RELATIVE PREFERENCE OF RED PUMPKIN BEETLE ON DIFFERENT MAJOR CUCURBIT VEGETABLES

Cucurbits are mostly grown in tropical and subtropical conditions but some of the vegetables like cucumber are grown in temperate zone under the sever attack of various arthropod pests including striped and spotted cucumber beetle, spider mite, melon aphid, fruit fly, leaf miner and red pumpkin beetle. Red pumpkin beetle is the most important and destructive pest of cucurbit vegetables and is present throughout the world mainly in tropical and subtropical zones. This study was conducted to check the relative preference of red pumpkin beetle on major cucurbit vegetables. Results of this study showed that red pumpkin beetle exhibited less attraction to bitter gourd and more attraction to musk melon. This study provides helpful information to cucurbit breeders to develop resistance in musk melon against red pumpkin beetle in future.