think these BASIC FRUIT FLIES CONTROL TECHNIQUES IN FRUIT TREE FARMING can be adopted in Nigeria?
We would love to read your comments or questions in the comment section below.