*1.1.1.7 Chemical control*

The use of chemical insecticide to manage fruit fly is relatively ineffective. Application of malathion (0.05%) as cover spray to kill the insects on contact is effective or a bait spray by adding 50 g gur + 10 mL malathion in 10 L water that attract and kill the adults is good for its management. For good control of fruit fly spraying of malathion + molasses + water in the ratio of 1:0.1:100 is suggested by Akhtaruzzaman et al. [20]. This method is economical and environmental friendly as there is very low contamination of fruits from insecticides. Gupta and Verma [21] recommended that fenitrothion (0.025%) in combination with protein hydrolysate (0.25%) minimised melon fruit fly infestation to 8.7% compared to 43.3% damage in untreated control. Reddy [22] reported that triazophos is the most effective insecticide to manage this pest on bitter gourd. Diflubenzuron is also found effective in controlling the melon fruit fly [23], and quinalphos (0.2%) successfully manage its population on different cucurbits.

#### *1.1.2 Wide area management*

The objective of wide area management is to combine and coordinate different characteristics of an insect eradication program over an entire area within a defensible perimeter. This management program includes a three-tier model, that is, early reduction in population using bait spray, inhibition of reproduction using para-pheromone lure blocks to eradicate males to avert oviposition by females, and intensive survey using traps and fruit inspection until it could be discovered that the pest is entirely eradicated [24]. Male-sterile technique, also incorporated under this program, in this sterile males are released in the fields for mating with the wild females. The transmission of dominant lethal mutations kills the progeny of fruit fly. The females either do not lay eggs or lay sterile eggs. Eventually, the pest population can be eradicated by maintaining a barrier of sterile flies [4]. The spread of the melon fruit fly can be blocked through tight quarantine and treatment of fruits at the import/export ports.

#### **1.2 Red pumpkin beetle (***Raphidopalpa foveico* **llis/***Aulacophora foveico* **llis)**

Red pumpkin beetle is a common and major pest of a wide range of cucurbits, especially sweet gourd, bitter gourd, watermelon, bottle gourd, and muskmelon. It is polyphagous in nature [25]. Both larval and adult stages are voracious feeders of the cucurbit crops and cause severe damage to seedlings and young and tender leaves and flowers [26, 27]. The pest is widely distributed in different parts of the

**133**

*Integrated Pest Management for Cucurbits in Cucumber (*Cucumis sativus *L.)*

throughout the country but is more common in the north western parts.

world, especially in Asia, Africa, Australia, and south Europe. In India, it occurs

The dorsal body of the adult beetle is deep orange in colour, while the ventral side is black. The beetles are about t 5–8 mm in length and 3.5–3.75 mm in width. The posterior part of the abdomen bears soft white hairs. The female lays brown coloured elongated eggs in the moist soil in the clusters of 8–9 that hatch into larvae in 6–15 days. After about 7 days of emergence, beetles starts egg laying and complete its 5 generations from March to October. Larvae are creamy, yellow-coloured and feed on the roots, stems, and fruits touching the ground. Due to infection by the saprophytic fungi rotting of damaged roots and underground stems may be occurred. Leaf lamina of cucurbits is voraciously feed by scrapping off the chlorophyll and making irregular holes on leaves with netlike appearance by beetle. First generation is more injurious than the subsequent generations as the maximum damage is noticed during cotyledon stage. The infested plants may shrivel, and resowing/replanting may become important under severe infestation. The young and smaller fruits of the infested plants may dry up. Sweet gourd was the most susceptible while bitter gourd was found to be the least susceptible host for this pest [28]. Beetles are strong fliers and very active in hot weather, and when disturbed, take fly quickly. If it is not controlled timely the damage by this pest may become severe. The losses due to the pest have been reported up to 30–100% in the field

Monitoring of seedling should be done twice a week to check the infestation of red pumpkin beetle. The older plant parts should be monitored regularly and should be treated if severe defoliation is noticed. In the initial stage of infestation collection and destruction of beetles is good practice, otherwise the alternative practices can be employed for the management of this pest. Preventive measures such as burning of old plant parts, ploughing, and harrowing of field after harvesting of the crops should be followed for the destruction of all the stages of this pest. Early planting of cucurbits than the normal planting time could also be effective in management as the plants pass the cotyledonary stage by the time the beetles

