Water melon is being cultivated under polythene mulch every year in Shrirampur and Rahuri blocks of Ahmednagar district. The major threat to this crop is high infestation of fruit flies after setting of fruits. Due to severe infestation of this particular pest considerable number of water melon fruits are damaged resulting in huge crop losses. Application of different chemical pesticides was the only method adopted by the farmers for management of fruit fly. However the farmers could not achieve satisfactory control of fruit flies even by investing more amounts on chemical pesticides The KVK analyzed the problem of these water melon growers by organizing the group meeting
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of the
farmers from Ukkalgaon village of Shrirampur block. By analyzing the
problem and reasons behind it, the KVK made an effort by providing a
suitable solution of rakshak traps for effective management of fruit
flies in water melon. Rakshak traps are the pheromone traps which are
useful for mass trapping of the male adults of fruit flies. By
installing three rakshak traps per acre immediately after fruit setting
can effectively manage fruit fly infestation in water melon.Initially
KVK undertook the awareness programmes in the form of trainings and
group discussion regarding effective management of pests and diseases in
water melon and major focus was given towards fruit fly management. The
farmers were made aware of rakshak traps as an effective tool for
ontrolling fruit flies in water melon. For popularizing this concept
among the farmers, the KVK undertook the frontline demonstration on use
of rakshak traps against fruit flies at 30 different locations in
Ukkalgaon village.
The farmers were asked to install 3 rakshak traps per acre after one
month of crop growth stage and change the Bacu lure after 30 days. These
traps help in mass trapping of male fruit flies and thereby minimize
it’s population in the field. The method demonstration on installation
of rakshak trap and placing of Bacu lure in this trap was also conducted
on the field. The farmers were asked to take daily observations about
the catches obtained in these traps up to one week.
This resulted in minimizing fruit fly infestation by almost 90% and no
malformed fruits were observed in the demonstration plots. The farmers
did not require any chemical pesticide for fruit fly management and thus
they could save Rs 2000 per acre on chemical pesticides. The yield of
these plots also increased by 20-25 per cent besides reduction in cost
of plant protection by 40 per cent. For wide spread dissemination of
the technology, a field day was organized by the KVK on the farmer’s
field by inviting the water melon growers from neighboring villages. By
observing the lowest fruit fly infestation in water melon the farmers
got fully convinced and they found that almost 40% cost on plant
protection was reduced Similarly the technology was popularized through
mass media like radio talk and news paper articles. This has resulted in
large scale adoption of rakshak traps not only in water melon bu also in
other cucurbitaceous vegetables like pumpkin, cucumber and bitter gourd
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KVK supported this technology through supply of rakshak
traps and Bacu lures from KVK farmer’s service center and thus it helped
in spreading of this technology in different parts of the district. Thus
the timely and quality supply of this input at reasonable rate has also
resulted in increasing the adoption of this technology.
With the participation of the farmers the group action took place in
Ukkalgaon village for installation of rakshak traps with Bacu lures
because there was considerable area under water melon with polythene
mulch. The large number of catches of male fruit flies was observed
during first 5-6 days and after that the catches were minimized.. This
resulted in less egg laying of the pest and thus the incidence of the
pest was under check. It helped to convince the water melon growers
regarding the efficacy of rakshak traps for fruit fly management.
The efforts made by KVK in this direction resulted in wide spread
adoption of the technology. The technology also spread in the
neighboring villages and more number of farmers started to approach KVK
for supply of these traps. By observing the effectiveness of rakshak
traps, some of the vegetable and fruit growers in the district purchased
these traps in bulk quantities from the service center of the KVK and
started to use it against fruit flies in cucurbits as well as fruit
crops. More than 3000 rakshak traps have been supplied by the KVK
through it’s farmer’s service center and the technology has been adopted
by more than 200 vegetable and fruit growers in the district covering
325 ha. area during last two years. The concept has now become the
regular practice among all the water melon and musk melon growers from
the KVK operational areas. By seeing this result, State Agricultural
Department also conducted the block demonstration of rakshak traps in
water melon on large scale under the funds of ATMA.