Traditional management of Red Pumpkin beetle, <i style="">Raphidopalpa foveicollis</i> Lucas in Cachar district, Assam

Abstract

The survey among the farmers of four villages, viz<i style="">.</i> Alenpur, Dargakona, Katigorah and Narsinghpur in Cachar district revealed that the maximum (80 %) farmers were engaged in cultivation of cucurbitaceous crops along with other crops in Katigorah and Narsinghpur whereas the minimum (65 %) was found in Dargakona. Total response in using traditional methods against <i style="">R. foveicollis</i> was found to be the maximum (77.50 %) with cow dung and fly ash followed by red chilly powder (50 %).The minimum (25 %) used material was <i style="">kala maati</i> powder (black soil). Out of total response of farmers from this district indicated that 80 % farmer were using chemical pesticides where 77.50 % used traditional methods along with chemical pesticides. The economic status indicated that the highest annual income (@ Rs.89, 275.00/family) was recorded from Alenpur followed by Dargakona area (@ Rs.34, 750.00/family) and the lowest was recorded from Narsinghpur (@ Rs.19, 625Rs/family). In this paper an attempt has been made to document and encourage the local farmers which are unique traditional practices of pest management (<i style="">R. foveicollis</i>) in Assam.