An Environment Friendly Way of Pest Management: Biorational Pesticides

The terms biorational pesticide and biopesticide are rapidly gaining popularity in the current climate of environmental awareness and public concern. These terms are derived from two words, biological and rational, referring to pesticides of natural origin that have limited or no adverse effects on the environment or beneficial organisms.

There is however, actually no legally clear, absolute definition of a biorational pesticide. The Environment Protection Act of United States considers biorational pesticides to have different modes of action than conventional or traditional pesticides, with greater selectivity and considerably lower risks to humans, wildlife and the environment. A biorational pesticide is derived from a variety of biological sources, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa, as well as chemical analogues of naturally occurring biochemicals such as pheromones and insect growth regulators (IGRs).

They are considered third-generation pesticides that are environmentally sound and closely resemble or are identical to chemicals produced by insects and plants. Biorational products are quite different from conventional, broad-spectrum products. They do not control pests in the same way as most broad spectrum products. They are typically target-specific and have little to no impact on non-target organisms.

Most biorational insecticides are much more effective against some insect pests than others. As a result, proper identification of a target insect pest is essential. Many biorational insecticides have relatively short residual activity compared with conventional products. Thus, biorational products must be applied when the pest is in its most vulnerable life stage. Otherwise, applications may be ineffective, and applications of a conventional product may be necessary.

Classification

Biorational insecticides are classified into two distinct groups: biochemical and microbial. Biochemical products include hormones, enzymes, pheromones and natural insect and plant growth regulators. Microbial products originate from biological organisms such as bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa and viruses.

Biochemical products

Insect pheromones are chemical substances that are given off by insects and cause a specific reaction upon reception by other insects of the same species. Releaser pheromones are fast acting and are used by insects for sexual attraction, aggregation, dispersion, oviposition (egg laying and alarm or warning.

Primer pheromones are slow acting and cause gradual changes in growth and development. Of these types of pheromones, sexual attraction pheromones offer the greatest potential for insect control. There are four primary uses for sex pheromones in present insect-control programs: male trapping, movement monitoring, detection and population monitoring and confusion.
Insect growth regulators (IGRs) are chemical compounds that alter the growth and development of insects. IGRs disrupt an insect's growth and development in two basic ways: as juvenile hormones and as chitin synthesis inhibitors. Juvenile hormones prevent insects from maturing, they force an insect to remain in its juvenile life stage (immature, caterpillar or grub stage). Much of the exterior (skin) and even some of the internal parts of an insect are constructed of chitin (a polymer). Chitin synthesis products inhibit the production of chitin, resulting in the inability of an insect to produce new exoskeletons (skin). And, without an exoskeleton, insects cannot survive. A chitin synthesis inhibitor would be an appropriate control product for the many insect pests of agricultural and stored grain products.

Microbial products

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a spore forming bacterium that produces toxins that, after ingestion, cause a rapid gut paralysis and death of certain insects, especially caterpillars. Bt is a naturally occurring soil bacterium, but chemical manufacturers have developed a process to formulate it and make it commercially available as a result, Bt is the most widely used microbial insecticide against agricultural pests.

However, Bt is not a "silver-bullet" like all control products, it has limitations. Bt has a relatively short-residual activity, is readily degraded by direct sunlight; has slow action, limited-contact activity and is unable to kill larger larvae. Success with Bt depends on close monitoring and application when insects are small or in their most vulnerable life stage. Bacillus popilliae is a spore- forming bacterium, the causal agent of milky disease in white grubs of the Japanese beetle and other scarab beetles.

Several strains of milky disease bacteria infect various species of white grubs, each strain tends to be specific for that type of grub. The bacteria are harmless to wildlife and humans as well as beneficial insects. Like Bt, milky' disease spores have been formulated and marketed. Beauveria bassiana is a naturally occurring fungus that infects several insects. Spores of the fungus adhere to the insect skin and upon germination, penetrate the body wall, eventually killing the insect.

