Watermelon Growing Tips- Insects and their Management

The watermelon crop is invaded by certain insects, which can cause crop losses if not managed. Common insects which are common in watermelon are discussed.

1. Aphids (Peach aphid, MYZUS PERSICAE Melon aphid – APHID GOSSYPII)

These soft bodied insects will be found on the younger parts of the watermelon plants sucking the juice and these aphids vary from usually green, pink, red, brown or yellow.

The apical shoot growth will be retarded, infested leaves may be yellow with necrotic spots. Aphids secretes the sweet honey dew and black sooty mold on it which avoids the photosynthetic activity on leaves.

Management of Aphids

2.Thrips (Western flower thrips - FRANKLINIELLA OCCIDENTALIS
 & Onion thrips - THRIPS TABACI)

The watermelon leaves infested with thrips shows the symptom of distortion, cup shaped and slightly pale colour. The severe infestation of thrips may also make the leaves silvery and black speck like appearance may be seen on the leaves. The colour of the thrips may vary from pale yellow to light brown.

Management of Thrips

3.Cutworms – AGROTIS SPP. PERIDROMA SAUCIA, NEPHELODES MINIANS, SPODOPTERA LITURA, SPODOPTERA FRUGIPERDA

The most vulnerable plant stage which cutworms can attack is the seedling stage, the cutworms are also called the army worms are nocturnal. The feeding behavior of the larvae is cutting the stem of the young seedling. The infestation is also noticed on leaves and fruits.

Management of cut worms

4.Leaf miners (LIRIOMYZA SP)

The leaves infested with leaf miner larvae shows the symptoms of leaf surface is mined in between the layers scrapping the tissues. The leaves will become untidy with photosynthesis.

5. Whiteflies (BEMISIA TABACI)

Whiteflies lives in groups on watermelon plants, sucking the sap of the leaves, leaving the leaves pale coloured, downward curled and severe infestation may make the leaves dry. Most of the time the watermelon plants will be covered with sooty mold on the honey dew released by whiteflies. The coverage of plants by the sooty mold may lead to decreased photosynthetic activity in the plant system.

Management of Whiteflies

6. Red pumpkin beetle: RAPHIDOPALPA FOVEICOLLIS

Red pumpkin beetle feeds on the watermelon plants. The beetle infested watermelon leaves show riddled holes, if the infestation is severe defoliation may be seen. The beetle larvae feed on the roots and stems causing the rottening.

Management of Red pumpkin beetles

7. Fruit flies BACTROCERA CUCURBITAE

Fruit flies after copulation lay eggs on the fruits, later the eggs hatch out and enters into the fruit. Once entering in to the fruit starts feeding on the pulp. The infested fruit with fruit fly maggot can be differentiated from non-infested by the holed convoluted fruit and clean plain fruit respectively. Premature fruits if infested with fruit flies may drop off. The fruit fly maggot infested fruits will be fully or partially unfit for marketing or consumption.

Management of fruit flies in Watermelon

 Use of fruit fly traps and lures [Bractrocera fly lures]

8. Leaf eating caterpillars: DIAPHANIA INDICA, HELICOVERPA ARMIGERA

Leaf eating caterpillars as the name indicates the larval stage of these caterpillars will feed on the young and tender leaves. Uncontrolled fields with caterpillar attack may be defoliated.

Management of Leaf eating caterpillars

9. MITES ON WATERMELON

Red spider mite: TETRANYCHUS URTICAE

Red spider mites will usually live under surface of the watermelon leaves, sucking the sap leaving the leaves chlorotic. The watermelon plants show the symptoms of stunted growth and poor yielding.

Management of mites in watermelon crop

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