The Pouteria caimito tree, is a known fruit in the tropics and consumed fresh. Among the main issues affecting the fruit quality, are the damage caused by the attack of the larvae of fruit fly. The objective of this study was to determine the diameter of the fruit P. caimito to effect the practice of bagging in order to protect against the attack of the fly. For this, six classes of diameter were set: a) fruit with a diameter less than 1 cm, b) fruit with a diameter of 1-2 cm, c) fruits with a diameter of 2-3 cm d) fruits with a diameter of 3 to 4 cm, e) fruit with a diameter of 4-5 cm, f) fruit with a diameter larger than 5 cm, and the control treatment, which consisted of fruit without protection. Bags to cover the fruits were made of white TNT. After harvest, fruits were measured and weighed and then broken in longitudinal and transversal directions and evaluated by visual observation of the presence or the absence of fruit fly larvae. The efficiency of treatments was evaluated by the percentage of fruit dropped on the ground, and the fruits harvested with absence and presence of larvae. It was observed 96.7%, 88.3% and 40.0% of dropping in bagged fruit with a diameter smaller than 1 cm, 1-2 cm and 2-3 cm respectively. The bagging of fruits P. caimito with diameters between 1 and 2 cm is not feasible due to the high percentage of fallen fruit (96.7%). The highest percentage of fruits without larvae of fruit fly (83.3%) is observed when the fruits were bagged with a diameter of between three and five centimeters.
Anastrepha sp.; covering; control; pest; Pouteria caimito