Beauvaria bassiana has limitations as well. Similar to other fungi, it typically requires hot, moist conditions to be effective. More research is needed on fungus-based insecticides to better understand how they may be used pest management program. Entomopathogenic nematodes are microscopic roundworms that attack and kill insect caterpillars and grubs, and they continue their life cycle by reproducing within the dead host. These types of nematodes are beneficial organisms that naturally occur in most soils and are not considered a threat to plants and wildlife other than insects. They pose no threat of contamination to streams, lakes or groundwater. Unfortunately, factors, such as poor or short shelf-life, sensitivity to heat and sunlight, and speed of kill have limited the use of nematodes.

Spinosad is in a relatively new class of insecticides called naturalytes that contain two fermentation-derived substances produced by the bacterium Saccharopolyspora spinosa. This bacterium is a naturally occurring microorganism that acts as both a contact and a stomach poison, but is more effective if eaten by the insect pest. Spinosad in similar to conventional synthetic pyrethroids in that it is effective at very low use rates and has a fairly short residual activity. Spinosad, however, affects the insect nervous system by causing tremors, rapid paralysis and death. Because of the aforementioned characteristics and its low toxicity to humans and wildlife, spinosad may become an important resource for the management of pests of agriculture.

Biorational pesticides will become important resources for farmers and their pest-management programs. The farmers know their effects and uses. The government will also give some priorities in the registration and other procedures. The demand will likely grow for these new tools in future.

Extracted from Agrigold Swarna Sedyam

Agrigold Explains the Environmental Benefits of Biodiesel

Biodiesel is a completely natural, renewable fuel applicable in almost any situation where conventional petroleum diesel is used. Even though “diesel” is part of its name; three are no petroleum or other fossil fuels in biodiesel. Biodiesel is 100% vegetable based. Nonedible tree borne oilseeds (TBOs) are Jatropha curcas (Ratan jot), Pongomia pinnata (Karanja), Mahuca indica (Mahua), Azadirachta indica (Neem) and Simarouba glauca (Simarouba) can be used as biofuel directly or after processing.

India offers a great potentiality for bio-fuels production due to its predominance in farm sector, which can promote non-edible oil production with an optimistic estimate of 25 million tonnes of oil from 10 M ha, a national policy of 200 m tonnes oil per year from 80 m ha land can be easily achieved. Such an approach would certainly help in bringing economic and ecological sustainability in the farm sector of our country which is urgently required.

Environmental benefits

• Biodiesel reduces emission of carbon monoxide (CO) by approximately 50% and carbon dioxide by 78.45% In addition, the carbon in biodiesel emission is recycled from carbon that was already in the atmosphere, rather than being new carbon from petroleum
• Biodiesel contains less aromatic hydrocarbons: benzofluranthene: 56%; Benzopyrenes: 71%
• It also eliminates sulfur emissions (SO2) because biodiesel doesn’t include sulfur
• Biodiesel reduces by as much as 65% the emission of particulates (small particles of solid combustion products)
• Biodiesel does produce more NOx emissions than petrodiesel, but these emissions can be reduced through the use of catalytic converters. Petrodiesel vehicles have generally not included catalytic converters because the sulfur content in the fuel destroys the devices, but biodiesel does not contain sulfur
• It has a higher catane rating (less knocking) than petro diesel

Extracted from Agrigold Swarna Sedyam

Food Safety and Quality Control as understood by Agrigold

Food Safety and Quality Control is an important subject for every sector of the society. India has attained self-sufficiency in food with sectorial surpluses, emerging from production. With the growth of the economy shift is also being seen in the food basket from consumption of cereals to a more varied and nutritious diet. The availability of safe food improves the health of people and is a basic human right. Safe food contributes to health & productivity and provides an effective platform for development and poverty alleviation. There is great need to improve the food safety at all levels in various departments.

