HOST PREFERENCE OF RED PUMPKIN BEETLE (Aulacophora foveicollis,Lucas) ON DIFFERENT CUCURBITS MD. SAGAR HASSAIN DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY SHER-E-BANGLA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY DHAKA-1207 JUNE, 2013 HOST PREFERENCE OF RED PUMPKIN BEETLE (Aulacophora foveicollis,Lucas) ON DIFFERENT CUCURBITS BY MD. SAGAR HASSAIN Registration No. 11-04693 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ENTOMOLOGY SEMESTER: JANUARY - JUNE, 2013 Approved by: (Prof. Dr. Md. Serajul Islam Bhuiyan ) (Prof. Dr. Md. Abdul Latif) Supervisor Co-Supervisor (Dr. Tahmina Akter) Chairman Examination committee JUNE, 2013 ii Dr. Md. Serajul Islam Bhuiyan Professor Dept. of Entomology Sher-e Bangla Agricultural University Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh Phone: 880281183-52, Mob: 01712527424 E-mail: [email protected] CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the thesis titled, "Host Preference of Red Pumpkin Beetle (Aulacophora foveicollis,Lucas) on Different Cucurbits” submitted to the Dept. of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.S.) in Entomology embodies the result of a piece of bona fide research work carried out by Md. SAGAR HASSAIN; Registration No.11-04693 under my supervision and guidance. No part of the thesis has been submitted for any other degree or diploma. I further certify that such help or source of information, as has been availed of during the course of this investigation has duly been acknowledged by the Author. Dated: June, 2013 (Dr. Md. Serajul Islam Bhuiyan ) Dhaka, Bangladesh Professor, Department of Entomology Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Supervisor iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS At every moment I would like to express my profound gratefulness to the Almighty Allah, the merciful 'and the Beneficent to all creations for blessing to present this thesis. The Author wishes to express his sincere gratitude and indebtedness to his honorable teacher and research Supervisor Professor Dr. Md. Serajul Islam Bhuiyan, Department of Entomology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka for his scholastic guidance, outstanding assistance, valuable advice and suggestions for the successful completion of the research work and preparation of this manuscript. The Author sincerely express his heartfelt gratitude and deepest sense to his Co-Supervisor, Professor Dr. Md. Abdul Latif, Department of Entomology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka for his co-operation and constructive suggestions in all phases of the research. He wishes to pay his gratefulness to other honorable teachers of the Department of Entomology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka for their valuable suggestions during the study period and research work. The Author also feels much pleasure to convey the profound thank to Mr. shafi, Mr. Bokul, Joinal and Ms. Shimu Akter, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka for their cordial co-operation and inspiration during the research work. The Author is grateful to his friends for their encouragement and inspiration. The Author is also grateful to his parents and elder brother Md.Jahirul Islam. The Author iv HOST PREFERENCE OF RED PUMPKIN BEETLE (Aulacophora foveicollis,Lucas) ON DIFFERENT CUCURBITS ABSTRACT A field experiment was carried out to find out the host preference of red pumpkin beetle at the research field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during March 2012 to June 2012. To find out the host preference of red pumpkin beetle (Aulacophora foveicollis) on different cucurbits. Eight cucurbitaceous plants(varieties) viz. Sweet gourd (Cucurbita moschata), Wax gourd (Benincasa hispida), Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria Molina.) Cucumber (Cucumis sativus), Snake gourd (Trichosanthes dioica), Ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula), Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) and Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) were taken to conduct the experiment in Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were recorded from 4 day after sowing(DAS) to 64 DAS on number of plants -1 -1 pit , damage of infested cotyledon(%), number of infested plants pit , number -1 -1 of infested leaves plant , total number of infested leaves plot , damage of infested flowers(%) and damage of infested fruits(%). Sweet gourd cotyledon showed the maximum damage (45.00%) than that of other cucurbits at 9 DAS, all plants of sweet gourd pit-1 were infested by red pumpkin beetle. The highest leaf infestation (34.00) was observed at 64 DAS. The highest flower damage(%) plot-1 (27.33%) was also observed in sweet gourd at 54 (DAS), whereas the highest damage percentage of infested fruits plot-1(36.67%) was also observed in sweet gourd at 64 DAS. Sweet gourd was found in highly preferred condition by RPB and bitter