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Cucurbits |
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SN |
Features |
Name of Pest |
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Melon
Fruit
fly Dacus cucurbitae C |
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Host
plants |
Gourds, Melon,
Tondli, Guava, Mango, Ber & other fruits |
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Identification |
Adult is
wedge-shaped small insect with greyish body
They walk diagonally.
Pupation: in soil. Active Stage:
Active during rainy season |
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Nature
of damage |
Both nymphs &
adults suck the cell sap from young leaves, tender shoots, flowers
Flower & flower buds wither and dry
Damage is more pronounced in flowering season
Premature dropping of flowers and fruits occur. Also excrete honey dew which encourages
development of black sooty mould. As a result upper surface of flower shoots become black
which affects the fruit setting. |
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Control
measures |
Clean cultivation,
i.e. removal and destruction of fallen & infested fruits daily.
Deep ploughing to expose hibernating stages.
Application of spray baits.
Spraying with 0.05% malathion or 0.-1% carbaryl at flowering. |
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Name of Pest |
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Pumpkin beetle
Raphidopalpa foveicollis |
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Host
plants |
All cucurbits,
bottle gourd, red pumpkin & cucumber |
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Identification |
Adult beetles are
small. The Elyria of red pumpkin beetle is pale orange yellow to deep pale brown while in
case of black pumpkin beetle it is black & it is yellowish in yellow pumpkin beetle.
Grubs small, slender, elongate, creamy yellow with brown head and legs
Pupation: in soil
Active Stage:
Active during hot weather i.e. March to May |
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Nature
of damage |
Beetles damage the
leaves, flowers and fruits, making irregular holes and causing death and retardation of
growth. The grubs live in the
soil and feed on roots and stem of plant.
Fruits and leaves also get damaged
when comes in contact with soil.
Damaged roots, stems start rotting. |
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Control
measures |
Preventive
measures like burning of old creepers, ploughing & harrowing of field after harvest of
crop to destroy the stages of pest.
Collection & destruction of beetle in early stage of infestation.
Spraying with 0.05% malathion or dusting with 5% malathion dust @ 10 kg/ha.
In case of heavy infestation resowing is required to be done. |
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Name of Pest |
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Blister
beetle
Mylabris pustulata |
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Host
plants |
Polyphagus
different cucurbits, cotton, groundnut, millets, bhendi, rose. |
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Identification |
The Beetles are
medium sized having three black & yellowish orange band running alternately on elytra.
These beetles when disturbed exclude an acid fumes which contains contharidin and causes
blisters on human skin.
Pupation: in soil.
Active Stage: active during August to December |
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Nature
of damage |
Beetles feed on
pollen and petals of flowers & flower buds;
Affecting fruit-setting adversely |
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Control
measures |
Hand collection
& destruction of beetles.
Dust 4% Carbaryl or spray 0.05% Malathion |
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Name of Pest |
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Leaf-eating
beetles
Epilachna duodecastigma |
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Host
plants |
Polyphagus,
cucurbits, brinjal,potato, tomato, etc. |
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Identification |
Beetles are
spherical, pale brown with black spots. E.duodecastima has 6 spots on each elytra
Pupation: on leaves. |
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Nature
of damage |
Both grubs &
beetle feed by scrapping chlorophyll from epidermal layers of leaves which gradually dry
away. |
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Control
measures |
Collect &
destroy infested leaves along with insects in the initial stages
Spray 0.1% Carbaryl or 0.05% Malathion or Dichlorvos (DDVP) |
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