Eco-friendly pest management in snakegourd
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Date
2001
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Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani
Abstract
A study was conducted to document farmers' practices for pest control, record
the population of pests of snakegourd and their natural enemy complex in farmers'
field, as well as to evolve an eco - friendly package of practices for pest management.
The survey conducted in the farmers' field revealed that the farmers were resorting to
indiscriminate use of pesticides. The recommended pesticide/ fertilizer dosage was
not practised by the farmers. Quinalphos was the most widely used pesticide followed
by carbaryl. The frequency of spraying was the highest at fruiting stage.
The major pests observed in the field were B. cucurbitae, A.peponis, D. indica,
E. septima, Aulacophora sp. A. gossypii and L. trifolii. A very low population of pests
and their natural enemies were present in the farmers' fields compared to untreated
plot maintained in the Instructional Farm, Vellayani. In the untreated plot there was
ten fold population of natural enemies compared to farmers' field. Fruit flies were
found to be serious pests causing 63.63 per cent loss in unprotected field and this
emphasised the importance and necessity for fruit fly management in snakegourd
fields.
Three fruit fly traps viz., were tested to assess their efficacy in catching fruit
flies. Among the three traps tested, banana traps consisting of palayamkodan fruit
pieces and carbofuran were the best.
Three snakegourd varieties viz., Kaumudi, T.A. -19 and Local, were tested
against insect infestation. Kaumudi had the lowest infestation by pests like pumpkin
beetle (Aulacophora sp.), leaf eating caterpillar (Diaphania indicas,
snakegourd semilooper (Anadevidia peponis) and fruit fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae).
Kaumudi recorded the minimum fruit fly damage and consequently, the highest yield.
Field evaluation of fourteen treatments was carried out at the Instructional
Farm, Vellayani during 1999-2000. Chemical insecticides were found to be very
. effective in controlling the pests of snakegourd at vegetative and flowering period, but
the pest population build up was the highest with them. Neem oil - garlic emulsion
was the best in controlling the pest menace with the least impact on natural enemies.
Population build up of pests was also low in case of neem oil - garlic emulsion.
The practice of covering fruits was very effective in preventing the flies from
attacking the fruits. Covering the fruits and setting up of banana traps at the rate of
two traps for three plants gave the best protection against the fruit flies. The
treatments involving neem oil - garlic 2.5 per cent spray at vegetative stages +
covering the fruits and banana trap setting at flowering and fruiting stages gave the
highest yield and benefit - cost ratio (1.938). Spraying neem oil -garlic emulsion 2.5
per cent, on need basis, at vegetative stages and setting up of banana fruit fly traps and
covering the fruits with reusable polythene covers was found to be the best eco-
friendly and economical package for the management of major pests affecting
snakegourd.
Description
PG
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Citation
171835