Control of melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae (Diptera: Trypetidae) on melon in Pakistan

Abstract

The application of deltamethrin (Decis) 2.5 EC, cypermethrin (Ripcord) 10 EC and malathion 57% EC at 10 day intervals (four sprays in total) significantly reduced the melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, infestation on melon (4.8–7.9%) compared with the untreated control (14.1%). Malathion was the most effective insecticide. Mixing 2% molasses or 0.25% protein hydrolysate with the insecticides did not further reduce the infestation. In an experiment using squashmelon (Cucurbita melopepo) as a trap crop in melon, fruit infestation was about 1.5‐times greater than that on melon (15.5 compared to 10.2%). The infestation in the untreated control melon plots was 19.2%, indicating that intercropping squashmelon with melon can reduce fly attack on melon. By using pieces of melon treated with trichlorphon (Dipterex) 80SP (spot‐treatment) the fruit infestation was reduced by 50% compared with the untreated control. Based on the cost‐benefit ratio, the best control technique was the dusting of ash (1:9), followed by growing squashmelon in melon as a trap crop (1:7.9) and using poisoned cut‐melons (1:2.7).

Keywords:

• Insecta
• integrated pest management
• melon
• malathion
• trichlorphon
• cypermethrin
• deltamethrin
• chemical control
• bait‐sprays
• trap crop
• cultural control
• Pakistan