Chemical Management of Melon Fruit Fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae Conquillett (Diptera:Tephritidae) on Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia Linn.)

Field trials were conducted during 2013 (first week of January at 22.9–29.5°C and 90–98% RH and second week of June at 29–37.8°C and 94–97% RH) to assess the efficacy of certain chemical treatments against melon fruit fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae Coq.) on bitter gourd. The treatments included deltamethrin @ 10 g ha⁻¹, flubendiamide @ 25 g ha⁻¹, acephate @ 300 g ha⁻¹, triazophos @ 200 g ha⁻¹, cartap @ 250 g ha⁻¹, neemazal @ 600 mL ha⁻¹, karanja oil @ 1200 mL ha⁻¹, citronella oil @ 1200 mL ha⁻¹, spinosad @ 60 g ha⁻¹, chlorfenapyr @ 50 g ha⁻¹ and emamectin benzoate @ 10 g ha⁻¹, sprayed thrice at fortnightly interval when the fruit damage ranged between 24.77–29.62% during pre-kharif and 25.19–33.59% during kharif season. The most effective treatment in reducing the fruit infestation by melon fruit fly was spinosad (5.91%) followed by acephate and chlorfenapyr in pre-kharif and acephate (9.39%) followed by chlorfenapyr and spinosad during kharif season. Highest yield of bitter gourd was observed in spinosad and acephate treatments during the respective seasons.