Bio-efficacy of certain insecticides and biopesticides against melon fruit flies, Bactrocera spp.

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate seven insecticides and biopesticides against fruit flies, Bactrocera spp. in cucumber and bitter gourd. Abamectin (0.0015%) was the most effective treatment in terms of reducing the fruit infestation as well as number of maggots in both the crops. Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.004%) was the next best treatment followed by azadirachtin (0.0045%) and carbaryl 50WP (0.20%). However, chlorpyriphos 20EC (0.05%) and malathion 50EC (0.05%) were found to be inferior resulting in comparatively less reduction in fruit infestation and number of maggots per infested fruit. From the economic point of view, lambda-cyhalothrin was found a better option resulting in returns of 31.4 and 26.5 at Palampur and 62.9 and 40.6 at Bara (Hamirpur) for cucumber and bitter gourd, respectively per rupee invested.