Sources say Chinese scientists have recently discovered that passion fruit can directly kill the eggs of fruit flies. This might point to a new method to control the pest. The scientists observed that passion fruit attracted native fruit flies to lay eggs in the fruits, but most of the eggs did not hatch.
According to Wu Weijian at South China Agricultural University, the lead researcher of the study, when a fruit fly penetrates into the middle layer of the fruit wall to lay eggs, it causes the plant tissue to break down and release hydrogen cyanide, which kills most of the eggs. Wu claimed this is the first instance of finding a living plant that can directly kill the eggs of pests.
This means that passion fruit can be recommended as a pest trap crop to plant at the border of an orchard or melon field to control fruit flies.
Source: news.cgtn.com