Narit Thaochan and Aran Ngampongsai

DOI: 10.14456/sjst-psu.2018.164

pp. 1336 - 1345

Abstract

Zeugodacus cucurbitae is a serious agricultural pest of cucurbitaceous crops. Metarhizium guizhouense PSUM02,
petroleum oil, and Azadirachta excelsa seed kernel extract singly and combined were investigated for control of this pest. The
angled luffa fruit treated with petroleum oil and A. excelsa, or their mixtures showed egg-laying inhibition by 45.3-77.1%.
Individually M. guizhouense PSUM02 inhibited egg-laying by 25.4%. The mixed application of M. guizhouense PSUM02 and A.
excelsa had negative impacts on the number of eggs and larvae of Z. cucurbitae. In field conditions, the average fruit numbers
and fruit weights of un-infested angled luffa indicated efficacy similar to malathion for treatment with M. guizhouense PSUM02
+ petroleum oil and for M. guizhouense PSUM02 + petroleum oil + A. excelsa. The combined application of M. guizhouense
PSUM02 with A. excelsa or petroleum oil showed negative effects to egg and larval stages of Z. cucurbitae providing an
alternative strategy for Z. cucurbitae control.