Evaluate Efficacy of Malathion and Spinosad Alone and Mixed with Some Food Attractants Against Cucurbit Fly Dacus ciliatus

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out in the fall growing season of 2022 to evaluate to what extent mixing some food attractants namely Buminal (protein hydrolysate), sugar cane, cane molasses with malathion 57% EC or Spinosad 48% SC could increase the efficacy of these insecticides. Malathion and Spinosad against cucurbit fly Dacus ciliatus on squash plant. The treatments included Spinosad 48% SC, Spinosad 48% SC plus sugar cane, Spinosad 48%plus cane molasses and Spinosad 48% SC plus Buminal, malathion 57% EC, Malathion 57% EC plus sugar cane, malathion 57% EC plus molasses and Malathion 57% EC plus Buminal. The treatments sprayed thrice at weekly interval when fruit infestation ranged between 6.6-40%. The results showed effective treatment in reducing the fruit
infestation by cucurbit was Malathion 57% EC plus Buminal (3.3%), the results also showed that mixing the aforementioned food attractants to the insecticides improves its effectiveness against the pest.