Management Strategy against Melon Fruit Fly of musk melon in Kargil, Ladakh

The melon fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), is a major pest of cucurbitaceous crops causing severe yield losses worldwide. Climate change has further increased its prevalence even in cold arid regions. To evaluate effective management strategies against melon fruit fly in musk melon (Cucumis melo), on-farm testing was conducted in farmers’ fields across five villages of Kargil district, Ladakh during the 2020–23 and 2021–24 seasons by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kargil-I. Three management practices were evaluated: spray of azadirachtin 1500 ppm @ 5 ml L⁻¹ of water (T1), installation of cue-lure traps @ 25 traps ha⁻¹ soon after flowering (T2), and farmer’s practice of collecting and disposing of infested fruits (control). Cue-lure traps were prepared using ethyl alcohol, cue-lure, and chlorpyriphos in a 6:4:2 ratio and installed in water-bottle traps for monitoring and mass trapping of male flies. Results indicated that the mean number of fruit flies trapped was higher in the first lure (53.39 flies trap⁻¹) compared to the second lure (43.06 flies trap⁻¹). Higher male catches were observed in warmer villages such as Mangbor and Pashkum, showing a positive correlation between temperature and fruit fly population. Economic analysis revealed that cue-lure traps recorded the highest marketable fruit yield (196.74 q ha⁻¹) with a net profit of ₹515,590, followed by azadirachtin spray (137.66 q ha⁻¹; net profit ₹309,810), whereas the farmer’s practice recorded the lowest yield (76.58 q ha⁻¹; net profit ₹98,030). The study demonstrates that cue-lure traps are an effective, eco-friendly, and economically viable strategy for managing melon fruit fly in musk melon under cold arid conditions. Their adoption can significantly reduce pest infestation, improve fruit quality and yield, and minimize reliance on chemical pesticides.