Some Significant Research contributions to uplift the Socio-economic status of the Rural Families:

• To study the effect of feeding malted food on the nutritional status of vulnerable groups (17.9.2004 to 30.06.2006) financial support by Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
• Studies on Fisher Women in the Coastal Eco System of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu (August 2001 to December 2003) Financial Support by World Bank
• Home based low cost energy protein rich preparations using Horse gram (Dolicus biflorus) for vulnerable groups (1996-2000) Financial Support by ICAR
• Therapeutic food supplementation in ICDS projects of Andhra Pradesh (1996-1998) Financial Support by World Bank

Rural Women as Entrepreneurs in Mushroom Cultivation

Every woman is an entrepreneur as she manages, organizes and assures responsibility for running her house. It has been increasingly realized that women possess entrepreneurial talent which can be harnessed to create employment opportunities. Technologies developed to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable group of population through Income generation activities

1. Entrepreneurship Technologies : Sorghum Food Enterprise / Geriatric Foods / Malted Infant Foods / High Fiber Vermicelli / Preservation of Palmyra Palm Fruit / Mushroom Cultivation
2. Knowledge Empowerment Technologies : Multipurpose fresh fish Vending & Display Table / Low Cost Ice-cream Freezer
3. Value Addition Technologies : Value addition to Fruits / Value addition to Red Palm Oil / Fruit Powders / Horse gram Products & Soya Products.

Summary & Recommendation

• Improve the Productivity & Profitability of Small holdings through appropriate technologies and market linkages
• Encourage the scope for the growth of Agro Processing, Agro Industries and Agri Business
• Promote opportunities for the services sector to expand in a manner that will trigger the technological and economic up gradation of farm operations
• Start agri-clinics and agri business centers
• The home science graduates can pay particular attention to nutrition and food safety and processing, and help a group of farm women to start food processing and health foods parks
• Young Entrepreneurs for initiating programme in the phase of Soil health enhancement, Plant and Animal Health Care, Seed Technology & Hybrid Seed production
• Operate Climate Risk Management Centers, are the path way to sustainable agriculture and food security as well as agrarian prosperity

National governments, development agencies, nongovernmental and inter-governmental organizations, and research and academic institutions all have a role to play in supporting the development of strong, efficient and equitable cooperatives and producer organizations. Governments can provide favorable policies, transparent laws and regulations that are based on consultation with the producers. They can also provide the right business environment, and consultative Platform. They can also support with the scaling up of successful and innovative cooperative models.

On World Food Day 2012, let us resolve to give cooperatives a helping hand, enabling them to overcome constraints and play their full role in the drive to end hunger and poverty.

Extracted from Agrigold Swarna Sedyam

Agrigold Encourages Nanotechnology and Precision Farming

An agricultural methodology widely used in the USA, Europe and Japan, which efficiently utilizes modern technology for crop management, is called Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). CEA is an advanced and intensive form of hydroponically-based agriculture. Plants are grown within a controlled environment so that horticultural practices can be optimized. The computerized system monitors and regulates localised environments such as fields of crops. CEA technology, as it exists today, provides an excellent platform for the introduction of nanotechnology to agriculture. With many of the monitoring and control systems already in place, nanotechnological devices for CEA that provide "scouting" capabilities could tremendously improve the grower's ability to determine the best time of harvest for the crop, the vitality of the crop, and food security issues, such as microbial or chemical contamination.

Nanotechnology is an enable technology that has the potential to revolutionize agriculture and food systems. Driven by increasing consumer demand for healthy food products, researchers have been applying tools and knowledge in nanotechnology to address the issues relevant to food and nutrition. This concise review is mainly focused on nano-emulsions and polymermicelles- based delivery systems which have shown enhanced oral bioavailability and biological efficacies (that is, anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, and so on) of different phytochemicals. Nano-emulsions are a class of extremely small droplets that appear to be transparent or translucent with a bluish coloration. They are usually in the range 50 to 200 mm but much smaller than the range (from 1 to 100 μm) for conventional emulsions.

