Status of Cucurbits Pests and Control Measures Adopted by Farmers in Nuwakot, Nepal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v14i4.987-996.8428Keywords:
Biological control, Cucurbits, Pesticides, Pests, Integrated Pest ManagementAbstract
A study was conducted from March to July 2024 to assess the status of cucurbit pests and control measures adopted by farmers in Shivapuri Rural Muncipality, Panchakanya Rural Muncipality, and Kakani Rural Muncipality of Nuwakot district in Nepal. Data from eighty-four cucurbit growers were collected using semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed with Microsoft Excel and SPSS through descriptive statistics like frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation, and range. The pumpkin fruit fly was the most prevalent pest in cucurbits, followed by the red pumpkin beetle, whitefly, aphid, spotted beetle, cucurbit stink bug, and armyworm. All farmers in the study area relied on chemical methods for pest control. Most farmers (45.2%) used mechanical methods of pest control which included using yellow sticky traps, hand picking, and bagging of fruits. For chemical control, farmers highly preferred Chlorpyrifos and Cypermethrin (27%), followed by Diflubenzuron (24%) and Cyromazine (16%). Few farmers (33.3%) used indigenous control method. About 33% of farmers used protective measures, while only 16.7% had training; however, 56% followed vendor-recommended doses. Almost all the farmers agreed that pesticides caused some risk to human health and the environment.
References
Adhikari, M., Acharya, S., & Dhital, P. R. (2024). Impact of IPM training on pest management practices in major vegetables in Palpa, Nepal. Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science, 9(2), 359-366. https://doi.org/10.26832/24566632.2024.0902022
Adhikari, U. (2022). Insect pest management: Mechanical and physical techniques. Reviews In Food And Agriculture (RFNA) 3(1), 48-53. http://doi.org/10.26480/rfna.01.2022.48.53
Afshari, M., Poorolajal, J., Shahanjarini, A. K., Shahkolai, F. R., & Assari, M. J. (2019). Which Factors Influence Farmers’ Use of Protective Measures During Pesticides Exposure? Workplace Health & Safety, 67(7), 338-349. 10.1177/2165079919827042
Ambethgar, A. S., Alagarswamy, R., Rama, K. K., & Sundaresan, S. (2025). Biological Control of Pests in Major Tropical Vegetable Crops: A Review. Agricultural Reviews.46 (4), 515-530. 10.17170/kobra-20190709594
Baral R., S., & Gyawali, K. (2025). Status of Pesticide Use in Vegetables in Kaski, Nepal. International Journal of Social Sciences and Management, 12(1), 38-45. 10.3126/ijssm
Bashyal, S., Gautam, B., & Poudel, D. (2022). A review on cultural practices as an effective pest management approach under integrated pest management. Tropical Agroecosystems (TAEC), 3, 34-40. http://doi.org/10.26480/taec.01.2022.34.40
Bharati, S., Bhandari, T., Panta, H., & Thapa, B. (2024). Understanding Allocation and Farmers’ Access to Varied Level of Agricultural Input Subsidies from Different Tiers of Government: A Case Study in Kavrepalanchowk District, Nepal. Agriculture Development Journal, 17(1), 23-36. https://doi.org/10.3126/adj.v17i1.66445
Bista, B., Dhital, P. R., Acharya, S., Dahal, S., Dahal, B., & Parajuli, S. (2021). Gender participation in activities and decisions of vegetable cultivation in Surkhet, Nepal. Food & Agribusiness Management (FABM), 2(1), 10-13. DOI: 10.26480/fabm.01.2021.10.13
Borecka, M., & Karas, M. (2025). A Comprehensive Review of the Nutritional and Health-Promoting Properties of Edible Parts of Selected Cucurbitaceae Plants. Foods, 14(7), 1200. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071200
Bueno, A., Panizzi, A., Hunt, T., Dourado, P., Pitta, R., & Goncalves, J. (2020). Challenges for Adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM): the Soybean Example . Neotropical Entomology, 50, 5-20. 10.1007/s13744-020-00792-9
CBS, (2021). National Population and Housing Census. Thapathali, Kathmandu: National Statistics Office .
