EFFECT OF PLANT EXTRACTS ON PEST POPULATION AND YIELD OF BITTER GOURD (MOMORDICA CHARANTIA) AT MARDAN

Abstract

This study was conducted at AWKUM Mardan in 2022 to evaluate the effectiveness of various botanical extracts on the population density of aphids, whiteflies, and thrips on bitter gourd (Momordica charantia). The treatments included Cypermethrin, Azadirachta indica (Neem), Parthenium hysterophorus (Parthenium), Eucalyptus globus (Eucalyptus), and a control group, using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The results demonstrated that both Cypermethrin and botanical extracts significantly reduced the number of aphids, whiteflies, and thrips per leaf while improving fruit production and yield. Cypermethrin-treated plants exhibited the lowest pest populations, with 0.88 aphids, 0.90 whiteflies, and 0.93 thrips per leaf, and the highest yield (24.80 kg). The lowest pest populations were recorded in Azadirachta indica-treated plants, which also showed promising results in pest control. In contrast, the control group showed the highest pest populations and the lowest yield (10.81 kg). Among the tested botanicals, Azadirachta indica was the most effective in suppressing pest populations, followed by Eucalyptus globus and Parthenium hysterophorus. This study suggests that Azadirachta indica is an effective botanical alternative for pest management in bitter gourd cultivation and can be integrated into Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies to control aphids, whiteflies, and thrips.