Curcumin nano-emulsions show 85% inhibition of TPA induced mouse ear inflammation as well inhibition of cyclin D1 expression, while dibenzoylmethane (DBM) nano-emulsion shows about 3-fold increase in oral bioavailability compared to the conventional DBM emulsion. Biopolymer micelles show significantly improved water solubility/dispersibility and in vitro anticancer activity of phytochemicals. More research efforts are still needed for the understanding of the potential impacts of nano-encapsulated phytochemicals on the human body and environment to address the public concerns.

Precision Farming

Precision farming has been a long-desired goal to maximise output (i.e. crop yields) while minimizing input (i.e. fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc.) through monitoring environmental variables and applying targeted action. Precision farming makes use of computers, global satellite positioning systems, and remote sensing devices to measure highly localised environmental conditions thus determining whether crops are growing at maximum efficiency or precisely identifying the nature and location of problems. By using centralized data to determine soil conditions and plant development, seeding fertilizer, chemical and water use can be fine-tuned to lower production costs and potentially increase production.

Precision farming can also help to reduce agricultural waste and thus keep environmental pollution to a minimum. Although not fully implemented yet, tiny sensors and monitoring systems enabled by nanotechnology will have a large impact on future precision farming methodologies. One of the major roles for nanotechnology enabled devices will be the increased use of autonomous sensors linked into a GPS system for real-time monitoring. These nano-sensors could be distributed throughout the field where they can monitor soil conditions and crop growth.

Extracted from Agri Gold Swarna Sedyam 

Vermiwash - An Effective Bio-Pesticide

Vermiwash is the liquid bio-fertilizer collected after the passage of water through a column of worms. It is very useful as a foliar spray. It is a collection of excretory products and excess secretions of earthworms along with micronutrients from soil organic molecules.

Vermiwash unit

Vermiwash units can be set up in a plastic or iron barrel of 200 litre capacity. A hole is drilled on one side and a vertical limb of a T joint tube is attached in a way that half to one inch of the tube projects inside the barrel.

A tap is attached to the end of the horizontal limb and the other end is closed with a dummy nut. The whole set up is mounted on a suitable pedestal. Keeping the tap open, a layer of broken bricks or pebbles is filled up to 25-30cm inside the barrel. Water is made to flow through this layer, followed by 20-30 cm layer of coarse sand.

This forms the basic filter unit. Over this a 30-45 cm layer of good loamy soil is kept moistened. In this layer E.foetida, E.enginiae anecics and lumbricus terrestris of earthworms are introduced. Cattle dung pats and hay are placed on top of this layer of soil. The unit is moistened every day.

Methods of preparation

1. Take one bucket and one mug
2. Set up one stop cork on the lower part of the bucket
3. Put a layer of broken bricks, pieces of stones having thickness of 10-15 cm in the bucket
4. Over this layer put another layer of sand having thickness of 10-15 cm
5. Then put a layer of partially decomposed cow dung having 30-45 cm thickness over it
6. Then put another layer of soil having 2-3 cm thicknesses
7. Now open the stopcock of the bucket and when the materials taken in the bucket
8. Then put 100-200 numbers of earthworms in the bucket
9. After that, a layer of paddy straw having 6cm thickness is given
10. Now open the stop cock of the bucket and spray water regularly for a period of 7-8 days
11. After 10 days the liquid vermin wash will be produced in the bucket
12. Hang one pot with a bottom hole over the bucket in such a way so that water falls drop by drop
13. Every day 4-5 liters of water is to be poured in the hanging pot
14. Keep another pot under stop cork collect the vermin wash, every day 3-4 liters of vermin wash can be collected

Application

1. Mix 1 liter of vermiwash with 7-10 liters of water and spray the solution in the leaf (upper lower side) in the evening at the growing crop
2. Mix 1 liter of vermin wash with 1 litre of cow urine and then add 10 liters of water to the vermin urine solution and mixed thoroughly and keep it over night before spraying 50-60 litres of such solution and to be sprayed in one big hectare of land to control various crop diseases

Wash collection

The tap is closed and water is sprinkled on top of the unit. The water slowly percolates through the compost carrying with it nutrients through the filter unit. The tap is opened the next day to collect the wash, which is sprayed on plants as a foliar and spray. The vermin wash may be diluted with water in 1:1 ratio or it may be diluted with 10 per cent cow’s urine, which is an effective pesticide. The casts formed on the surface of the unit may periodically be cleared. Vermiwash can be collected and stored or may be diluted before use.

