B.M. ABHISHEK*, G.S. PANDURANGA, N.C. VENKATESWARLU, V. SRILATHA AND
B. RAMANAMURTHY

Department of Entomology, S.V. Agricultural College, ANGRAU, Tirupati

ABSTRACT

Efficacy of newer insecticides was tested against melon fly in bitter gourd under field conditions during kharif, 2019.
Observations on fruit infestation (%) and larval population per fruit were recorded at 1, 3, 5 and 10 days after spraying of
insecticides. Total of 2 sprays were done at 15 days interval after noticing the ovipositional injuries on bitter gourd fruits during
fruiting stage of the crop. Among the seven newer insecticides evaluated, spinosad 45 SC @ 0.3 ml L-1 was the most effective
insecticide with fruit infestation of 28.62 per cent and larval population of 6.53 per fruit. It was followed by thiodicarb 75 WP @
1.0 g L-1 and emamectin benzoate @0.4 g L-1 with fruit infestation of 31.69 and 34.32 per cent with larval density of 7.48 and 8.82
larvae per fruit, respectively. Per cent reduction of fruit infestation was high in spinosad 45 SC @ 0.3 ml L-1 (55.49%), thiodicarb
@ 1.0 g L-1, (50.67%), emamectin benzoate @ 0.4 g L-1 (46.83%) and lambda cyhalothrin @ 1.0 ml L-1 (45.52%) over the control
(64.30%). Spinosad 45 SC @ 0.3 ml L-1, thiodicarb @ 1.0 g L-1, lambda cyhalothrin @ 1.0 ml L-1 and emamectin benzoate @
0.4 g L-1 were the most promising insecticides in reducing the larval population to 58.00, 49.58, 45.10 and 43.33 per cent over the
control. It is concluded that 2 foliar sprays of wither spinosad 45 SC @ 0.3 ml L-1 or thiodicarb @ 1.0 g L-1 at fruiting stage of the
crop is most effective against melon fly in bitter gourd.

KEY WORDS:

Bactrocera cucurbitae, fruit infestation, larval population and newer insecticides.