Insect Pollinators of Pointed Gourd and Effect of Different Artificial Methods of Pollination on Fruit Setting and Subsequent Development of Fruits

Field studies were undertaken to enumerate the insect pollinators associated with pointed gourd and to assess the effect of artificial methods of pollination in fruit setting, and size and weight of fruits of the crop as compared to natural pollination. The beetle, Haptoncussp. (Nitidulidae: Coleoptera) was the principal pollinator on the crop. The pumpkin beetles (Aulacophora foveicollis Lucas and A. lewesi Baly), epilachna beetle (Epilachna dodecastigma Wied. and E. septima Dieke), flea beetle (Monolepta signata O.) and ants (Phidole constanciae F.) also played some role in pollen transfer. Pollination through pollen grains suspended in water and hand pollination resulted in 12.90 and 9.36% increase in fruit setting. Larger and heavier fruits were produced as a result of artificial pollination. Waterdroplet pollination resulted in 25.7, 26.84 and 76.57% increasein the length, circumference and weight of fruits than the natural pollination as against 14.04, 16.29 and 40.29% in hand pollination.