6 months ago
2
In the aftermath of spurt successful whitefly (rugose spiralling whitefly) and basal wilt infestations successful coconut plantations, a Central squad carried retired inspections astatine farms successful Pollachi North, Pollachi South, Anamalai and Kinathukadavu blocks connected Monday (November 3, 2025).
The squad consisting of officials and scientists of Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Coconut Development Board, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, and elder officials of Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, Government of Tamil Nadu, inspected the crops and took banal of the damages to the plantations.
The main thrust of involution strategies to beryllium formulated volition beryllium connected preventing the dispersed of the infestations, a elder authoritative said.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, carries retired involution done the State Agriculture Universities, supported by Coconut Development Board (CDB). Destruction of heavy infested older leaves to bring down the pest colonisation is 1 of the involution methods.
State Agriculture universities are expected to beryllium provided with backing for wide multiplication of parasites and predators for controlling the invasive pest, and marque the bio-control cause disposable to the coconut farmers astatine affordable cost.
The CDB’s relation is to assistance the farming assemblage to follow the prescribed technological method to power the pest.
During February, a CPCRI squad carried retired a tract inspection of coconut plantations successful Coimbatore territory and advocated exertion of close doses of potassium to summation resistance, installation of yellowish sticky traps astir the thenar trunk, and usage of aphelinid parasitoids for conservation biologic power to destruct 2 whitefly species: rugose spiralling whitefly (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin) and Bondar’s nesting whitefly (Paraleyrodes bondari Peracchi).
Farmers lamented during the monthly grievances redress programme past Friday that productivity has been severely dented owed to the spurt successful whitefly infestation.
Based connected a study connected the survey by the Central team, which besides visited coconut farms successful Theni district, the involution strategies volition beryllium enactment successful place, officials added.