Chhetri, D. R., Yogi, B., Marasini, K. P., & Rauniyar, K. (2024). Production, marketing and economics of cucumber in Panchapuri municipality, Surkhet, Nepal. Agribusiness Management in Developing Nations (AMDN), 2(2), 42-48. http://doi.org/10.26480/amdn.02.2024.65.71
Dieckhoff, C., & Meyhofer, R. (2023). If Only You Could Catch Me—Catch Me If You Can: Monitoring Aphids in Protected Cucumber Cultivations by Means of Sticky Traps. Horticulturae, 9(5), 571. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9050571
Duke, S. O. (2017). Pesticide dose- A parameter with many implications. Pesticide Dose: Effects on the Environment and Target and Non-Target Organisms. American Chemical Society (ACS). 10.1021/bk-2017-1249.ch001
Fenibo, E., Ijoma, G., Nurmahomed, W., & Matambo, T. (2022). The Potential and Green Chemistry Attributes of Biopesticides for Sustainable Agriculture. Sustainability, 14 (21), 14417. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114417
Ghimire, P., Sah, L., & Gyawali, S. (2022). Knowledge and Practices of Vegetables Insect Pest Managements in Banganga Municipality of Kapilvastu District. Journal of the Plant Protection Society, 7(01), 33-44. https://doi.org/10.3126/jpps.v7i01.47286
Ghule, T. M., Pranab, Barma, P., & Jha, S. (2014). Incidence studies on some important insect pests of cucumber (CUCUMIS SATIVUS L.). An international biannual journal of environmental sciences, 177-180.
Gyawali, P., Bohara, K., Rijal, S., Karki, N., & Shahi, J. (2023). A comprehensive review on integrated pest management of melon fruit fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae). International Journal of Pest Management. 10.1080/09670874.2023.2278052
Hagstrum, D., & Flinn , P. (2018). Integrated pest management. Integrated Management of Insects in Stored Products, 399-407.
Harish, S., Murugan, M., Kannan, M., Parthasarathy, S., Prabhukarthikeyan, S., & Elango, K. (2021). Entomopathogenic viruses . In Omkar, Microbial Approaches for Insect Pest Management (pp. 1-57). New york: Springer.
Hashemi , S. M., Hosseini, S. M., & Damalas, C. A. (2009). Farmers’ competence and training needs on pest management practices: Participation in extension workshops. Crop Protection, 28(11), 934-939. 10.1016/j.cropro.2009.07.007
Indra, D., Bellamy, R., & Shyamsundar, P. (2007). Facing hazards at work: Agricultural workers and pesticide exposure in Kuttanad, Kerala. . South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics, 19, 1-4.
Joshi, B. (2022). 38. Farmers’ Group and Cooperative (FGC). Retrieved December 29, 2025, from ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362566480_38_Farmers’_Group_and_Cooperative_FGC
Joshih, R., & Srivastava, M. (2021). Integrated Pest Management for cucurbits in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). In H. Wang, Cucumber: Economic values and its cultivation and breeding (pp. 129-144). IntechOpen.
K.C., J., & Rajbhandari, B. (2015). Major insect pests and diseases of cucurbits and their management under bio-intensive farming in Udaypur district. Nepalese Journal of Agricultural Sciences, vol.13, 87-88.