Foliar spray

Vermiwash is the brown coloured liquid bio-fertilizer collected after passage of water through a column of worms. It is very useful as a foliar spray for all crops. It is a collection of excretory products and excess secretions of earthworms along with micronutrients from soil organic molecules. Vermiwash can be produced by allowing water to percolate through the tunnels made by the earthworms on the coconut leaf- cow dung substrate kept in a 200 litre plastic barrel. Water is allowed to fall drop by drop from a pot hung above the barrel into the vermin composting system. After 45-50 days, clear brown coloured liquid collects at the bottom of the barrel.

The collection can be carried for another two cycles. Then, the content of the barrel should be removed and fresh substrate along with earthworms should be added. Farmers can make an exit hole in the tanks built for large-scale vermin compost production and collect the vermin wash regularly. Vermin wash is alkaline in nature and contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, calcium, magnesium and zinc in appreciable quantities.

Extracted from AgriGold Swarna Sedyam

Managing rhinoceros beetle in coconut

Rhinoceros beetle is mainly a pest of coconut and oil palms. Adults damage palms by boring into the centre of the crown, where they injure the young, growing tissues and feed on the exuded sap.

Life cycle

Eggs are laid in manure pits or other organic matter and hatch in 8-12 days. Larvae take another 82-207 days before entering an 8-13 days non feeding pre-pupal stage. Pupal stage lasts for 17-28 days. Adults remain in the pupal cell for 17-22 days before emerging and flying to palm crowns to feed.

The beetles are active at night and hide in feeding or breeding sites during the day. Mostly mating takes place at the breeding sites. Adults may live for 4-9 months and each female lays 50-100 eggs during her lifetime.

Management

Chop and burn decaying logs or break them up and destroy any adult beetles developing inside. Cut stumps as close to the soil surface as possible. A hooked wire can be used to extract and destroy rhinoceros beetle adults feeding in coconut trees.

Fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae can be applied in manure pits @ 4 kg/tonnes to control the grubs that feed on the decaying matter Apply mixture of neem seed kernel powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm in the base of the 3 inner most leaves in the crown. Place phorate 10 G 5 gms mixed with sand in two inner most leaf axils for 2 times at 6 months intervals. Place three napthalene balls at leaf axil at the top of the crown. Treat the longitudinally split tender coconut stem and green petiole of fronds with fresh toddy and keep them in the garden to attract and trap the beetles. Use pheromone traps with rhinolure at 12/ha for trapping the adults and destroy them.

Remedial measures

Apply 50 kg of FYM or compost or green manure, 1.3 kg urea (560 g N), 2.0 kg super phosphate (320 g ) and 2.0 kg muriate of potash (1,200) g ms in two equal splits, during 2nd, 3rd and 4th year.
For nut bearing coconut, root feed with TNAU coconut tonic at 200ml/palm, once in six months. Apply 200 g of borax/palm/year in two splits.

Extracted from AgriGold Swarna Sedyam

Cashew Cultivation – Climatic and Soil Requirements

The cashew-nut tree is a fast grower and an evergreen tropical tree. It grows to a height of 12 m. Blossoming takes place between November and January. Seedling trees flower in the third year after planting. The fruit ripens fully within 2 months.

The nut is attached to the lower portion of the cashew apple which is conically shaped. The cashew nut (seed) hangs at the bottom of the apple, and is ‘C’shaped.

