Mango farmers in Kenya who have been incurring 30 to 80 per cent fruit yield losses due to attack by fruit flies can now control the pests using a new biological solution, cera cap from Amiran Kenya, an agricultural input company.
The company is selling a single trap at Sh450 while a liter of cera solution goes for Sh740. The solution attracts and drowns all female fruit flies, breaking their breeding cycle.
Cera Trap now is a liquid hydrolyzed protein bait solution which contains amines and organic acids to attract fruit flies inside the trap. The fruit flies then drown in the trap with no means of getting outside the trap. Although Cera trap attracts both genders of fruit flies, it mostly target females hence breaking the breeding cycle.
Adult female fruit flies lay eggs in the flesh of ripening and ripe fruit and vegetable. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae begins to feed within the fruit, causing it to ripen prematurely, rot and drop to the ground.
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According to Amiran Kenya Limited’s Chief Agronomist, Cera Trap attracts a wide variety of fruit flies from Ceratitis species to Bactrocera species in different plantations including mangoes, citrus, cucurbits and avocadoes. The advantage of Cera Trap is that as much as it captures a wide variety of fruit flies, it respects beneficial fauna.
Traps are placed in an orchard 40-60 days before commercial ripening. In order to effectively eliminate fruit flies, at least 20 traps are needed per acre and are supposed to be positioned at the northern side of the plant; within the foliage or crop; 1.5 meters above the ground. At least 400ml of Cera solution is needed per trap and frequency of refilling depends on temperature, humidity, type of trap used and exposure to the sunlight.
Cera trap solution is free of chemicals; insecticides and pesticides hence farmers don’t have to worry about spraying the plantation as everything happens in the trap, thus no residue is left on fruits.
For more information contact Amiran Kenya on 0719 095000 or +254-206907000