Karki, R., & Dangol, K. (2023). Pesticide Use and Health Effects among Nepalese Farmers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Tokha Municipality. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 27(3), 255-259. 10.4103/ijoem.ijoem_75_23
Khan, M. M. (2012). HOST PREFERENCE OF PUMPKIN BEETLE TO CUCURBITS. J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 38(1), 75-82. https://doi.org/10.3329/jasbs.v38i1.15322
Kumar, D., Kumar, N., Rajput, V. D., Mandzhieva, S., Saharan, B. S., Duhan, J. S., et al. (2022). Advances in Biopolymeric Nanopesticides: A New Eco-Friendly/Eco-Protective Perspective in Precision Agriculture. Nanomaterials, 12 (22), 3964. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12223964
MoALD. (2021/22). Statistical Information on Nepalese Agriculture. Singhadurbar, Kathmandu, Nepal: Government of Nepal. https://moald.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Statistical-Information-on-Nepalese-Agriculture-2078-79-2021-22.pdf
Nainabasti, A., Badayak, S., Subedi, B., Kharel, B., Bhattarai, B., & Panth, S. (2024). Efficacy of Biopesticides for controlling major pests of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in Surkhet District, Nepal. Agroenvironmental Sustainability, 2(3), 113-1123. 10.59983/s2024020302
Nepali, B. (2021). Farmers’ perception onstatus of livestock insurance in Surkhet district, Nepal. Journal of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4(2), 111-123. https://doi.org/10.3126/janr.v4i2.33679
Ofuya, T., Okunlola, A., & Mbata, G. (2023). A Review of Insect Pest Management in Vegetable Crop Production in Nigeria. Insects, 14 (2), 111. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14020111
Parajuli, N., Khanal, K., Nepal, A., & Bastakoti, B. (2023). Farmer’s perception about major insect pests of cucurbits and their management in Arghakhanchi, Nepal. Journal of Agriculture and Natural Resouces, Vol.6 No.1 , 32-43. https://doi.org/10.3126/janr.v6i1.71856
PMAMP, N. (2022/23). Annual Book Report. PMAMP, Nuwakot. https://piunuwakot.pmamp.gov.np/sites/default/files/202406/Annual%20Book%20Report%202079-80%20Final.pdf
Pokhrel, G., & Rijal, M. L. (2023). Recent Trends in the Study of Springs in Nepal: A Review. Bulletin of Department of Geology, 24, 47-55. https://doi.org/10.3126/bdg.v24i.68377
Poonia, S. K., Topno, S. E., & Kerketta, A. (2024). Integrated Pest and Disease Management in Cucumber and Muskmelon. A Monthly Peer Reviewed Magazine for Agriculture and Allied Sciences, 3(6), 1-11.
Rijal, J. P., Regmi, R., Ghimire, R., Puri, K. D., Gyawaly, S., & Poudel, S. (2018). Farmers’ Knowledge on Pesticide Safety and Pest Management Practices: A Case Study of Vegetable Growers in Chitwan, Nepal. Agriculture, 8(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture8010016
Rijal, S., Singh, O. P., Pandeya, S., Bhatta, S., Sapkota, S., & Mishra, B. P. (2025). Factors affecting the adoption of good agricultural practices (GAP) among smallholder vegetable farmers in Surkhet district, Nepal. Journal of Agriculture and Forestry University, 6(1), 67-76. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3126/jafu.v6i1.78156
Romo-Tovar, J., Belmares Cerda, R., Chávez-González, M. L., Rodríguez-Jasso, R. M., Lozano-Sepulveda, S. A., Govea-Salas, M., & Loredo-Treviño, A. (2024). Importance of certain varieties of cucurbits in enhancing health: A Review. Foods, 13(8), 1142. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13081142
Sapkota, R., Dahal , K., & Thapa, R. (2010). Damage assessment and management of cucurbit fruit flies in spring-summer squash. Journal of Entomology and Nematology Vol. 2(1), 007-012.
Sapkota, U., Bhandari, G., Sapkota, M., Khanal, S., Poudel, A., Khanal, D., et al. (2025). Modeling vegetable farmers’ intention to use pesticides in central Nepal: An extended version of the planned behavior theory. Environmental challenges, 18, 101084. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2025.101084
Schreinemachers, P., Chen, H.-p., Nguyen, T., Buntong, B., Bouapao, L., Gautam, S., et al. (2017). Too much to handle? Pesticide dependence of smallholder vegetable farmers in Southeast Asia. Science of The Total Environment, 593-594, 470-477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.181
Sharifzadeh, M. S., & Abdollahzadeh, G. (2021). The impact of different education strategies on rice farmers’ knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) about pesticide use. Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 20 (5), 312-323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2021.03.003
Sharma, D. K., Manzoor, U., & Kumar, R. (2025). Spatiotemporal damage distribution of Melon fly, Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) Cucurbitae (Diptera:. International Journal of Entomology Research, 10(1), 72-75.
