Variation in Volatiles from Fruits of Mango and Marula Attractive to the Mango Fruit Fly, Cerntitis cosyrn (Walker)

Abstract

Wild mango fruit fly Cerntitis cosyrn, was attracted to and oviposited
preferentially on immature and mature green than ripe yellow mango fruits in
the field. Volatile compounds from fruits of mango and marula, at different
ripeness stages, were trapped on octadecyl reversed-phase silica. The volatile
compounds were identified using gas chromatography, gas chromatographymass
spectrometry and by chromatographic comparisons with authentic
samples. Immature and mature green mango fruits on trees emitted similar
compounds, comprising of monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids. A (letached
mature preen mango fruit emitted a few esters in addition to monoterpenes and
sesquiterpenes. The ripe yellow mango fruit emitted large quantities of esters
ancl smaller proportions of terpenoids. Several esters, similar to ripe yellow
mangoes, were identified in volatiles of ripe yellow marula fruits. A total of 17
terpenoids and I9 esters were identified. Some of the identified compounds in
green mangoes, particularly tho terpenoids, constitute candidate I<airomones for
C. cosym.