Khan [29] reported the preferred cucurbit host plants for this beetles and categorised bitter gourd, ribbed gourd, sponge gourd, and snake gourd as nonpreferred hosts (resistant), while cucumber, muskmelon, and sweet gourd were the most preferred hosts (susceptible) and bottle gourd and ash gourd were moderately

Application of neem oil cake in the soil is effective in killing grubs. Treatment of bottle gourd plants with entomopathogenic fungi *B. bassiana* resulted in maximum reduction of beetle infestation along with the highest fruit yield [30]. Khan and Wasim [31] reported maximum repellence against pumpkin beetles in treatment comprising of neem extracts mixed with benzene. *Parthenium spp*. extract was

found to be effective in management of the red pumpkin beetle [32].

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97123*

conditions [29].

*1.2.1 Management*

become active.

*1.2.1.2 Host plant resistance*

preferred hosts (moderately susceptible).

*1.2.1.3 Botanicals and biopesticides*

*1.2.1.1 Monitoring and cultural methods*

#### *Integrated Pest Management for Cucurbits in Cucumber (*Cucumis sativus *L.) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97123*

world, especially in Asia, Africa, Australia, and south Europe. In India, it occurs throughout the country but is more common in the north western parts.

The dorsal body of the adult beetle is deep orange in colour, while the ventral side is black. The beetles are about t 5–8 mm in length and 3.5–3.75 mm in width. The posterior part of the abdomen bears soft white hairs. The female lays brown coloured elongated eggs in the moist soil in the clusters of 8–9 that hatch into larvae in 6–15 days. After about 7 days of emergence, beetles starts egg laying and complete its 5 generations from March to October. Larvae are creamy, yellow-coloured and feed on the roots, stems, and fruits touching the ground. Due to infection by the saprophytic fungi rotting of damaged roots and underground stems may be occurred. Leaf lamina of cucurbits is voraciously feed by scrapping off the chlorophyll and making irregular holes on leaves with netlike appearance by beetle. First generation is more injurious than the subsequent generations as the maximum damage is noticed during cotyledon stage. The infested plants may shrivel, and resowing/replanting may become important under severe infestation. The young and smaller fruits of the infested plants may dry up. Sweet gourd was the most susceptible while bitter gourd was found to be the least susceptible host for this pest [28]. Beetles are strong fliers and very active in hot weather, and when disturbed, take fly quickly. If it is not controlled timely the damage by this pest may become severe. The losses due to the pest have been reported up to 30–100% in the field conditions [29].

#### *1.2.1 Management*

#### *1.2.1.1 Monitoring and cultural methods*

Monitoring of seedling should be done twice a week to check the infestation of red pumpkin beetle. The older plant parts should be monitored regularly and should be treated if severe defoliation is noticed. In the initial stage of infestation collection and destruction of beetles is good practice, otherwise the alternative practices can be employed for the management of this pest. Preventive measures such as burning of old plant parts, ploughing, and harrowing of field after harvesting of the crops should be followed for the destruction of all the stages of this pest. Early planting of cucurbits than the normal planting time could also be effective in management as the plants pass the cotyledonary stage by the time the beetles become active.

#### *1.2.1.2 Host plant resistance*

Khan [29] reported the preferred cucurbit host plants for this beetles and categorised bitter gourd, ribbed gourd, sponge gourd, and snake gourd as nonpreferred hosts (resistant), while cucumber, muskmelon, and sweet gourd were the most preferred hosts (susceptible) and bottle gourd and ash gourd were moderately preferred hosts (moderately susceptible).

#### *1.2.1.3 Botanicals and biopesticides*

Application of neem oil cake in the soil is effective in killing grubs. Treatment of bottle gourd plants with entomopathogenic fungi *B. bassiana* resulted in maximum reduction of beetle infestation along with the highest fruit yield [30]. Khan and Wasim [31] reported maximum repellence against pumpkin beetles in treatment comprising of neem extracts mixed with benzene. *Parthenium spp*. extract was found to be effective in management of the red pumpkin beetle [32].
