Feeding Preferences of Red Pumpkin Beetle, Aulacophora foveicollis Lucas (Chrysomelidae: Coleoptera) on Different Cucurbit Cultivars

Red pumpkin beetle (RPB) is one of the most notorious insect pest and a serious threat to all cucurbits. Five cultivars of cucurbits, Cucumis sativus L., Momordica charantia L., Luffa acutangula L., Cucurbita pepo L. and Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) were tested for feeding preferences of RPB for two years. All the cultivars of cucurbits were highly infested in their foliage and flowers resulting in a decline of yield. High RPB infestation was recorded in 2015 compared to 2014. The average population per ten leaves was high in pumpkin and cucumber but low in bitter gourd. Overall data showed that pumpkin was highly preferred cultivar followed by cucumber, watermelon, ridge gourd and bitter gourd. In no choice test, the highest reduction in the leaf area was recorded in pumpkin followed by ridge gourd, cucumber, bitter gourd and water melon. Therefore, appropriate control measure may be taken into consideration as per susceptibility of the host to reduce RPB infestation. Our studies have shown that bitter gourd was the least preferred cultivar, thus, planting bitter gourd as companion crop as borders or in mix cultivation could safeguard other cucurbits.