Red pumpkin beetle: This bright red-coloured insect makes a sieve-like appearance by feeding on the leaves of the plant, especially in the early stages. Affected leaves split and plant growth is stunted.
Control: To avoid the damage caused by this pest, sow the crop till the month of December. Keep the field clean by destroying the weeds. For chemical control, spray Marquit (Bifenthrin 10 % EC) @ 2 ml + SilicoMaxx Gold @ 0.5 ml per liter of water. For biological control, take spray of Beauveria bassiana mixed in 2 g/Lit of water.
Leaf miner: The caterpillar of the insect damages the leaves by making tunnels inside the leaves and eats the chlorophyll, due to which white stripes are formed on the leaves. It mainly damages tomato, sponge gourd, cucumber and cucurbitaceous crops.
Control: For, Spray Neemgold (Azadirachtin 0.3%) 3000 ppm, @ 150 ml, or Benevia (Cytraniliprole 10.26% OD) @ 20 – 25 ml + SilicoMaxx @ 5 ml per 15 liters of water.
Fruit fly: It is a fruit-attacking pest in cucurbit crops. Its maggots cause more damage to small fruits. The caterpillar of fruit fly damages the fruit from inside. Due to this the fruits fall before ripening. Due to the attack of caterpillars of fruit fly, sticky liquid of brown color flows from the fruits and the shape of the fruit deteriorates. Fruit flies bore holes in fruits to lay eggs. Due to this holes start appearing in the fruits. Affected fruits become oblong. When the pest attack increases, the fruits start rotting.
Control: Direct control of its maggots is not possible but by controlling the number of adult male flies their outbreak can be reduced. Before transplanting the plants in the field, do deep plowing of the field. This will destroy the pupae already present in the soil. To attract the pest, set 10 to 12 pheromone traps per acre of field and change the lure at an interval of 15 -20 days. Male insects are attracted by the lure and get trapped. This can control the growth of fruit flies. Pluck and destroy the affected fruits. Also for chemical control spray Decis (Deltamethrin 100 EC) @ 1 ml per liter of water. Or spray Celquin (Quinalphos 25% EC) @ 2 ml per liter of water.
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