Climatic requirements

Cashew trees are genuinely tropical and very frost sensitive. The trees grow in a wide spectrum of climatic regions. Although the cashew can withstand high temperatures, a monthly mean of 25 °C is regarded as optimal.

Yearly rainfall of 1 000 mm is sufficient for production but 1 500 to 2 000 mm can be regarded as optimal. The cashew tree has a well-developed root system and can tolerate drought conditions. Rain during the flowering season causes flower abortion due to anthracnose and mildew.

During harvesting, while nuts are on the ground, rain and overcast weather causes the nuts to rot or start germinating. Nuts germinate within 4 days when lying on wet soil.

Soil requirements

The cashew is a strong plant that is renowned for growing in soils, especially sandy soils that are generally unsuitable for other fruit trees. For the best production deep, well-drained sandy or sandy loam soil is recommended. Cashew trees will not grow in poorly drained soils.

Extracted from AgriGold SwarnaSedyam

Aonla Cultivation Practices

Aonla is also known as Indian gooseberry, scientific name Emblica officinalis L. It belongs to the family Euphorbeaceae. It has a high medicinal value. The fruits have the richest source of vitamin-c (700mg in 100gm of fruits). It is a prolific bearer, needs much care. It is considered to be an excellent liver tonic; ayurvedic medicines like chyavanprash, tri phalaehurna, brahma rasayan and madhumehga churna contain essentially aonla as their ingredients. The fruit is valued as an antisorbatic, diuretic, laxative, antibiotic. It has very good demand in the industries for the preparation of various health care products also like hair oils, dyes, shampoos, face creams and toothpowders.

Climate

Aonla plants can be grown in both tropical and subtropical climates. Annual rainfall of 630-800mm is ideal for its growth. The young plants up to the age of 3 years should be protected from hot winds during May- June and from frost during winter months. The mature plants can tolerate freezing temperature as well as a high temperature up to 45°C.

Varieties

The varieties recommended for cultivation are Banarasi, Chakkayya, Francis, NA-4(Krishna), NA-5 (Kanchana), NA-6, NA-7, NA-10, BSR-1, Anand-1,2,3.

Inputs

Number of seedlings for one acre area should be 200. The field should be incorporated with 4 tonnes FYM. Fertilizer should be given in the ratio of 90:120:50 kg of NPK along with elemental sulphur 10kg and micronutrients 10 kg per acre. 15kg FYM and 0.5 kg of p should be applied to each pit before planting also application of 30 kg. of nitrogen each year during Sep-Oct up to 10 years for each tree is recommended.

The young plants should be given 15-20 kg of FYM and the mature trees should be fertilized with 1kg of superphosphate and 1-1.5 kg of murate of potash. These fertilizers should be given in two split doses to mature, bearing tree once during Sep-Oct and again during April-May.

Cultivation - Propagation

Aonla is generally propagated by shield budding. Budding is done on one year old seedlings with buds collected from superior varieties yielding big sized fruits. Older trees or poor yielders can be changed into superior types by top working. Aonla plant has long been raised from seed and used as rootstock. The seeds attain full maturity by February for which they should be sown in the last week also for getting the higher percentage of germination. The best results were obtained by sowing at the commencement of rainy season and subsequently weeding regularly.

Planting

The pits of 1 sq.mt are to be dug during May –June at a distance of 4.5mt x 4.5mt spacing and should be left for 15-20 days exposing to sunlight. Each pit should be filled with surface soil mixed with 15 kg FYM and 0.5 kg of phosphorus before planting the budded seedlings. Healthy grafts or budded plants are planted during rainy season preferably during the early monsoon in July with square system.

Irrigation

Young plants require watering during summer months at 15days interval till they are fully established.
Watering of bearing plants is advised during summer months at bi weekly interval. After the monsoon rains, during October-December about 25-30 litres of water per day per tree through drip irrigation should be given.

