Evaluation of Oriental Pickling Melon (Cucumis melo L. Var. conomon) Genotypes for Pest and Disease Reaction under Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka

Abstract

Cucurbits are the group of vegetables belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. Oriental pickling melon (Cucumis melo var. conomon) is one among the melon group vegetables belongs to Cucurbitaceae family with a chromosomal number 2n=24. It is also called as golden melon or culinary melon in English. In Karnataka it is called by local names as Sambar Southe, Mogghe kayi or Mangalore southe. A field experiment was carried out at University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkot, Karnataka to study the reaction of oriental pickling melon to fruit fly pest, diseases like powdery mildew and downy mildew disease. The results revealed that least infestation of fruit fly was recorded in Sirsi Local (40.00 %) followed by BCMCO-01 (41.30 %), BCMCO-02 and BCMSO-03 (41.75 % each). Highest infestation of fruit fly was recorded in Sirsi-2-13 (65.07 %) followed by BCMSO-04 (59.90 %). Among the genotypes, none of them had showed resistant to infestation and found susceptible to fruit fly attack in unsprayed condition. Least infestation of powdery mildew was found in Mysore Local (37.71 %) followed by Sirsi Local (37.99 %) and BCMSO-03 (39.76 %). Whereas highest mildew in GR-3 (46.08 %) followed by Sirsi-1-13 (45.81 %) and BCMCO-02 (45.75 %). Least infestation of downy mildew was observed in BCMCO-02 (14.00 %) followed by Sirsi Local (16.29 %) and BCMSO-03 (17.43%). Highest infestation was found in GR-2-1 (27.07%) followed by GR-4 (26.58 %) and GR-4-1 (26.23 %). Most of the genotypes were moderately susceptible to downy mildew disease.