1Department of Horticulture, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
Department of Entomology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur1706, Bangladesh
*Corresponding author's E-mail: mramin@bsmrau.edu.bd
Online Published on 11 October, 2022.
The study was conducted to explore the effects of leaf morphological and biochemical properties of twelve sweet gourd genotypes viz., BD 264, BD 265, BD 266, BD 268, BD 269, BD 274, BD 275, BD 277, BARI Mistikumra 1, BARI Mistikumra 2, Gazipur local line, and China line, on the abundance and infestation of red pumpkin beetle. The abundance of red pumpkin beetle with its different leaf infestation levels on the genotypes was observed and then correlated with leaf physico-chemical characteristics of each genotype. The genotypes of sweet gourd showed statistically significant variations in their morphological and biochemical characteristics of leaves. The genotypes having the higher leaf area, adaxial and abaxial leaf trichomes tended to be less infested by red pumpkin beetle. On the other hand, the abundance of the insect showed positive correlation with the number of leaf per plant. All the biochemical properties of sweet gourd leaf except reducing sugar had positive impact on the abundance of red pumpkin beetle.
Abundance, Aulacophora foveicollis, Cucurbits moschata, Leaf characteristics, Infestation
