Seasonal incidence of fruit fly in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) and their correlation with weather parameters

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) is an economically important cucurbitaceous crop widely cultivated in India. However, its cultivation is severely affected by fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae), which are among the most damaging pests due to their polyphagous nature and significant yield losses. The present study was conducted at the Horticulture Garden, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, PJTAU, Hyderabad, during the rabi season of 2024-25 to monitor the seasonal incidence of fruit flies in bitter gourd and their correlation with weather parameters. Cue lure and methyl eugenol-based traps were installed in the field and weekly trap catches were recorded from the 6th to 17th Standard Meteorological Week (SMW). The results showed a gradual increase in fruit fly population from 6th SMW, reaching a peak in the 14th SMW (79 flies/trap/week), followed by a decline in the subsequent weeks. Weather correlation revealed that trap catches had a significant positive correlation with maximum (r = 0.639*) and minimum temperatures (r = 0.823**) and a negative correlation with morning relative humidity (r = -0.369). This study explains the influence of abiotic factors on population fluctuation of fruit fly which helps in integrating weather-based forecasting for better pest management strategies in bitter gourd cultivation.