Atherigona soccata
| Atherigona soccata | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Muscidae |
| Genus: | Atherigona |
| Species: | A. soccata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Atherigona soccata Rondani, 1871
| |
Atherigona soccata, the sorghum shoot fly, is a species of fly in the family Muscidae whose larvae feed on the central growing shoots of millet crops like sorghum where they can cause serious loss of yield across Africa and Asia.
Sorghum is grown mainly in Africa and Asia with some areas also in southern Europe. The adult fly lays eggs on the underside of the leaf of the host plant. A female may lay about 75 eggs. The eggs hatch in a week and the larva moves to the central whorl and feeds on the growing tip, resulting in the plant failing to grow. The larvae pupate after about 17 days and adults may emerge after another 11 days under warm conditions.[1] Many efforts have been made to breed crop varieties that are resistant to shoot fly attack.[2] Altering the season of planting can also be effective under some conditions as the flies only attack young seedlings. The adults can be monitored using bait consisting of fish-meal (with fish oil), brewer's yeast and ammonium sulphide.[3] Attempts have also been made to augment natural predators and parasites to manage or reduce damage to crops.[4]
References
- ^ Barry, Dean (1972). "Notes on Life History of a Sorghum Shoot Fly, Atherigona varia soccata1,2". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 65 (3): 586–594. doi:10.1093/aesa/65.3.586.
- ^ Singh, B. U.; Rana, B. S. (1986). "Resistance in sorghum to the shootfly, Atherigona soccata Rondani". International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. 7 (05): 577–587. doi:10.1017/S1742758400011486. ISSN 1742-7584.
- ^ Meksongsee, B.; Chawanapong, M.; Sangkasuwan, U.; Poonyathaworn, P. (1981). "The biology and control of the sorghum shootfly, Atherigona soccata Rondani, in Thailand". International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. 2 (1–2): 111–116. doi:10.1017/S1742758400002265. ISSN 1742-7584.
- ^ Singh, B. U.; Sharma, H. C. (2002). "Natural Enemies of Sorghum Shoot Fly, Atherigona soccata Rondani (Diptera: Muscidae)". Biocontrol Science and Technology. 12 (3): 307–323. doi:10.1080/09583150220128103. ISSN 0958-3157.