Insect-pest management

Insect-pest management of cucurbit crops

Cucurbit vegetables such as sponge gourd, long melon, bitter gourd, squash melon, squash gourd, ash gourd, muskmelon, and watermelon crops. During its growth stages, mainly pest affects the growth and yield of the crop.

• Red pumpkin beetle: The grub of these pests will eat the soft roots of the plant and mature pest will eat the soft leaves of the crop.

• Control: Spraying of Malathion powder 5% or Methyl Parathion 2% @10-12 kg/acre is done at the evening time. Or spraying of Malathion 50 E.C. or cypermethrin 25 EC @50-100 ml in 100 liter of water is done.

• Fruit fly: It harms the soft leaves of the crop. Females fly lay eggs below epidermis of young fruits. The larva excrete waste material which causes fruit rot and affected parts of fruit produce very severe odour.

• Control: Malathion 50 EC @400 ml or Carbaryl powder @400 gm in 200 liter of water is spray at evening time.

Mite, Jassid, Aphid, Leaf miner: These pests are small in size. They feed themselves on soft parts of crop, leaves and shoots.

• Control: Spraying of dimethoate 30 EC or Malathion 50 EC @200ml in 200 litre water is done at evening time.

For more information about Agriculture and Livestock, download Apni Kheti app – Android, iPhone