Effect of Major Cucurbit Hosts on Life Parameters of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

We evaluated the effect of life parameters of the melon fruit fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), reared on three cucurbit hosts—cucumber, bitter gourd and bottle gourd under laboratory conditions. Age-specific survival and fertility life tables were constructed to estimate demographic parameters including net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (rm), finite rate of increase (λ), mean generation time (T) and doubling time (DT). Distinct host-dependent variation was observed in life parameters. Cucumber supported the highest reproductive performance with net reproductive rate (R0 = 46.53), intrinsic rate of increase (rm = 0.1479/day), finite rate of increase (λ = 1.159) and a shorter mean generation time (T = 26.20 days). Bitter gourd exhibited moderate suitability, with R0 = 32.22, rm = 0.1243, and T = 28.14 days. Bottle gourd proved to be the least suitable host, characterized by lower R0 (27.56), reduced rm (0.1194), longer generation time (27.93 days), and slower population doubling (DT = 5.80 days). Overall, cucumber was the favorable host for Z. cucurbitae, followed by bitter gourd and bottle gourd. The higher intrinsic rate of increase and shorter generation time on cucumber indicate a suitable host for population development. This provides demographic information that may be useful for understanding host suitability and developing host-based management strategies for this economically important pest.