%20fruits.JPG "Infested watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) fruits collected from the sampling sites")
Madeleine Ivonne Mendy,
Toffène Diome, Mamecor Faye, and Mbacké
Sembène, from the institute of Sénégal. wrote a Research article about, Temperature
Effects on Melon Fly Development in Senegal Watermelon Crops. entitled, Effect
of temperature on the development of immature stages of Zeugodacus cucurbitae
(Diptera: Tephritidae), Coquillett, 1899, A major watermelon pest in Senegal. This
research paper published by the International Journal of Biosciences | IJB. an
open access scholarly research journal Biosciences. under the affiliation of
the International Network For Natural Sciences| INNSpub. an open
access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.
Abstract
Global warming strongly
influences the development of Zeugodacus cucurbitae, a major pest of
cucurbit crops; however, the effects of certain intermediate and high
temperatures, as well as natural conditions particularly on watermelon remain
insufficiently documented. The present study assessed the effect of a thermal
gradient, including ambient temperature and constant temperatures of 25, 27,
30, and 33°C, on the development of the immature stages (egg-larva-pupa)
of Z. cucurbitae. The results indicate that preimaginal development time
exhibits a non-linear thermal response. The duration of the pupal stage
decreases with increasing temperature, whereas pupal survival and total
developmental time follow a unimodal pattern, characterized by accelerated
development up to a thermal optimum (27°C), beyond which biological performance
declines and variability increases. These findings confirm the existence of an
optimal thermal window (25-27°C) for the development of Z. cucurbitae and
reveal stage-specific thermal plasticity. This sensitivity to temperature
fluctuations has important implication for phenological modeling, population dynamics
forecasting, and the adaptation of integrated pest management strategies under
climate change scenarios.
.jpg)
Introduction
Climate warming is now
an unequivocal scientific reality. According to Legg (2021), the global mean
temperature has increased by approximately 1.1°C relative to pre-industrial
levels, primarily due to anthropogenic activities, with a marked
intensification of heatwaves and thermal extremes. Recent years rank among the
warmest ever recorded, reflecting a persistent upward temperature trend (WMO,
2026). Beyond physical alterations, these changes directly affect biological
systems by modifying the distribution, phenology, physiology, and population
dynamics of living organisms (Trisos et al., 2022). Temperature is a
fundamental abiotic factor governing the distribution and functioning of
organisms within ecosystems (Odum, 1971; Ricklefs, 2008). Teder et al. (2022)
reported that it strongly influences the growth and development of ectothermic
animals. Insects are typical ectotherms, characterized by high taxonomic
diversity, large population sizes, and rapid reproductive rates (Chapman, 1998;
Grimaldi and Engel, 2005). Their small body size, thin cuticle, rapid heat
exchange with the surrounding environment, and limited capacity to maintain a
stable body temperature make them particularly sensitive to environmental
fluctuations (Zeng et al., 2022). In agroecosystems, climate change regulates
the geographic distribution of pests, the number of generations per year,
survival rates, and synchronization with host plants (Britannica, 2026).
Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett, 1899) (Diptera : Tephritidae), commonly
known as the melon fly, is a major pest of tropical and subtropical cucurbit
crops, causing substantial agricultural losses when populations reach high
densities (Dhillon et al., 2005; Meyer et al., 2015; Zeng et al., 2022). Like
other poikilothermic insects, its development is strongly influenced by ambient
temperature, which affects both the duration of the immature stages (egg,
larva, and pupa) and their survival (Vayssières et al., 2008; Mkiga and
Mwatawala, 2015). Although several studies (Vayssières et al., 2008; Mkiga and
Mwatawala, 2015; Ahn et al., 2022; Zeng et al., 2022) have examined the effects
of temperature on the development of Z. cucurbitae, they rarely include
watermelon-one of the fly’s principal host plants-and are generally restricted to
a limited range of constant temperatures (20, 25, and 30°C). Moreover, these
studies predominantly focus on populations from East Africa or Asia. According
to Mwatawala et al. (2016), watermelon is the preferred host of Z. cucurbitae.
In addition, intermediate temperatures (27°C) and those approaching the upper
thermal tolerance limit (≈33°C) remain poorly documented in the scientific
literature. The effects of natural ambient conditions, incorporating daily
thermal fluctuations, have also not been directly compared with controlled
constant temperatures.
Therefore, evaluating
the development of Z. cucurbitae under a thermal gradient including ambient
temperature and constant temperatures of 25, 27, 30, and 33°C an approach not
previously implemented in Senegal helps fill a critical knowledge gap. This
framework enables a more precise determination of the thermal optimum and
sublethal thresholds, improves understanding of the species’ thermal
plasticity, and strengthens predictive tools for population management. The
objective of this study is to compare the thermal responses of the different
immature stages and to identify the optimal temperature ranges for their
development.
