Eco-friendly Management of Fruit Fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae) Infesting Bitter Gourd

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate some Bio insecticide and management against fruit fly in bitter gourd.

Study Design: The experiment was laid out at a randomized complete block design with three replications.

Place and Duration of Study: Experimental farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Bangladesh during the period from February,2022 to july,2022.

Methodology: The experiment consisted of seven treatments viz. T1(Lycomax 2g/lit of water+ Cutrac+ Yellow Sticky trap+ Sanitation), T2(Lycomax 2g/lit of water+ Ceranock+ Yellow Sticky trap+ Cultural control), T3 (Biomax M 1.2 EC+ Cuelure+ Yellow Sticky trap), T4 (Lycomax 2g/ lit of water+ Yellow Sticky trap), T5 (Biomax M 1.2 EC + Ceronock+ Cutrac), T6 Sanitation+ Cultural control+ Cuelure), T7 (Untreated Control) were used at 7 days interval.

Results: The degree of the fruit fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae) infestation at various phases of bitter gourd ripening was investigated in the field and in the lab, as well as the effectiveness of some bio-pesticides and other control methods used in combination. Among all treatments the highest number of fruit fly was captured in Lycomax 2g/lit of water+ Ceranock+ Yellow Sticky trap+ Cultural control treated plot.Healthy fruit per plant (9.50 fruit/plot) also found from T2 treated plot. whereas the maximum amount of infested fruit number (12.21 fruit/plot), number of punctures per fruit (6.74 puncture/fruit) and infested fruit weight (77.13gm) was found from the control plot. The highest percentage reduction of puncture number over control resulted in treatment T2 treated plot which was 92.58% which is near to treatment T4 (85.16%) and also highest amount of healthy fruit weight (232.75 gm) came from T2. In terms of maximum yield (2.54 kg/ plot) gained from Lycomax 2g/lit of water+ Ceranock+ Yellow Sticky trap+ Cultural control treated plot (T2). From the study it was found that all the treatments except control (T7) work effectively against fruit fly infestation.

Conclusion: It is concluded that T2 treatment (Lycomax 2g/lit of water+ Ceranock+ Yellow Sticky trap+ Cultural control) was the best one among the all trerments.