- In Bitter Gourd, viral diseases are caused by white flies and aphids.
- In this disease, irregular, light and dark green and yellow stripes or spots appear on the leaves.
- The leaves then turn, block, shrink and the veins of the leaves become dark green or light yellow.
- The plant remains small and the fruits seem to be full or fall off.
- White fly and aphid should be controlled to prevent this disease.
- Spraying of acetamiprid 20% SP @ 40g / acre and streptomycin 20g in 200 liters of water at an interval of 10-15 days to protect such insects. Or
- Spray spraying with Streptomycin 20 g + Diafenthiuron 50 WP 300 gm per acre in 200-250 liter water.
Prevention of bitter gourd from sucking pests
Sucking pests such as aphid, jassid, whitefly, mealybug can seriously damage the Bitter Gourd crop.
- Use Imidacloprid 17.8 SL 5 ml per 15 litres of water to protect against sucking pests or
- Spray Thiamethoxam 25 WG 5 g per 15 litres of water
- Insecticides should be sprayed in turn so that the insects do not produce resistance against insecticides.
- Use Bavaria Basiana 1 kg per acre through the organic medium. Or you can use it along with the above-mentioned pesticides.
How to save the Bitter Gourd crop from Anthracnose disease
- It’s a very harmful disease of Bitter gourd.
- Initially irregular yellow or brown spots start appearing on the leaves.
- In the next stages, these spots become darker and spread on the entire leaves.
- Small dark spots are produced on the fruit which then spread on the whole fruit.
- Pink spores are formed between these spots in wet weather.
- Due to this, the process of photosynthesis is interrupted and the plant growth stops completely.
- To prevent this disease, treat the seeds at the rate of Carboxin 37.5 + Thiram 37.5 @ 2.5 g / kg seed.
- Spray Mancozeb 75% WP 400 gram/acre or chlorothalonil 75% WP 300 gram/acre at 10 days intervals.
Management of Powdery mildew disease in bitter gourd
- First of all, white-grey spots start appearing on the upper part of the leaves which later grow into white coloured powder.
- This fungus draws nutrients from the plants and hinders photosynthesis, which stops the plant’s growth.
- With the growth of the disease, the infected part dries up and the leaves fall off.
- Hexaconazole 5% SC 400 ml or Thiophanate methyl 70 WP 200 ml or Azoxystrobin 23 SC with 200 to 250 litres of water for an interval of fifteen days.