Recognize the problem
Red pumpkin beetle is a major pest of vegetables. Damage is caused by larvae as well as adults. Full-grown larvae are creamy white and the size of a human fingernail. Adults are orange-red and the same size as a house fly. Eggs are yellow and are laid in moist soil near the base of the plant. Adults severely attack germinating plants, cutting the leaves and making holes of various sizes. The larva bores into roots, underground stems, and any fruit touching the soil. The plant dries up and fruit quality becomes poor, making it unfit for human use.
Control against
• Avoid sowing alternate host plants like cucumber, tori, teenda, etc. near the pumpkin field
• Remove weeds during seedbed preparation by hoeing in the transplanted vegetables
• Monitor the crop once a week to check the population of the pest
• Spray deltamethrin @ 250ml/acre when there are 1 adult/10 plants in the nursery or 1 adult/plant in the crop. Use a hollow cone nozzle while spraying and purchase pesticide from an authorized pesticide dealer.
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