EFFECT
OF BIOPHYSICAL FRUIT TRAITS ON THE INFESTATION OF BACTROCERA CUCURBITAE COQ. IN MOMORDICA
CHARANTIA L.
M. A. A. Bachchu*,
M. O. kulsum, M. M. H.
Bhuyain, M. N. Uddin and R. Ara
Abstract
Cucurbit
fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae
(Coquillett) is one of the most serious pests of bitter gourd, Momordica charanTia L. and cause enormous
damage. As an alternative control method to chemical pesticide, an investigation was conducted to find
out the traits associated with resistance in different bitter gourd varieties viz. Tia, Heeradill, Bulbuli, Masrangha, Goghkorolla,
Poran, Green Queen and Sonamukhi.
The percent fruit infestation and larval density were significantly varied
among the bitter gourd varieties. The variety Goghkorolla was categorized to be
as resistant (19.39 %) whereas, masrangha (41.91 %), Tia (46.09 %) and Sonamukhi
(50.00 %) as moderately resistant,
heeradil (58.89%), Green Queen (59.05
%), Poran (59.44 %) and Bulbuli (69.06 %) categorized as susceptible varieties
at early fruiting stage. Contrarily, at mid fruiting stage all varieties were susceptible
to fruit fly except Sonamukhi (46.69 %). Again, all tested varieties showed
highly susceptibility to cucurbit fruit fly at late fruiting stage. The
weight reduction in three different fruiting stages for all bitter gourd
varieties was found to differ and the highest weight reduction was obtained
from Bulbuli whereas, the lowest was with Sonamukhi. The result also revealed that the larval density had a
significant positive correlation with percent of fruit infestation. Biophysical
fruit-traits like fruit length,
fruit diameter, number of longitudinal ribs and small ridges were lowest in
resistant and the highest in susceptible varieties which showed a significant
positive correlation with the percent of fruit infestation. Additionally, the
height of longitudinal ribs, depth of small ridges, pericarp thickness and
fruit toughness were highest in resistant and the lowest in susceptible
varieties. These parameters showed negative correlation with the percent of
fruit infestation.
Keywords:
Biophysical fruit traits, resistant, susceptibility, infestation, larval
density and Bactrocera cucurbitae.
