INSECT PEST RISK ANALYSIS OF CUCURBITS IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

The study was conducted in the 6 upazila of 3 selected cucurbit vegetable growing districts of Bangladesh during the period from January, 2018 to May, 2018 to find out the current status and damage intensity of insect pests of cucurbit and their management options. The data were collected through interview of 300 farmers using a predesigned questionnaire considering 50 farmers from each upazila and 18 field level officers of DAE considering one UAO, one AEO and one SAAO of DAE. The field study that was conducted among 300 farmers. Maximum land of cucurbit cultivable land was used for bitter gourd cultivation by the farmers, followed by snake gourd, water melon, bottle gourd, pointed gourd, cucumber, sweet gourd, wax gourd, sponge gourd, ridge gourd, squash and melon. Maximum farmers’ collected their cucurbit seed/seedlings from seed businessman and maximum farmers reported that bitter gourd was more susceptible than other cucurbit vegetables. Maximum farmer reported that fruit fly was the major insect for bitter gourd, snake gourd, sponge gourd, cucumber and bottle gourd. Farmers also reported that thrips was also the major insect for wax gourd, sweet gourd, ridge gourd, water melon, squash and pointed gourd. Farmer reported that mealy bug was the major insect for sponge gourd. Maximum farmers’ opined that fruit fly was the major insect pest for cucurbit vegetables, and other major insect pests were Whitefly, red mite, jassid, epilachna beetle, thrips and red pumpkin beetle. Insect pests attack leaf, stem, flower, root and fruit of cucurbit crops. Maximum farmers opined that they used pheromone trap against insect pests of cucurbit, followed by used food bait, spraying insecticides, application insecticide along with irrigation and application insecticide before irrigation.