Rationalizing Bitter Gourd Pest Management-A Phytochemical Based Approach Against Fruit Fly

摘要

Effect of the leaf extracts of Alstonia scholaris and Calotropis procera on infestation and damage of the fruit fly in bitter gourd was studied. The plant extracts in combination with periodic removal of egg masses, infested fruits and bait-trapping produced satisfactory impact, recording only 2.4 - 5.8% infested fruits. Calotropis leaf extract @ 100 ml/L was the best treatment followed by Alstonia leaf extract @ 100 ml/L and both the treatments were at par with each other but significantly superiorto the chemical check comprising of carbaryl and rynaxypyr. The extracts were also found safe to predatory coccinellids and spiders and to prime pollinators of bitter gourd, the honey bees and bumble bees.