Shimada, B. S., Simon, M. V., & Socorrocunha, L. D. (2021). Cultural Control: A Sustainable Method of Pest and Disease Control . Journal of Experimental Agriculture International, 19-26. 10.9734/JEAI/2021/v43i630698
Shrestha, J., Shah, K., & Timsina, K. (2020). Effects of different plant fertilizers on growth and productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.). International Journal of Global Science Research, vol. 7, no. 1, 1291-1301. 10.26540/ijgsr.v7.i1.2020.151
Singh, P. ( 2012). The rearing of beneficial insects. New Zealand Entomologist, 1982, Vol. 7, No. 3., 304-310. https://doi.org/10.1080/00779962.1982.9722404
Sorensen, K., Mohankumar, S., & Thangaraj, S. R. (2016). Physical, Mechanical and Cultural Control of Vegetable Insects. In R. M. Heinrichs, Integrated Pest Management of Tropical Vegetable Crops (pp. 131-148). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0924-6_5
Thapa, S., Panta, H., Poudel, S., GC, A., Regmi, K., & Basnet, M. (2023). Factors Affecting Farmers’ Access to Agricultural Subsidy in Makwanpur and Dhading Districts of Nepal. SAARC Journal of Agriculture, 21(2), 263-276. 10.3329/sja.v21i2.68550
Thapa, S., Piras, G., Thapa, S., Goswami, A., Bhandari, P., & Dahal, B. (2021). Study on farmers’ Pest management strategy, knowledge on pesticide safety and practice of pesticide use at Bhaktapur district, Nepal. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 7(1), 1916168. 10.1080/23311932.2021.1916168
Timilsina, H., Modi, B., & Basnyat, R. (2020). Phytochemical, Antimicrobial and Ethnobotanical Study of Calotropis gigantean. Journal of Health and Allied Sciences, vol. 10, no. 2, 23-27. https://doi.org/10.37107/jhas.136
Timsina, K. P., & Shivakoti, G. P. (2018). Vegetables production and marketing: practice and perception of vegetable seed producers and fresh growers in Nepal. Agriculture & Food Security, 7(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-018-0161-9
Tripathi, S., Shah, K. K., Tiwari, I., & Shrestha, J. (2018). Farmers’ Perception about Major Insect Pests of Cucurbits and Their Management. Indonesian Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 03, No. 03, 153-170. https://doi.org/10.32734/injar.v3i3.4414
Upadhyaya, N. (2002). Experience of community IPM in Nepal. Country Report. Landschaftsökologieu and Umweltforschung, Braunschweig, Germany, vol. 5, no. 2, 237.
Yang, H., Tan, Y., & Tang, S. (2024). From economic threshold to economic injury level: Modeling the residual effect and delayed response of pesticide application. Math Biosci: 373:109223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mbs.2024.109223
Yilmaz, H. (2015). Analysis in terms of environmental awareness of farmers’ decisions and attitudes in pesticide use: the case of Turkey. Bulgarian Chemical Communications, Volume 47, Number 3, 771-775.
Yilmaz, H. (2015). Farm level analysis of pesticide use in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) growing in west mediterranean region of Turkey. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Hortorum Cultus 14(3), 115-129.
Yilmaz, H. (2018). Economic and environmental analysis of pesticide use for sustainable barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production in Turkey. Revista de la Facultad de Agronomia 35(1), 85-107.
Yilmaz, H., & Tanc, Z. A. (2019). Biological control in pest management in Turkey:Comparison of the attributes of participant and non-participant greenhouse farmers in government-subsidized biological control practices. Future of Food: Journal on Food, Agriculture and Society (105). 10.17170/kobra-20190709594
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