Reference
Ahn JJ, Choi K, Huang
YB. 2022. Thermal effects on the development of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett)
(Diptera: Tephritidae) and model validation. Phytoparasitica 50, 1–12.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-022-00985-5
Chapman RF. 1998.
The insects: structure and function. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK,
770 p.
Coquillett DW. 1899.
A new trypetid from Hawaii. Entomological News 10(5), 129.
Costaz TPM, Gols R, de
Jong PW, van Loon JJA, Dicke M. 2022. Effects of extreme temperature
events on the parasitism performance of Diadegma semiclausum, an
endoparasitoid of Plutella xylostella. Entomologia Experimentalis et
Applicata 170(8), 656–665. https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.13197
Crawley MJ. 2012.
The R book. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, UK, 1051 p.
Dhillon MK, Singh R,
Naresh JS, Sharma HC. 2005. The melon fruit fly, Bactrocera
cucurbitae: a review of its biology and management. Journal of Insect
Science 5(1), 40. https://doi.org/10.1093/jis/5.1.40
Estrada-Marroquín MD,
Cancino J, Sánchez D, Montoya P, Liedo P. 2022. Host-specific demography
of Utetes anastrephae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a native parasitoid
of Anastrepha spp. fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). Journal of
Hymenoptera Research 93, 53–69.
Global food security. 2026.
Encyclopaedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Food-and-Agriculture-Organization
Grimaldi D, Engel MS. 2005.
Evolution of the insects. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 755 p.
Legg S. 2021.
IPCC, 2021: climate change 2021 – the physical science basis. Interaction 49(4),
44–45.
McCullagh P,
Nelder JA. 1989. Generalized linear models. Chapman & Hall, London,
UK, 532 p.
Mendy MI, Diome T, Faye
M, Sembene M. 2026. A simple rearing technique for Zeugodacus
cucurbitae Coquillett, 1899 (Diptera: Tephritidae), a melon pest in
Senegal. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 14(1), 1-5.
https://doi.org/10.22271/j.ento.2026.v14.i1a.9666
Meyer MD, Delatte H,
Mwatawala M, Quilici S, Vayssières JF, Virgilio M. 2015. A review of the
current knowledge on Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera:
Tephritidae) in Africa, with a list of species included in Zeugodacus.
ZooKeys 540, 539-557. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.540.9672
Mkiga AM, Mwatawala MW. 2015.
Developmental biology of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae)
in three cucurbitaceous hosts at different temperature regimes. Journal of
Insect Science 15(1), 160. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iev141
Mwatawala M, Kudra A,
Mkiga A, Godfrey E, Jeremiah S, Virgilio M, De Meyer M. 2016. Preference
of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) for three commercial fruit
vegetable hosts in natural and semi-natural conditions. Fruits. https://doi.org/10.1051/fruits/2015034
Odum EP. 1971.
Fundamentals of ecology (3rd Ed.). W.B. Saunders Company.
Ricklefs RE. 2008.
The economy of nature (6th ed.). W. H. Freeman and Company.
Teder T, Taits K,
Kaasik A, Tammaru T. 2022. Limited sex differences in plastic responses
suggest evolutionary conservatism of thermal reaction norms: A meta-analysis in
insects. Evolution Letters 6(6), 394–411. https://doi.org/10.1002/evl3.299
Trisos CH, Adelekan IO,
Totin E, Ayanlade A, Efitre J, Gemeda A, Kalaba FK, Lennard C, Masao C, Mgaya
YD, Ngaruiya G, Olago D, Simpson NP, Zakieldeen SA. 2022. Africa. In:
Pörtner HO, Roberts DC, Tignor MMB, Poloczanska ES, Mintenbeck K, Alegría A,
Craig M, Langsdorf S, Löschke S, Möller V, Okem A, Rama B. Climate change 2022:
impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Cambridge University Press.
Vayssières JF, Carel Y,
Coubes M, Duyck PF. 2008. Development of immature stages and comparative
demography of two cucurbit-attacking fruit flies in Reunion Island: Bactrocera
cucurbitae and Dacus ciliatus (Diptera: Tephritidae).
Wang X, Biondi A, Daane
KM. 2020. Functional responses of three candidate Asian larval parasitoids
evaluated for classical biological control of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera:
Drosophilidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 113(1), 73-80.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toz265
World Meteorological
Organization. 2026. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/World-Meteorological-Organization
Zeng B, Lian Y, Jia J,
Liu Y, Wang A, Yang H, Li J, Yang S, Peng S, Zhou S. 2022. Multigenerational
effects of short-term high temperature on the development and reproduction
of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett, 1899). Agriculture 12(7).
https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12070954
%20in%20full.JPG)
0 comments:
Post a Comment