The schedule can also be done as follows:

Plants up to 2 years of age -at 10 days interval
Plants up to 4 years of age -at 15 days interval
Plants after 4 years of age -at 20 days interval

Training and Pruning

Leaving only 4-5 well shaped branches with wide angle at about 0.75mt from the ground level, other dead, diseased, weak criss-cross branches and suckers should be pruned off at the end of December .

Mulching and Intercropping

During summer, the crop should be mulched with paddy straw or wheat straw at the base of the tree up to 15-20 cm from the trunk. Inter crops like green gram, black gram, cow pea and horse gram can be grown up to 8 years.

Harvesting and Yield

Aonla tree starts bearing after about 4-5 years of planting. The fruits of Aonla are harvested during the month of February when they become dull greenish yellow from light green colour. The mature fruits are hard and they do not fall at gentle touch and therefore vigorous shaking is required. Fruits can also be harvested using long bamboo poles attached with hooks.

A mature Aonla tree of about 10 years will yield 50-70 kg of fruit. The average weight of the fruit is 60-70 g and 1 kg contains about 15-20 fruits. A well maintained Aonla tree yields up to an age of 70 years. A full grown grafted Aonla tree with good bearing habit yields from 187 to 299 kg fruit per year. Average fruit yield is 200kg per grafted tree.


Extracted from AgriGold SwarnaSedyam

Banana Pseudostem Weevil Management Strategies

Banana is one of the most important fruit crops of India. In banana there are more than 15 insect pests which cause damage at different growing stages. Among them banana pseudo stem weevil, Odoiporus  longicollis (Oliver) is considered as major pest causing considerable damage. This pest alone causes 10 90 per cent reduction in yield of banana.

The pest is distributed throughout banana growing states of India viz., North Eastern hills region, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat. Banana cultivars such as Poovan, Karpuravalli, Nendran, Red vanana, etc. are found to be highly susceptible to this pest.

Symptoms of damage

Presence of small holes and jelly exudation on the stem indicates the grub activity inside the stem. The legless larvae are responsible for riddling of the pseudo stem and causing serious damage. As the infestation progresses the severely affected plants break or topple alone with the bunch.

Life cycle

Eggs are laid inside the air chambers of the leaf sheath through slits cut on leaf sheath. Incubation period ranges from 5-8 days. Larval period lasts for 26 days and pupal period including pre emergence resting period of adult lasts for about 20-24 days.

Integrated Pest Management Strategies

1. Weed free cultivation helps in reducing the spread of infestation.
2. Removal & destruction of older and dried leaves.
3. After harvest remove the pseudo stem and treat it with insecticide viz., carbaryl (2 g/l) to kill the egg laying weevils.
4. Collect adult weevils by using banana pseudo stem traps. These traps are of two types:

(i) Longitudinal split (30 cm length). The harvested plants. Split the pseudo stem of 30-45 cm length longitudinally into two halves and the cut portion of the stem is kept on the soil surface near the plant. Such traps @100/ha can be kept in the orchard. The traps are checked once in a week, trapped weevils are collected and destroyed.

(ii) Disc-on-stump trap. The disc-on-traps are made by cutting harvested stump pf 25 cm above the ground level and keep a 10 cm thick circular.
 
Extracted from AgriGold SwarnaSedyam

Cow Dung for Seed Health

The use of cow dung has been indicated since the time of Kautilya (c. 300 BC). It was used for dressing seeds, plastering cut ends of vegetative propagating sugarcane, dressing wounds, sprinkling diluted suspension on plants etc. since ancient times. Still Indian farmers use cow dung in different ways but agricultural scientists have ignored its importance.

Agricultural scientists think that it can be used as manure only. Cow dung is a mixture of dung and urine, generally in the ratio of 3:1. It contains crude fibre, crude protein and materials that can be obtained in nitrogen–free extracts and ether extracts. The cow dung also contains micronutrients. The urine portion of cow dung consists of nitrogen, potash, sulphur and traces of phosphorus.

