INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF CUCURBIT FRUIT FLY ON ASH GOURD

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in the experimental field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University to find out the effective as well as hazards free management practice(s) of cucurbit fruit fly infesting ash gourd cultivated during Kharif I season from February 2018 to June 2018. There were six treatment including untreated control. The treatments were as follows T 1

(comprised of setting up of pheromone trap replaced at 1 month interval), T 2 (comprised of setting up of poison bait trap @ 2 g Sevin 85 WP mixed with 100 g mashed sweet gourd and 10 ml molasses replaced at 4 days interval), T 3 (comprised of setting up of banana pulp trap @1 ml malathion 57EC with 100gm mashed banana pulp @ 4days interval), T 4 (comprised of spraying of Neem oil @ 3 ml neem oil and 10 ml Trix mixed with 1 liter of water @ 7 days interval), T 5

(comprised of covering fruit with polythene bag at 1 poly bag per fruit @ 4 days interval); T 6

(comprised of untreated control). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications.Covering fruit with polythene (T 5 ) contributed to produce the highest number of healthy fruit (14.50 fruit/plot); total weight of healthy fruit (103613gm/plot) and reduced the maximum fruit infestation over control (93.75%). The maximum single fruit weight over control (49.46%) was recorded in T 5. The higher temperature (34.5 C) negatively affected the capturing of adult fruit fly for poison bait trap because of drying up of bait materials, but not affected on the adult capturing capacity of pheromone trap. The highest benefit cost ratio (42.24) was also found for T 5 and the lowest BCR (19.23) for T 3 . Considering the social acceptance and environmental safely point of view, T 5 comprising of covering fruit with polythene bag was the most effective management practices in reducing the fruit fly infestation. Thereby increasing the yield of ash gourd. o