Insect- pests composition and natural enemies association on oriental pickling melon, Cucumis melo var. conomon

The aim of this research study is to provide the basic information on insect pests and natural enemies associated with Cucumis melo var. conomon at different stages of crop growth. The basic information on insect pests and natural enemies associated with Cucumis melo L. var. conomon was generated at the University of Horticultural Sciences, College of Horticulture, Bagalkot, Karnataka. Totally 24 insect pests and nine natural enemies have been documented. Among them, 13 were defoliators which belonged to four different insect orders (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Hymenoptera), three tissue feeders belonged to single order (Diptera), eight sucking insects belonged to two different orders (Hemiptera and Thysanoptera) and remaining nine were natural enemies belonged to five different orders (Coleoptera, Mantodea, Hemiptera, Odonata, Hymenoptera and Araneae). The information generated on the insect pests and natural enemies occurring on oriental pickling melon is first of its kind. The study was intended to device management practices and possible preventive measures that can be adopted utilizing the available native natural enemies. The literature on the insect pests and natural enemies of Oriental pickling melon is scanty. Therefore this information will help to understand the different kinds of insect pests occurring on oriental pickling melon. It is also intended to determine type of control measures can adopt against these pests.