EFFICACY OF FRUIT EXTRACT OF EMETIC NUT, Randia spinosa AGAINST RED PUMPKIN BEETLE INFESTING BITTER GOURD

Abstract

The Red pumpkin beetle Aulacophora toveicollis (Lucas) causes a severe damage to cucurbits and considerable reduction in yield in India. The investigation was carried out during summer 2019 at the field and laboratory of Zoology Department, P.P.N. College, Kanpur. The use of conventional synthetic insecticides is costly and involve risk of hazards. To control this pest properly it is necessary to determine the extent of damage and to find out the accurate dose of insecticide, keeping in view the above facts and figures this study was conducted to equate the efficacy of botanical insecticides against Red pumpkin beetle in bitter gourd, 100 ml of the aqueous fruit extract of Randia spinosa was sprayed five times at weekly interval on 5m x 10m plot area (Total three plot) and compared with control. The mean number of beetles killed per plant in the treated plots ranged from 16.0 to 49.2 against control. The protection of the crop from beetle by spending Rs. 18.75/- per plot towards cost of botanical insecticides plus labour thus in 360 kg of more fruits of bottle gourd.