Use of synthetic pyrethroides for the control of pests of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L) and snake gourd (Trichosanthes anguina L)

Abstract

In a field experiment conducted at the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during the summer season in 1982, the efficacy of four synthetic pyrethroids viz. permethrin, fenvalerate, cypermethrin and deltamethrin, on the pests of bitter gourd and snake gourd in comparision with the standard, malathion, was evaluated. Both the crops were sprayed thrice on need basis for controlling the various pests which infested the crops at different growth stages. Spotted beetle observed on bitter gourd at the time of first spraying was controlled by all the synthetic pyrethroids along with the standard for a period of 23 days after spraying. Fruit fly of the bitter gourd also was controlled by all the three sprayings and all the insecticides were effective in most occasions. Cypermethrin at higher dose was superior to the standard during the first spraying followed by fenvalerate and deltamethrin. In the second spraying deltamethrin was not so effective whereas permethrin was found more effective. Again in the third spraying deltamethrin and fenvalerate were more effective . The fruit fly damage observed for the entire crop season revealed the superiority of fenvalerate, permethrin and deltamethrin at their higher doses over the standard. Jassid on bitter gourd was controlled by all the insecticides except permethrin and cypermethrin at their lower dose for a period of 2 days after the spraying . But aphid could be controlled only with permethrin and fenvalerate at their higher dose along with the standard malathion for a period of 2 DAS. The fruit set and the flowering pattern were not affected by any of these insecticides.