EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT ECOFRIENDLY MANAGEMENTPRACTICES IN CONTROLLING CUCURBIT FRUIT FLY ON BITTER GOURD

Abstract

The present study was conducted in the experimental field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University to find out the efficient as well as risk free management practice(s) of cucurbit fruit fly infesting bitter gourd cultivated during Kharif I season (March 2017 to June 2017). There were five treatments. These were as follows T 1 = Spinosad, T 2 = Neem oil, T 3 = Poison bait trap, T 4 = Black seed oil, T 5 = Untreated control. The treatments :T 1 comprised of Spraying of spinosad @ .08 ml liter -1 of water at 7 days interval , T 2 comprised of Spraying of neem oil @ 3ml and 10 ml Trix mixed with 1 liter of water 7 days interval, T 3 comprised of setting up of poison bait trap @ 2 gm Sevin 85 WP mixed with 100 g mashed sweet gourd and 10 ml molasses and replaced at 4 days interval, T 4 comprised of black seed oil @ 5 ml with 10 ml Trix mixed with 1 liter of water applied at 7 days interval, T 5 comprised of Untreated control. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. Poison bait trap (T 3 ) produced the highest number of fruit at early (27.23 fruit/plot), mid (38.89 fruit/plot) and late (28.00 fruit/plot) fruiting stages; and reduced the maximum fruit infestation over control at early (93.66%), mid (91.63%) and late (85.44%) fruiting stage. Percent fruit infestation by weight at early (10.95%), mid (9.04%) and late (18.76%) and reduced maximum fruit infestation over control at early (83.79%), mid (81.27%) and late (78.65%) was also obtained in T 3 treated plot. The highest yield (24.03 t/ha) was recorded in T 3 which provided the highest yield (163%) over control. The highest benefit cost ratio (43.20) was also found from T 3 treated plot and the lowest BCR (14.91) obtained from T 5 Considering the social acceptance and environmental safely point of view, T 3 poison bait trap was the most effective management practices in reducing the fruit fly infestation and thereby increasing the yield of bitter gourd.

treated plot.