EFFECTIVENESS OF BIORATIONAL INSECTICIDES APPLIED ON SWEET GOURD FOR CONTROLLING RED PUMPKIN BEETLE

ABSTRACT: The red pumpkin beetle (Aulacophora foveicollis) is the critical insect pests of sweet gourd according to their high relative abundance in the field. To evaluate the effectiveness of different biorational insecticides against red pumpkin beetle the present study was conducted in the experimental field of entomology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh during January 2023 to June 2023. With average temperature of 25.8°C and relative humidity of 91.2% during experimental period, seven different biorational insecticides were applied for field evaluation. The treatments of the experiment were Neem oil, Mahogony oil, Bio-clean 5 SL (De-limonin 5%), Bio-action 1.5 SL (Matrine 1.5%), Biotrin 0.5 AS (Matrine 0.5%), Spinomax 44.03 SC (Spinosad 44.03% w/w), BiomaxM 1.2 EC (Abamectine 1.2%) with an untreated control (using water only) for comparison. The lowest abundance of red pumpkin beetle at early cropping stage (4.0) and late cropping stage (2.7); rate of infestation at early cropping stage (89.7%) and late cropping stage (91.3%); leaf area damage (10.0%) and late cropping stage (3.7%) was observed in Biotrin 0.5 AS treated plot. The lowest floral infestation (8.3%) was also observed in Biotrin 0.5 AS treated plot. Biotrin 0.5 AS performed better than other biorational insecticides in all the aspects of controlling red pumpkin beetle. 

Keywords: Red pumpkin beetle, sweet gourd, biorational insecticides, Biotrin 0.5 AS.