When seed is treated with cow dung in various ways, it gets coated with cow dung residue that contains cellulose, hemi cellulose, micronutrients, metabolic nitrogen, epithelial cells from the animals, bile salt and pigment, potash, sulphur, traces of phosphorus and a large number of bacteria. This thin dry layer of residue on seed absorbs moisture from the surrounding soil to the advantage of the seed. The presence of bacteria in cow dung plays a significant role in the development of the seed. As these cow dung bacteria have the capacity to utilize cellulose, hemi cellulose and pectin, so these can quickly colonize the area around sown seed and compete with the pathogenic fungi and bacteria and prevent them from attacking the seed.

As Indian farmers are using cow dung for a long time, they are convinced of its utility. Now it is the duty of agricultural scientists to take initiative, as there is a lot to learn about the role of cow dung in maintaining the seed health. Dried cow dung powders could also be applied to soil to promote bio-control.

Extracted from AgriGold SwarnaSedyam

INDIA MUST REFORM ITS AGRICULTURE AND IMPROVE RESEARCH ON PLANT BIOLOGY

It is acknowledged by all world experts that “more people die each year from hunger and malnutrition than from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined”; yet we are still obsessed with disproportionately higher government investment on medical research as compared to agriculture and plant biology. I understand the need to make profit from investment on research, but national Governments have a bigger role to play. Such high spending on medical research may be justified for rich countries but surely not for countries like India. Increasing food prices, less availability of food will hit much harder the poorer countries like India. But like many other under developed countries, our Government seems not too worried.

India needs to increase its priority in this crucial sector and revamp agricultural and plant research setup exponentially. Probably, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the poorly managed scientific organization in India, poorer than even CSIR. I hope Indian government will review the situation and reform Indian agriculture and Plant biological – agricultural research.

There is a nice, comprehensive website on food security launched by UK’s BBSRC. You can get some interesting info regarding world food security; for example :

The 2008 food price hike caused riots or civil unrest in a number of countries, including Yemen, Somalia,
Senegal, Pakistan, Mozambique, Indonesia, India, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, the Philippines and Bangladesh . The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) stated that the food crisis had thrown an additional 75M people into hunger and poverty in 2007. The UN’s annual report on global food security confirms that more than one billion people – a sixth of the world’s population – are undernourished. The world’s population is projected to increase from 6 to 9Bn by 2050 – including Africa’s population to double from 1 to 2Bn – the only continent that is not self-sufficient in food production. Demand for food is projected to increase by 50% by 2030 and double by 2050. But while demand for food is rising, the amount of land suitable for food production is likely to decrease – mainly through pressures from other uses, and climate change, although the extent is disputed. The World Bank estimates that cereal production needs to increase by 50% and meat production by 85% between 2000 and 2030 to meet demand.

Extracted from AgriGold Swarna Sedyam

Need for Gender Friendly Equipment in Farming

When it comes to farming and production, the use of gender friendly equipment is essential for the following reasons:

• Women’s eligibility to receive technology and credit is questioned on the ground that they are not asset holders and do not have the status of a producer. Furthermore the existing loaning procedures are very cumbersome and prohibitive for women. In a nutshell, women have access neither to agricultural information and services nor to production assets
• Though their work is equally essential for smooth functioning of the economy, the contributions made by women to the farm sector are not duly acknowledged
• In spite of the pivotal role played by women in farming, rural women are not aware of the modern technologies suited to farm production or information are not available on these technologies. The adoption of appropriate equipment will reduce drudgery, increase productivity and generate additional income and employment
• If farm women’s issues are tackled properly, food and nutritional security for landless labourers will be ensured. Availability of women friendly cost effective implements will ease out the drudgery of farm women
• Rural women’s access to agricultural extension services worldwide is only about 1/20th of that of men, and technology is rarely designed specifically to address the women’s needs (Food and Agriculture Organization, Report, 2006)
• Due to the multiple role of farm women extent of illiteracy, socio-cultural barriers, the access of farm women to extension/information is limited. Therefore it is required to design gender sensitive extension approaches

Extracted from AgriGold Swarna Sedyam