author(s)
Somala Karthik, MK Gupta, Sushmita Thokchom and Balaga Mohan Ganesh

abstract
Melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae is a serious pest of cucurbitaceous vegetables. A study was undertaken to evaluate dietary constituents comprising of honey, water, protein hydrolysate and yeast powder. Diets for B. cucurbitae were prepared, consisting of protein hydrolysate (1 g, 3 g, 5 g and 7 g) and yeast powder (5 g, 10 g, 15 g and 20 g) mixed in (5 ml) honey and (100 ml) water. Diet consisting of 7 g protein hydrolysate + 5 ml honey + 100 ml water resulted in suitability, in respect of some life history parameters of the insect. The insect had shorter pre-oviposition period (17.00 days), longer oviposition period (64.48 days) and adult longevity for male (66.36 days) and female (86.28 days) and high fecundity (770eggs/female). Further, the diet consisting of 10 g yeast powder + 5 ml honey + 100 ml water was also found equality effective on some life history parameters of the insect. The insect fed on this diet resulted in shorter pre-oviposition period (16.00 days), longer oviposition period (63.76 days), and adult longevity for male (65.80 days) and female (84.26 days) and high fecundity (760 eggs/female). Both the diets containing (7 g protein hydrolysate) and (10 g yeast powder) were most suitable diets for multiplication of B. cucurbitae for mass rearing and continuous availability of the insect for the suppression of insect in field through Sterile Insect Release Method (SIRM).