Evaluation of different pest management modules in bitter gourd

Abstract

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is a popular and cosmopolitan cucurbit crop grown in all the districts of Telangana. Fruit fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae) is the major pest that attacks its fruits and causes a great loss to the bitter gourd farmers. An experiment was conducted for three years on bitter gourd var. Amansri, in randomized block design with four treatments and five replications including control to evaluate the efficacy of different pest management modules against pests of bitter gourd during 2016-19 at Vegetable Research Station, Rajendranagar, Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticulture University. Red pumpkin beetle and fruit fly were the major pests. For the management of red pumpkin beetles all the modules were effective compared to control. Among the tested modules, lowest fruit fly damage was recorded in the Integrated module (Seed treatment with thiamethoxam 70 WS 5-10 g/kg seed, removal of damaged cotyledonary leaves, spraying emamectin benzoate 25 WG @ 0.4 g/l, spraying of neem oil 3000 ppm @ 5 ml/l, Installation of cuelure traps 15/acre, spraying spinosad 45 SC @ 0.3 ml/l.) with high yield (16.00 t/ha) and highest benefit cost ratio (2.61).