Vol. 12, Issue 6 (2023)

Author(s):
DK Rana, Jai Parkash, Anant Kumar and Virender Pal Gangwar

Abstract:
When a pesticide application is considered, review the Pesticide Application Checklist for information on how to minimize the risks of pesticide use to water and air quality. Water quality can be impaired when pesticides drift into waterways or when they move off-site. Air quality can be impaired when pesticide applications release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere. Pest control measures by using any alternate host of pests on the surroundings of your crops before planting, destroying cucurbit weeds will prevent reproduction of pests such as the melon worm, and the melon fruit fly, and diseases such as downy mildew, powdery mildew, gummy stem blight, and bacteria. Use live barriers around your crop to prevent the direct entry of virus vectors, like aphids and white flies, to maintain natural enemies and to selectively kill armyworms that are attracted to the barriers. Use botanical pesticides whenever necessary. Promote the maintenance of ladybugs and other natural enemies by maintaining plant diversity and flowering plants in home gardens and commercial fields. Rotate botanical pesticides with detergent (3 grams per liter) plus vegetable oil (1 ml per liter) to maintain aphid, spider mite, thrip and whitefly populations low. Even though leaf miners are relatively common in cucurbit crops, they are not listed as pests in this bulletin because they normally do not cause economic damage, except in conditions where pesticide abuse is common. In nature, leaf miners are controlled by natural enemies and normally do not require human intervention.