Evaluation of insecticides, biopesticides and clay for the management of fruit fly, Bactrocera spp. infesting bottle gourd

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are a major pest of agricultural commodities throughout the world, causing 30 to 100 per cent yield losses, therefore, field trials were conducted to evaluate some insecticides, biopesticides and clay for the management of fruit fly, Bactrocera spp. infesting bottle gourd. Among insecticides, ƛ-cyhalothrin with least fruit infestation (14.62%) and maximum avoidable loss value (47.93%) proved effective in managing fruit flies. Among biopesticides, spinosad (17.38% infestation) and azadirachtin though inferior over the synthetic pyrethroid, were found effective over neem and pongamia oil, Beauveria bassiana, clay and also over the recommended insecticide i.e malathion. Neem oil, B. bassiana, pongamia oil, clay and neemastra treatments were not found much effective though these were superior over control. The highest benefit cost ratio (BCR) was recorded in deltamethrin (20.54:1) and was followed by ƛ- cyhalothrin (15.39:1) treatment. The botanicals and microbials were not economically viable as the BCR computed was