FIELD EVALUATION OF BOTANICALS, SPINOSAD AND BAGGING AGAINSTMELONFRUITFLY[Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett)]INFESTATION IN BITTER GOURD

Melon fruit fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), is one of the most destructive pests of bitter gourd causing substantial yield losses through larval feeding within developing fruits. The present study evaluated the efficacy of some selected botanicals, Spinosad 45 SC + jaggery, and fruit bagging for the management of melon fruit fly in bitter gourd under field conditions. Field experiments were conducted during kharif 2024 and 2025 in a randomized block design with three replications. Fruit infestation and marketable fruit yield were recorded and analysed on the basis of two years pooled data. Among all treatments, fruit bagging proved most effective, showing the lowest pooled mean fruit infestation (7.16%) and highest fruit yield (8.35 kg plot⁻¹). Spinosad 45 SC + jaggery proved the next best treatment, with 10.32% infestation and a yield of 8.07 kg plot⁻¹. Among botanicals, ginger powder (22.10%) and neem leaf extract (23.10%) were most effective, whereas parthenium extract depicted least efficacy (44.48%), close to the untreated control. In second spray enhanced suppression of fruit fly infestation was observed across the treatments. The study concluded that fruit bagging is an effective, eco-friendly and residue-free strategy for sustainable management of melon fruit fly in bitter gourd.