Anastrepha
fraterculus
(Wiedemann) is the main species of frugivorous insect that damages berries of table grape (
Vitis
vinifera
L.) in Southern Brazil. This study was conducted to isolate and identify the fungi associated with bunch rot present
in the body of adults of
A. fraterculus collected in a commercial vineyard. From January to February 2011, adults of
A.
fraterculus were collected from a commercial vineyard of green grapes using adapted McPhail traps. In laboratory, flies
bodies were divided into four parts (head, legs, wings, and ovipositor) in Petri dishes with PDA medium to evaluate
microorganisms associated. Six adult females of
A. fraterculus collected in the field were also analyzed in a scanning
electron microscope (SEM) to identify spores of fungi. Phytopathogenic microorganisms were found in all sectioned parts.
Fungal spores were recorded adhered to the body of adult females of
A. fraterculus. The main species of fungi found in
the body parts of
A. fraterculus were
Cladosporium
spp. (20.2% of the obtained colonies),
Botrytis cinerea
Pers. (12.9%),
Colletotrichum
spp. (10.1%),
Penicillium
spp. (10.1%),
Fusarium
spp. (7.7%), followed by
Rhizopus
spp.,
Trichoderma
spp. and
Aspergillus
spp., suggesting that the insect can serve as a mechanical vector of spores increasing damage in the
vineyards.