Introduction

Snake gourd, known for its slender shape and nutritional benefits, is a prized addition to many gardens and diets. However, like any crop, it is susceptible to various pests that can hinder its growth and yield. Effective pest management is crucial to ensuring a healthy harvest of this versatile vegetable. In this guide, we delve into the common pests that affect snake gourd plants and explore eco-friendly strategies to protect your crop. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a novice enthusiast, mastering these pest control techniques will help you cultivate thriving snake gourd plants sustainably.

Fruit flies: Bactrocera cucurbitae

Symptoms of damage:

Maggots feed on the pulp of the fruits Oozing of resinous fluid from fruits Distorted and malformed fruits Premature dropping of fruits and also unfit for consumption

Identification of pest:

Bactrocera cucurbitae

Eggs laid singly in clusters on fruits

Larva- Dirty white apodous maggot

Pupa – pupate in soil

Adult- hyaline wings with brown and grey spots at the apex.

B.ciliatus

Ferruginous brown body.

Smaller than - Bactrocera cucurbitae

B.zonata

Adult –Body yellowish with pale yellow band on 3rd tergite.

Management:

Collect infested and fallen fruits and bum in deep pits.

In endemic areas, change the sowing dates as the fly population is low in hot dry conditions and at its peak during rainy season.

Expose the pupae by ploughing and turning over soil after harvest.

Use ribbed gourd as trap crop and apply carbaryl 0.15% or malathion 0.1% on congregating adult flies on the undersurface of leaves.

Use attractants like citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, vinegar (acetic acid), and lactic acid to trap flies.

Use poison baiting in severe infestation Mix methyl eugenol + malathion 50 EC at 1:1 ratio and keep 10 ml of the bait in polythene bags @ 25/ha.

Use fly trap

Keep 5 g of wet fishmeal in polythene bags (20 x 15cm) with six holes (3 mm dia) Add 0.1 ml of dichlorvos.

Dichlorvos should be added every week and fishmeal renewed once in 20 days @ 5traps/ha.

Pumpkin beetles: Aulacophora foveicollis, A. cincta, A. Intermedia

Symptoms of damage:

Grubs’ feeds on the roots, stem and fruits touching the soil Adult feed on leaves and flowers.

Identification of pest:

Freshly hatched dirty white.

Full grown grub creamy yellow in colour

Aulacophora foveicollis- red in colour cincta- grey in colour having glistened yellow, red border Intermedia- blue in colour

Management:

Plough the fields just after harvesting destroy the hibernating adults Collect and destroy adult beetles

Spray malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml or dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml or methyl demeton 25 EC@ 500 ml/ ha

Stem borer or clear winged moth: Melittia eurytion

Symptoms of damage:

Larva bores into the stem of snake gourd and produces galls

Identification of pest:

Larva: - White in colour

Pupa: -Pupation takes place in earthen cocoon in the soil

Adult: Dark brown moth with transparent wings

Management:

Collect and destroy the damaged plant parts with larvae

Encourage activity of parasitoid: Apanteles spp. Spray any following insecticides malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml methyl demeton 25 EC @ 500 ml/ ha

Stem gall fly: Neolasioptera falcat

Symptoms of damage:

Maggots bore into the distal shoot and form galls

Identification of pest:

Adult: slender dark brown mosquito like fly

Management:

Spray any following insecticides malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml methyl demeton 25 EC @ 500 ml/ ha

Snake gourd semilooper: Plusia peponis

Symptoms of damage:

The caterpillar cuts the edges of leaf lamina, folds it over the leaf and feeds from within leaf roll

Identification of pest:

Egg - White spherical eggs laid singly on tender leaves

Larva - Green in colour with longitudinal white stripe, humped last abdominal segments

Pupae - Pupation takes place inside the leaf fold

Adult - Brown moth with shiny brown forewings

Management:

Collect and destroy the caterpillars

Encourage activity of Apanteles taragamae, A. plusiae

Spray any following insecticides malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml methyl demeton 25 EC @ 500 ml/ ha

Pumpkin caterpillar: Diaphania indica

Symptoms of damage:

Young larva scrapes the cholorophyll content

Later on, it folds and webs the leaves and feeds within. It also feeds on flowers and bores into developing fruits

Identification of pest:

Egg - Eggs lay singly or in groups on the lower surface of leaves.

Larva - Bright green with a pair of white mid dorsal lines

Pupa - Pupation takes place inside a cocoon among the leaves

Adult - Whitish wings with broad and dark marginal patches.Female with tuft of orange-coloured hairs at anal end

Management:

Collect and destroy early-stage caterpillars

Encourage activity of parasioid: Apanteles spp.

Spray any following insecticides malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml methyl demeton 25 EC @ 500 ml/ ha

Bottle gourd plume moth: Sphenarches caffer

Symptoms of damage:

Larva feeds on leaves making small holes

Identification of pest:

Egg Eggs are laid singly on buds and leaves

Larva: Small, cylindrical and yellowish green with short spines all over body

Pupa: Greenish – brown pupa

Adult: Slender moth with lobed wings, fringed with scales

Management:

Collect and destroy larvae and pupae

Spray any following insecticides

malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml dimethoate

30 EC 500 ml methyl demeton 25 EC @ 500 ml/ ha

Leaf miner: Liriomyza trifolii

Symptoms of damage:

Leaves with serpentine mines.

Drying and dropping of leaves due to severe infestation.

Identification of pest:

Larva: Minute orange yellowish apodous maggots.

Pupa: Pupates within mines.

Adult: Pale yellow in colour

Management: Collect and destroy mined leaves Spray NSKE 3%

Summary

Snake gourd growers face a variety of pests that can damage their crops. These include fruit flies that lay eggs inside fruits, burrowing stem borers, and leaf-eating caterpillars. To manage these pests, growers can employ a combination of methods. Cultural practices such as collecting infested fruits and tilling the soil after harvest help reduce pest populations. Encouraging natural predators like wasps can also be beneficial. In some cases, insecticides may be necessary, but should only be used as a last resort and with caution to minimize impact on beneficial insects.

FAQs:

• What are some of the signs that a snake gourd plant is infested with pests?

• How can cultural practices help prevent pest infestations in snake gourds?

• What are some of the potential drawbacks of using insecticides to control pests in snake gourds?