Control:  Bury any infested fruits to prevent the build up of fruit fly population. In homestead gardens, covering the fruits in polythene/paper covers help to prevent flies from laying eggs inside the fruits. Breaking of soil to expose pupae, and burning the soil in pit by dried leaves are also effective. It can also be effectively controlled by the use of banana fruit traps.

Snake gourd semilooper: Anadevidia peponis

Green coloured semilooper caterpillar cuts the edge of leaf lamina, folds it and feed from with in. It is a specific pest of snake gourd.

Control: Hand pick the caterpillars and destroy them. In severe cases spray insecticides like quinalphos (0.05%).

Epilachna beetle: Epilachna spp.

The yellowish coloured grubs and adults of the beetle feed voraciously on leaves and tender plant parts, and the leaves are completely skeletonized leaving only a network of veins. When in large number, the pest causes serious defoliation and reduces yield.

Control: Remove and destroy egg masses, grubs and adults occurring on leaves. Spray carbaryl 0.2%.

Pumpkin beetle: Aulacophora fevicolis, A. cincta and A. intermedia

Adult beetles eat the leaves, make hole on foliage and causes damage on roots and leaves. Grubs cause damage by feeding on root. It also feeds on flowers and bores into developing fruits that touch the soil.

Control:  Destroy grubs and pupae.

Stem gallfly: Neolasioptera falcata

Damage caused by maggots by boring into distal shoots. Thickening or galls are seen on shoots or stem.

Control: Apply insecticides like quinalphos 

Aphids: Aphis gossypi

Aphids in large number congregate on tender parts of plant and suck sap resulting in curling and crinkling of leaves. Ants carry aphids from one plant to another.

Control: Apply 1.5% fish oil soap. First dissolve soap in hot water and then make up the volume. Alternatively apply dimethoate 0.05%.

Leaf feeders and sucking pests:

Spray 2% talc based formulation of Beauvaria bassiana + 0.1% teepol at fortnightly intervals for the management of leaf feeders. In severe case of infestation of pumpkin caterpillar, apply chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC @ 30 g ai/ha

Diseases

Downy mildew: Pseudoperonospora cubensis

Cottony white mycelial growth is seen on the leaf surface. Chlorotic specks can be seen on the upper surface of the leaves. It is severe during rainy season.

Control: Complete removal and destruction of the affected leaves. Spray 10 % solution of neem or kiriyath preparation. If the disease incidence is severe spraying mancozeb 0.2 % will be useful.

Powdery mildew: Erysiphe cichoracearum

The disease appears as small, round, whitish spots on leaves and stems. The spots enlarge and coalesce rapidly and white powdery mass appears on the upper leaf surface. Heavily infected leaves become yellow, and later become dry and brown. Extensive premature defoliation of the older leaves resulting in yield reduction.

Control: Control the disease by spraying Dinocap 0.05%.

Mosaic (Cucumber Mosaic Virus)

Mosaic disease is characterized by vein clearing and chlorosis of leaves. The yellow network of veins is very conspicuous and veins and veinlets are thickened. Growths of plants infected in the early stages remain stunted and yield of the plant get severely reduced. White fly (Bemisia tabaci) is the natural vector of this virus.

Control: Control the vectors by spraying dimethoate 0.05% or phosphamidon 0.05%. Uprooting and destruction of affected plants and collateral hosts should be done.