Heroic attack from Nature
கடுகு சிறுத்தாலும் காரம் குறையாது
தொடர்ந்து மூன்றாவது வருடமாக தமிழக விவசாயத்தை பதம் பார்த்து வருகிறது இந்த மாவுப்பூச்சி. இயற்கையின் இந்த சவாலை எதிர்கொள்ளமுடியாமல் மனித இனம் விழி பிதுங்கி நிற்கிறது.
இதிலிருந்து நாம் தெரிந்து கொள்வது : முற்பகல் செய்யின் பிற்பகல் தாமே வரும்.
Parasitoids for biological control of papaya mealy bug
ReplyDeleteStaff Reporter
Compensation will be given to farmers who suffered heavy loss due to the pest, says Minister
PHOTO: S. SIVA SARAVANAN
new measure:Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S. Arumugam (right) releasing a parasitoid on the mealy bug infested plant at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore on Thursday. Vice-Chancellor of the university P. Murugesa Boopathi is in the picture. —
COIMBATORE: The papaya mealy bug menace has been prevalent in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Namakkal and Erode districts from 2009. Chemical application of pesticides has only failed in eradicating this pest.
Hence, the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has partnered with other organisations in introducing parasitoids for its biological control, Veerapandi S. Arumugam, Minister for Agriculture, said here on Thursday.
Launching the three parasitoids, namely Acerophagus papayae, Pseudleptomastix mexicana and Anagyrus loecki, the Minister said at least 500 of each species would be released in every mealy bug-infested village.
They would propagate many lakh times and would spread thereby containing the infestation of the pest.
But, he cautioned that during the use of the parasitoids, farmers should refrain from using chemical pesticides as this would nullify the effect of the former.
High cost
“Chemical pesticides used at very high costs, subsidised by the government, had not given more than a temporary relief to farmers. Also, repeated spraying resulted in toxicity hazards and pollution. The damage has not stopped with papaya.
It has also spread to mulberry, jatropha, tapioca, cotton and other vegetable varieties and caused extensive damage. The main causes were found to be low rainfall and intense heat,” Mr. Arumugam said.
The National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects (NBAII), Bangalore, had imported the three species of parasitoids with the help of the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Peurto Rico.
The Minister said the production cost was Rs. 60 lakh and it would take three months to ensure that the parasitoids were provided to the blocks for distribution to all the villages.
The project was being implemented based on the success story of Sri Lanka, he said.
Compensation to farmers who had suffered heavy losses due to the pest would be provided if there was a request from them, the Minister said.
P. Rama Mohana Rao, Agricultural Production Commissioner and Principal Secretary to Government, said biological control was the only way to combat the mealy bug menace.
Efficient systems were being put in place to ensure that the parasitoids would reach the villages in the shortest possible time, he added.
R.J. Rabindra, Director, NBAII, said since papaya from Tamil Nadu had gone to various States, the mealy bug had spread as far as Manipur. It had caused an estimated loss of Rs. 300 crore in each State.
“Farmers should be mobilised to stop the use of pesticides and start the application of parasitoids for combating the bug,” he said.
S. Kosalaraman, Agriculture Commissioner, B. Chandramohan, Director, Horticulture and Plantation Crops, and P. Murugesa Boopathi, Vice-Chancellor of the university, spoke.
Source: THE HINDU 08-10-10