The cultivation of bittergourd often becomes difficult due to severe crinkling of leaves. The whiteflies jassids, aphids and mites are mainly responsible for this malady. This could be managed by using an ecofriendly strategy developed on a participatory basis at the bittergourd the bittergourd plot of Sri. Somano BMA Cottage, Remom,Thiruvenanthapuram,Kerala,India yielded good results for the management of these sucking pests. When the population build up of jassid was noted, the management of the pest became difficult due to the intermittent heavy rains. Immediate control of the pest became a necessity because of the possibility of heavy build up of the pest due to continuous heavy showers. A strategy was worked out so as to obtain immediate eradication of the pest so that the chances for the further build up of the pest was completely ruled out.
An oil emulsion involving castor oil and neem seed oil activated with garlic extract was prepared and applied on the lower surface of the leaves. The treatment was found to be very effective in achieving immediate, complete control of jassid population resting on the lower surface of leaves. The ones which escaped rested on the upper surface of the leaves, because they lost the capacity to fly. This residual population was managed by giving the spray application on the upper surface of leaves. This was also found to be effective in controlling other pests like white flies, aphids, mites and also the Epilachna beetle and its stages. This method was also found to give prolonged protection of the crop. The build up of natural enemies like spiders, coccinellids were also observed a week after giving the spray application.
The spray formulation has to be prepared correctly and used fresh as detailed below.
Prof.P.Raghunath and Dr. C.Gokulapalan,KHDP R&D Unit,Collage of
Agriculture, Vollayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, Pin:695522
