EVALUATION OF DREK, MELIA AZADIRACH FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF FRUITFLIES, BACTROCERA TAU IN TOMATO

ABSTRACT Fruitfly, Bactrocera tau Walker, a devastating pest of tomato. lays eggs inside the fruits rendering them inaccessible to be targeted by insecticides. A study on effectiveness of drek seed kernels extract (DSKE) baits viz; bait I (0.25%DSKE +diet), bait II (0.50%DSKE +diet), bait III (1.0%DSKE +diet) was undertaken under laboratory conditions and compared with conventional poison baits viz; bait IV (0.05%malathion +diet) and bait V (0.1%malathion +diet) being practiced to manage this pest on tomato. The diet constituted of protinex:jaggury (1:1), yeast (5%) and ammonium acetate (0.1%). The bait III was most effective in reducing the egg laying (62.3eggs/10females) followed by bait II and bait I being, 74.1 and 90.3eggs/10females, respectively, as against 165eggs/10females in the control. However, in poison baits V (0.1%malathion +diet) and IV (0.05%malathion +diet), the egg laying recorded was 72.7 and 84.7eggs/10females, respectively. In another set of experiment, the ovipositional deterrency was observed to decrease with the decrease in concentrations of DSKE (aqueous). As drek seed kernels extract reduced the fecundity and deterred oviposion, it can be utilized as one of the biorational components for the management of fruit fly on tomato under field conditions.