Abhatoo - Centre Nationale de Documentation

The Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) is the most devastating insect on citrus in the irrigated area of Moulouya, Morocco, which is known by the production of many citrus varieties, e.g., Berkane Clementine and Navel. Monitoring and control practices of fruit fly in over 40 farms producing and exporting citrus in the province of Berkane were investigated in a survey conducted in 2016. The results showed that 53% of sampled farms were supervised by the private sector which provides monthly monitoring of the insect. The survey showed that one to two pheromone traps per hectare were placed in a zigzag pattern in the orchard. Farmers used chemical treatments when an average daily threshold of 4 flies per trap was reached, regardless of the sex captured. Half of the farmers (51%) employed mass trapping by pheromone traps, e.g., Ceratrap®, with an average density of 30 traps per hectare. The technique of straw plug is used by 62% of the farmers interviewed with an average density of 82 straw plugs per hectare. The chemical treatment is the most common control method used by the surveyed farmers, and only 17% of them are opting for a localized treatment. The results obtained allow us to reveal the current state of the fruit fly control and the challenges facing farmers who export fruit to the Russian market. These data will be used to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of continuing some approaches held actually and initiate future research programs of integrated management against the Mediterranean fruit fly.