The Ability of Fruit Fly Bactrocera spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) Attack Different Age and Variety of Chili Pepper

Abstract

Fruit fly Bactrocera spp. (Diptera: Tephtitidae) is the very important pest attacks many crop including chili pepper. The amount of injury to chili pepper caused by Bactrocera spp. depends on age and variety of plant. The purpose of research is to study the attack intensity of Bactrocera spp. to different age and variety of chili pepper. The research was conducted in the Teaching Farm and Pest Laboratory, Department of Plant Pests and Diseases, Faculty of Agriculture, Hasanuddin University Makassar at planting season from February to June. The sample of chili pepper fruit attacked by Bactrocera spp. was collected from different plant variety at farm, then counting their injury. After counting, the fruit samples rearing in the laboratory to observation sex ratio of the fruit flies. Based observation the age of plant, the result was showed the highest attack intensity of Bactrocera spp. in the 92 days after planting at Laris variety (16.38%), Dewata F1 (11.75%) and Cakra Putih (10.10%), respectively. The lowest result was presented at TM Rawit about 6.64%. The total number attack intensity of Bactrocera spp. in the planting season from February to June was showed in Laris (22.17%), Dewata F1 (16.94%) and Sret (10.43%), respectively. The conclusion of research: the resistant variety of chili pepper to Bactrocera spp. is TM Rawit, then susceptible variety is Laris and Dewata F1. This is very useful information to farmers in management of chili pepper on the field.