VOLUME1, ISSUE 1 | 2004

A. El Haidani 1, A. Khila 1, A. Houari 1, A. Haggoud 1, A. Vincent 2, S. Ibnsouda Koraichi* 1
1 Laboratoire de Biotechnologie Végétale et Agro-Alimentaire, Université Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Fès, Route d’ Immouzer, BP 2202, Fès, Maroc.
2 Centre de Biologie du Développement, UMR5547 and IFR 109 Exploration Fonctionnelle des génomes CNRS/Université Paul Sabatier, Bat 4R3, 118 rte de Narbonne, 31062 cedex4, Toulouse, France.
* Corresponding author: Tel: (212)66038407, Fax: (212)55608214, E-mail Ibnsouda@hotmail.com
Abstract. In Morocco, the olive cultivation recognizes a serious problem due to its infestation by the olive fly Bactrocera oleae. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of this infestation in the area of Fez during the season 2002. We have found that this rate is of 86 % in some sites in this area and that the number of larvae per fruit can reach 8 in the different studied sites. However, this number is of 65 punctures per olive fruit in laboratory conditions. Moreover, the study of B. oleae fertility in cages shows that the stage of olive maturity has an influence on the fertility of B. oleae females: the olive fruits at an intermediate maturity stage shows the best sensitivity for B. oleae in comparison with those at an early or a late maturity stage. On the other hand, the study of B. oleae embryogenesis in laboratory shows that it is accomplished in 55 hours at 25°C with some differences with that of D. melanogaster.
Key words: Bactrocera oleae, olives, infestation, area of Fez, fertility.