DAMAGE SEVERITY AND MANAGEMENT OF MAJOR INSECT PESTS OF WATERMELON

Abstract

A study was conducted in the central farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka during the period from September, 2021 to May, 2022 to assess the incidence and damage severity of different insect pests on watermelon and their eco-friendly managements. The variety of watermelon “Black Baby” was used as the test crop for this study. The experiment consists of different management practices as treatment which were T 1 : Mechanical and cultural practices: netting and hand picking, T 2 : Sanitation and yellow glue board, T 3 : Using of bio-pesticide (Bioneem plus) @ 5 ml/L of water at 7 days interval, T 4 : Using of pheromone trap and fungicide (Bavistin) @ 2gm/L of water at 7 days interval, T 5 : Using bio-insecticide (Bacillus thuringiensis) @ 1g/L of water at 7 days interval, T 6 : Using funnel pheromone trap and T 7 : Untreated control. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data on of identified different pest/plot, number of healthy fruits, infested leaves/plot at the vegetative and reproductive stage, healthy fruits, infested fruits and percentage of fruit in number and weight basis/plot, yield contributing characters and yield of watermelon were recorded and statistically significant variation was recorded for different management practices. At reproductive stage, lowest (0.33) red pumpkin beetle in the experimental field were found from T 5

(Using bio-insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis) which was followed (1.00) by T 4

treatment (Using of pheromone trap and fungicide: Bavistin), whereas the highest number of red pumpkin beetle (7.00) was recorded from T 7 treatment (Untreated control). The highest number of fruits/plot (10.00) was recorded from T 4 (Using of pheromone trap and fungicide: Bavistin) treatment which was followed (8.67) by T 5

(Using bio-insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis) treatment, while the lowest number (5.00) was recorded from T 7 (Untreated control) which was followed (6.00) by T 1

(Mechanical and cultural practices: netting and hand picking) treatment. In consideration of number of fruits/plot in percent increase over Untreated control, the highest value (50.00%) was recorded from T 4 (Using of pheromone trap and fungicide: Bavistin) treatment and the lowest value (16.67%) was found from T 1 (Mechanical and cultural practices: netting and hand picking) treatment. Among the treatments, T 4

(Using of pheromone trap and fungicide: Bavistin) was considered as the best followed by T 5 treatment (Using bio-insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis) in respect of higher healthy fruit yield by reducing leaf and fruit infestation of watermelon.