COMPARISON OF VARIOUS TRAPS AND ATTRACTANTS FOR MASS HUNT THE SAFFLOWER FLY, ACANTHIOPHILUS HELIANTHI ROSSI (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE)

Abstract: The safflower fly, Acanthiophilus helianthi Rossi (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the most serious pest of safflower in Iran. Economic losses due to this pest have been estimated to reach up to 20% of the safflower crop, In spite of the fact that, pesticide treatments are applied every year to control the fly population. To determine the best combination of trap and attractant for trapping of safflower fly, a field experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five treatments and five replications, yellow sticky traps with pheromone, McPhail trap with hydrolyzed protein (3 %) and Diazinon ( 0.2 %), pet traps (1.5 lit. mineral water bottles) with hydrolyzed protein (3 %) and Diazinon (0.2 %), pet traps with Success bait (3 %) and yellow sticky traps without any attractive materials.Traps which were installed on plants in 16th April were checked weekly and the numbers of captured flies were recorded. Mean number of total captured flies per treatment per day were calculated. The study revealed a significant difference in attraction of adult A. helianthi by pheromone traps (98.20 ± 16.48) than other treatments but there was not any significant difference within others (P < 0.001, df = (4, 20), F = 31.08 ). After the pheromone traps, there were the McPhail traps, pet traps with Success bait, pet trap with protein and yellow sticky traps respectively. Also pheromone traps had a significant difference in attraction of male (66.80 ± 9.66) (P< 0.001 df = (4, 20), F = 43.61) and female adults (31.20 ± 6.29) (P<0.001, df = (4, 20), F = 19.23) than other treatments too. In this matter there was not any significant difference within others. It was noticed that pheromone traps had a significant difference in attracted the highest number of adult flies in every seasons during a year.

Safflower fly, Attractiveness, Trap, Pheromone, Non – chemical control