Abundance and Incidence of Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L) Flies in the Korhogo Department of Northern Côte d’Ivoire and Pest Control Methods Used by Farmers
Yalamoussa Tuo *
Unité de Formation et de Recherche (UFR) des Sciences Biologiques, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Peleforo Gon Coulibaly, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Klana Kone
Unité de Formation et de Recherche (UFR) Biosciences, Département de Zoologie, Biologie Animale et Ecologie, Université Felix Houphouet-Boigny de Cocody, 22 Bp 1611 Abidjan 22, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Michel Laurince Yapo
Unité de Formation et de Recherche (UFR) des Sciences Biologiques, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Peleforo Gon Coulibaly, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Koua Kouakou Herve
Unité de Formation et de Recherche (UFR) Biosciences, Département de Zoologie, Biologie Animale et Ecologie, Université Felix Houphouet-Boigny de Cocody, 22 Bp 1611 Abidjan 22, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
To improve the production of zucchini in Côte d'Ivoire and particularly in to Korhogo Department, a study was carried out at the Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University research site and at four farmers’ sites during dry and rainy seasons. On each plot, the number of healthy and attacked fruits was evaluated, based on a random sample of 100 fruits. The attacked fruits were transported to the laboratory and incubated to determine the causative agents. The methods and pesticides used to control insect pests by farmers were listed. During the rainy season, 86.06% of the fruit was attacked by flies while 13.94% remained healthy. In the dry season, for a total of 9,617 controlled fruits, 7,439 (77.35%) were healthy and 22.65% were attacked. Four insects species emerged from infested fruit. They were Bactrocera cucurbitae, Dacus ciliatus, Dacus bivittatus, belonging to the family of Tephritidae, and Scaeva pyrastri belonging to Syrphidae. The method used by farmers to control pests was not effective. In conclusion, flies represent the limiting factor of zucchini production during the rainy season in to Korhogo Department.
Keywords: Zucchini, fly, attacked fruits, dry season and rainy season