gourd was found in least preferred condition by red pumpkin beetle in this study. v CONTENTS Chapter Title Page No. Acknowledgements iv Abstract v Contents vi ix List of Tables x List of Figures xi List of Appendices xii Abbreviation I Introduction 1 II Review of Literature 5 2.1 Origin and distribution of red pumpkin beetle 5 2.2 Host range of red pumpkin beetle 6 2.3 Host preferences and nature of damage of red pumpkin 7 beetle vi Chapter Title Page No. III Materials and Methods 21 3.1 Description of the experimental site 21 3.1.1 Location and time 21 3.1.2 Soil 21 3.1.3 Climate and weather 22 3.2 Experimental materials 23 3.3 Experimental design and layout 23 3.4 Land preparation and fertilizer applicaiton 23 3.5 Seed sowing 24 3.6 Data collection 24 -1 3.6.1 Number of plants pit 24 3.6.2 Damage of infested cotyledon (%) 24 -1 3.6.3 Number of infested plants pit 25 -1 3.6.4 Number of infested leaves plant 25 -1 3.6.5 Number of total infested leaves plot 25 3.6.6 Damage of infested flowers (%) 26 3.6.7 Damage of infested fruits (%) 26 3.7 Statistical analysis 26 vii CONTENTS (Contd.) Chapter Title Page No. IV Results and Discussion 27-50 4.1 Effect of host preference of red pumpkin 27 on different cucurbits 4.1.1 Number of plants pit-1 27 4.1.2 Percent damage of infested cotyledon 27 4.1.3 Number of infested plants pit-1 32 4.1.4 Number of infested leaves plant-1 32 4.1.5 Number of total infested leaves plot-1 39 4.1.6 Percent damage of infested flower plot-1 45 4.1.7 Percent damage of infested fruit plot-1 47 V SUMMARY 51 REFERENCES 54 APPENDICES 61 viii LIST OF TABLES Table Title Page No. 1 Effect of different cucurbits as host plant of red pumpkin 37 beetle on number of infested plants plot-1 at different days after sowing 2 Effect of different cucurbits as host plant of red pumpkin 38 beetle on number of infested leaves plant-1 at different days after sowing 3 Effect of different cucurbits as host plant of red pumpkin 44 beetle on number of total infested leaves plot-1 at different days after sowing ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure Title Page No. 1 Effect of different cucurbits as host plant of red pumpkin 30 beetle on number of plants plot-1 at four days after sowing 2 Effect of different cucurbits as host plant of red pumpkin 31 beetle on percent damage of infested cotyledon at four days after sowing 3 Effect of different cucurbits as host plant of red pumpkin 46 beetle on percent damage of infested flower plot-1 at 54 days after sowing 4 Effect of different cucurbits as host plant of red pumpkin beetle on percent damage of infested fruits plot-1 at 59 and 49 64 days after sowing x LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix Title Page no. I The morphological, physical and chemical properties of 61 the experimental land II Monthly air temperature, rainfall, relative humidity and 62 sunshine hours during the growing season (March 2012 to June2012) III Analysis of variance (mean square) for percentage of 63 damage of infested cotyledon at different days after sowing . IV Analysis of variance (mean square) for number of 64 infested plants at different days after sowing V Analysis of variance (mean square) for number of 65 infested plants at different days after sowing VI Analysis of variance (mean square) for number of 66 infested plants at different days after sowing VII Analysis of variance (mean square) for damage 67 percentage of infested flower at 54 DAs and fruits at 59 and 64 DAS xi ABBREVIATIONS AEZ = Agro-Ecological Zone Agric. = Agriculture Agril. = Agricultural Anon. = Anonymous ANOVA = Analysis of variance BARC = Bangladesh Agricultural Researcher Council BARI = Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute BAU = Bangladesh Agricultural University BBS = Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics CRD = Completely randomized design DAS = Days after sowing FAO = Food and Agriculture Organization LSD = Least significant difference RCBD = Randomized Complete Block Design Viz. = Namely xii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Bangladesh is a country where vegetable shortage is a common phenomenon. The consumption of vegetable in Bangladesh is about 50 g day-1 capita-1 which is the lowest amongst the countries of South Asia and South Africa (Rekhi, 1997). But dietitian recommended a daily allowance of 285 g vegetable for an adult person for a balance diet (Ramphall and Gill, 1990). Here people have been suffering from inadequate supply of vegetables since decades. Total annual vegetable production of Bangladesh 1.6 million M tones in winter and 1.5 million M tones in summer season while the cultivated area of Bangladesh 0.47 million acres in winter and 0.65 million acres in summer season (BBS, 2012). As a result, chronic malnutrition is often seen in Bangladesh. Of the total production, less than 25% is produced during Kharif season and more than 75% is in the Rabi season (Anon., 1993).