Pests of Amaranthus and Cucurbits: Identification, Impact, and Management

This presentation explores the common pests affecting Amaranthus and Cucurbit crops, detailing their identification, lifecycle, and the damage they cause. It also covers integrated pest management strategies, including cultural practices, biological control, and chemical interventions, to effectively manage these pests. This resource is valuable for farmers, agronomists, and agricultural students looking to protect their crops and enhance yield.

1. PEST OF AMARANTHUS AND CUCURBITS Submitted to, Dr. Aravind J

2. Pest of C ucurbits

3. Fruit flies Bactrocera cucurbitae ( Tephritidae : Diptera) Distribution : India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Malaysia, China, Formosa, Japan, East Africa, Australia and the Hawaiian Islands Host range: Melons, tomato, chillies , guava, citrus, pear, fig, cauliflower, etc. Damage symptoms Only the maggots cause damage by feeding on near-ripe fruits, riddling them, and polluting the pulp. Damage by the maggots of this pest causes the oozing of brown, resinous fluid from fruits and the fruits become distorted and malformed. The maggots feed on the pulp of fruits and cause premature dropping. The attacked fruits decay because of secondary bacterial infection. After the first shower of the monsoon, the infestation often reaches 100 percent.

4. Pumpkin Beetles Aulacophora foveicollis , A. cincta , A.intermedia ( Galerucidae : Coleoptera) Distribution and status : Widely distributed in Asia, Australia, southern Europe and Africa Host range : Ash gourd ,pumpkin, tinda , ghia tori, cucumber and melon.

5. Management i . Early planting of pumpkin during October – November to avoid damage by this pest ii. Frequent raking of soil beneath the crop to expose and kill the eggs and grubs. iii. Hand collection and destruction of infested leaves and fruits. iv. Spray malathion 50 EC 750 ml, dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml, methyl demeton 25 EC 500 ml, 500 g of carbaryl 50WP in 500-750 L of water per ha or apply 7.0 kg of carbofuran. 3G per ha 3-4 cm deep in the soil near the base of the plants just after germination and irrigate. BINOMICS

6. Leaf Eating Caterpillar Plusia peponis , P. signata and P. orichalcea ( Noctuidae : Lepidoptera) Distribution : Regular and serious pest all over the country. Damage symptoms The caterpillar cuts the edges of leaf lamina, folds it over the leaf and feeds from within leaf roll. Bionomics Stout adult moth lays spherical sculptured greenish white eggs singly on the tender leaves. Larva is a greenish semi looper with black warts. It is humped on a anal segment. They are active in winter. They pupate in the debris on the ground. Moths are very active at dusk. Management Collect and destroy caterpillars. Encourage activity of Apanteles plusia and A. taragamae Spray malathion 50 EC 750 ml, dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml, methyl demeton 25 EC 500 ml in 500-750 L of water per ha

7. Snake gourd semi looper Diaphania indica (Pyraaustidae: Lepidoptera) Distribution: Widely distributed in India. Host range: Melon, gourds, cucumber and cucurbits Damage symptoms Larvae webs leaves and feed. Ovaries and young developing fruits are also eaten. Affected flowers bears no fruits and infested fruits become unfit for consumption. Bionomics Adult has transparent white wings with broad and dark brown marginal patches and orange coloured anal tuft of hairs in the female. Eggs are laid singly or in groups on the lower surface of the leaves. Egg, larval, pupal periods last for 3-6, 9-14 and 5-13 days respectively. Larva elongate bright green with a pair of thin white longitudinal lines on the dorsal side. Pupation take s place in a cocoon in the flowers. Adult lives for 3 -7 days and females lays upto 366 eggs.

8. Management 1. Collect and early stage caterpillars. 2. Spray Malathion 50 EC or dimethoate 30Ec or methyl demeton 25 EC 500 ml in 500 L of water. 3. DDT, lindane 1.3 D, copper oxychloride, Bordeaux mixture and sulphur dust should not be used as these are highly phytotoxic. 4. Encourage the activity of larval parasitoid of namely Apanteles spp.

9. MINOR PESTS

10. AMARANTHUS

11. Amaranthus stem weevil Hypolixus truncatulus (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) Distribution Specific major pest. Widely distributed in India and neighboring countries.

12. Amaranthus caterpillar or Webber Hymenia recurvalis ( Pyraustidae : Lepidoptera) Distribution Destructive pest. Widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions including Africa, Asia and Australia. Host range Amaranthus, beans, melons, spinach, coleus, Luffa spp., grasslands and pastures. Damage symptoms Larvae scrape the epidermal and palisade tissues of leaves; W eb the leaves with silken threads resulting in drying of webbed leaves.

13. Management

14. Reference Seni , Atanu . "Insect pests of amaranthus and their management." International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology 3.3 (2018): 1100-1103. York, A. "Pests of cucurbit crops: marrow, pumpkin, squash, melon and cucumber." Vegetable crop pests (1992): 139-161. May, Alan Walter Sydney. "Pests of Cucurbit Crops." Queensland Agricultural Journal 62.pt. 3 (1946). Napier, Tony. "Insect pests of cucurbit vegetables." Prime fact sheet 833 (2009).

15. KAAVIYA AV