Question

Vapour heat treatment given to mango fruits controls the

• A. Mango hopper
• B. Mango mealy bug
• C. Mango fruit fly
• D. Mango stem borer

Hint:

Heat treatments (like VHT and hot water treatment) and irradiation are key quarantine measures for fruits. They primarily target internal pests that are difficult to detect, with fruit flies being the most common target globally.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Core Idea:
The question identifies which pest Vapour Heat Treatment (VHT) controls in mangoes.

Step 2: Elaboration:
Vapour Heat Treatment is a quarantine procedure used to eliminate pests from fresh fruits, particularly for export. It involves heating the fruit with water-saturated air to a specific core temperature for a defined time. This process kills insect eggs and larvae within the fruit without harming the fruit. The main pest targeted in mangoes is the tephritid fruit fly (*Bactrocera dorsalis*), a significant quarantine concern for many importing nations. Other listed pests (hopper, mealy bug, stem borer) are primarily field pests and not the main targets of post-harvest heat treatments like VHT.

Step 3: Conclusion:
Vapour heat treatment of mangoes controls the Mango fruit fly.