Cucurbit Insect PestsEcological Management

Jawwad Hassan MirzaStudent ID# 435108485Ph.D. 2nd SemesterCollege of Food and Agriculture SciencesKing Saud University, Riyadh, KSA

Cucurbits• (1)Cucurbitaceae, Vine Crop Family, (118 genera, 825

species)• Tropical and Subtropical Climate• (2)China largest producer globally• (3)Free of Cholesterol• Good Source of Vitamin A&C and Iron• Phytochemicals– Cucurbitin = seeds, retards fluke developement– Cucurbitacin = flesh and seeds, toxic; bitter taste– Cucurmosin = seeds, protein synthesis inhibitor

1. Khan et al , 2015; 2. FAO, 2012; 3. UDC, 2015

MAJOR GROUPS

CUCUMBER

GOURD MELON PUMPKIN

SQUASH

Khan et al , 2015

Uses of Cucurbit• Food Source– Ice creams, puddings, pies– Salad, Soup

• Medicinal Value– Anti-diabetic– Anticarcinogenic– Anti-inflammatory

• Cosmetics– Soaps and Oils for dry and sensitive skin

• Festivals– Halloween

• Art, Music and LiteratureBurrows and Tylr, 2013

Red Pumpkin Beetle Aulacophora foviecollis

Cucumber Beetle Acalymma spp

Squash Vine Borers Melitta cucurbitae

Whitefly Bemisia argentifolii

Squash Bugs Anasa tristis

Two Spotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae Khan, 2015

Other Miner Pests include:• Leaf miners • Flea Beetle• Thrips• Cabbage Moth• Turnip Moth• Aphids

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

• Chemical Management– Insecticides– Biopesticides

• Traditional Management– Organic Soaps– Use of Ash, Sulphur etc

• Biological Control– Predators and Parasitoides

• Ecological Management– Cultural / Agronomic Practices– Host Plant Resistance

Mostly Recommended

Ecological Management of Insect Pests

Red Pumpkin Beetle Aulacophora foviecollis

• (2)Polyphagous Pest (30-75%)• Adults and Larvae = make holes• Early sowing = passes the active beetle stage• (1)Resistance = high cucurbitacin• Crop Rotation = any crop other than cucurbits• Antixenosis = Hairy varieties of cucumber and

melon

1. Dhillon and Wehner, 1991; 2. Khan et al , 2015

Cucumber BeetleAcalymma spp.

• (3)Cucumber, Melon, Squashes, Gourd• Vector = Bacterial Wilt• (1)Low Cucurbitacin = least attractive• (3)Use fabric row covers (remove at flowering)

• Strong spray of water• Delayed Planting• (2)Reflecting mulches as compared to black mulches

1. Metcalf et al, 1982; 2. Caldwell and Clark, 1998; 3. Griffin, 1999

Vine BorerMelitta cucurbitae

• (1)Squashes and Gourds• Tillage in late winter to expose pupae• Sanitation = remove vines that are killed• Early Planting = borers emerge late summer• (2)Second planting in July will mature after adult

borers have finished laying eggs• Floating Row Covers

1. Griffin, 1999; 2. Qureshi et al, 2007

Two Spotted Spider MiteTetranychus urticae

• (1)Melon, cucumber, squashes• Antibiosis = Cucumbers with High Cucurbitacin• (2)Sprinkler Irrigation• (3)Midseason washing = prevent late season

infestation• Sanitation = Remove weeds

1. Griffin, 1999; 2. Shetlar, 2001; 3. Bethke, 2010

WhiteflyBemisia argentifolii

• Melon, Cucumber, Squash, pumpkin• Viral Disorders– Leaf curl/crumple– Stunting disorder– Vein yellowing

• Floating row covers• Trap Crops = Cantaloupe and Cucumber• Maximize the planting distance• Sanitation = weeds and residues removed• Silver mulching repel

Qureshi et al, 2007

Squash BugsAnasa tristis

• (3)Different varieties of squash (Hubbard, Marrows)

• Place a cardboard as trap• (4)Tillage after harvesting exposes the bugs• (2,3)Sanitation = no overwintering sites• (2)Late Planting = least pest attack Early planting = attract and kill

• (1,4)Trap crops = Melons, cucumbers• Row Covers delay colonization

1. Bonjour et al, 1990; 2. Bonjour et al, 1993; 3. Griffin, 1999, 4. Arnold 2001

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

• Clean Cultivation and Manipulation of Sowing Time could save your crop.

• If using row covers/mulches, don’t forget to remove at time of blooming for pollination.

• Ecological Management is the least studied subject for such important plant family, further studies are needed.

References1. "What's So Great About Winter Squash?" (PDF). University of the District of Columbia. Retrieved January 14, 2015.2. Arnold J. (20 September 2001). Scientists identify insect that transmits CYVD. ARS News Service, Agricultural Research

Service, USDA3. Bethke, J.A., 2010. Insects and Mites. University of California, USA.4. Bonjour EL, Fargo WS, Rensner PE. 1990. Ovipositional preference of squash bugs (Heteroptera: Coreidae) among cucurbits

in Oklahoma. Journal of Economic Entomology 83:943-9475. Bonjour EL, Fargo WS, Al-Obaidi AA, Payton ME. 1993. Host effects on reproduction and adult longevity of squash bugs

(Heteroptera: Coreidae). Environmental Entomology 22:1344-1348.6. Burrows, George E.; Tyrl, Ronald J. (2013).Toxic Plants of North America. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 389–391.7. Dhillon, N.P.S and Wehner, T.C., 1991. Host plant resistance to insects in cucurbits. Trop. Pest Manag. 37(4): 421-428.8. Khan, S.A., 2015. Relative infestation of red pumpkin beetle on different cucurbit vegetables. Pak. Entomol., 37(1):45-47.9. Laila Khan, Maqsood Shah, Amjad Usman, 2015. Host Preference of Red Pumpkin Beetle (Aulacophora faveicollis) Lucas

(Chrysomelidae: Coleoptera) among different Cucurbits. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies ; 3 (2): 100-10410. Metcalf, R.L., Rhodes, A.M., Ferguson, L. and Lu, P.Y., 1982. Cucurbitacin content and diabroticile feeding upon cucurbita spp.

Environ. Entomol. 11: 931-93711. Pumpkins, Squash, and Gourds. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2012. Retrieved October 13, 2013.12. Qureshi, M. S.; Midmore, D. J.; Syeda, S. S.; Playford, C. L. (2007). "Floating row covers and pyriproxyfen help control

silverleaf whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) Biotype B (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) in zucchini". Australian Journal of Entomology 46 (4): 313.

13. R.P. Griffin, 1999. Cucumber, Squash, Melon & Other Cucurbit Insect Pests. Clemson University. 14. Shetlar, D.J., 2001. Spider Mites and their control. Department of Entomology, Ohio State University, USA

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