FAQ

Pre-harvest IPM (starting 45 days prior to harvest)

• Destroy all fallen fruits at weekly intervals

• Rake/plough between trees once or twice between  flowering and pre-harvest

• Give three sprays of the following on the fruits (depending on the severity of the pest)

  • 45 days prior to harvest  - carbaryl 0.2%

  • 30 days prior to harvest – dimethoate 0.06%

  • 15 days prior to harvest  - deltamethrin 0.025%

• Avoid delay in harvest

Post harvest IPM

• When the above pre-harvest treatments are followed by a post harvest hot water treatment within 24 hr after harvest at 48^oC maintained by thermostat for one hour will give 100% fruit fly infestation free fruits.

Tip drying of young shoots is the major symptom of mango shoot borer (Chlumetia transversa) damage.  This pest is usually active from August to October.  Damage symptoms include withering and drying of new terminal shoots due to tunneling.  Leaves of affected shoots wither and drop down. Young grafted seedlings are severely affected. Management:Clipping off or destruction of affected shoots.Spray carbaryl 0.2% or quinalphos 0.05% at the time of emergence of new flush.

The nymphs and adult thrips rasp the ventral surface of tender leaves, flower stalks and mustard sized berries and suck the oozing cell sap.  Thrips injury at this stage manifest as ‘thrips scab’ on full-grown berries considerably reducing market  and export value.

Management:

• Remove pruned material from main field and burn.

• Rake the soil periodically.

• Spray monocrotophos 0.05% or acephate 0.075% at the pre-flowering followed by dimethoate 0.06% + azadractin 2 ml/l at early fruit set.

• Remove all loose bark after pruning from main trunk and primary arms.  Then swab the trunk with IIHR swab mixture: Carbaryl 6 g + copper oxy chloride 10 g + (Neem oil 1 ml + kerosene oil 1 ml + Sticker 1 ml) /ltr; twice a year preferably after each pruning and after removing loose bark.

• If mealy bug is serious, spray phenthoate 0.05% two weeks after pruning.  Repeat the spray after 2 weeks.

• If mealy bug occurs during fruit formation stage spray dichlorvos 0.076%

• Stop all sprays three weeks prior to harvest to prevent residue problem

• Release of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri  @10 grubs/vine controls moderate infestation of mealy bug.  This is useful prior to harvest.

The foremost symptoms of the pest are the ‘pin holes’ on main trunks, more conspicuous if the loose barks are removed.   Powdery wastes due to the tunneling can be seen falling from the holes.  As infestation progresses, regularly gummy exudates can be seen along the trunk.  Severely affected plants show wilting and yellowing. 

(a)Prevention:

• Shoot infestation can be prevented by regular removal of loose barks and swabbing of main trunk with IIHR swab mixture (see under mealy bug) at least twice a year preferably after each pruning after removing loose barks.  Periodic examination for holes and powdery or gummy exudates should be carried out.

(b)Treatment: 

• Remove loose bark and scrape gently gummy exudates using a knife.

• Spray dichlorvos 0.25% on main trunk (not on the leaves and vines); inject using a disposable syringe, if the holes are only few in numbers.

• Band loosely, using ribbons of plastic/polythene or synthetic gunny bags for 3-5 days on the sprayed trunks immediately after the above treatment.

• Remove barks and swab with the above IIHR mixture (given under mealy bug)

• Remove castor plants growing adjacent to the orchards as it serves as wild host.

• If serious, repeat the above after a month.

To reduce the incidence of this pest, remove and destroy all the affected fruits (fruits with exit holes). Spray Decamethrin 0.0028% at the time of >50% fruits have set. Repeat after two weeks with carbaryl 0.2% or fenvalerate 0.005%

Spraying of dimethoate 0.06% prior to flowering is important. Keeping the basins clean also reduces damage due to thrips. Follow up sprays of multineem (0.5%) is useful.

Plant height and Leaf length (R2 92%) with optimum values as 138.9 cm and 127.3 cm were the best indicators of crop yield.

Plant height and Plant girth (R2 90%) with optimum values as 159.21 cm and 67.8 cm were the best indicators of crop yield.

Spray Cypermethrin 0.0125% during new flush emergence. Neem seed kernel extract (4%) sprays are also quite effective.

Leaf breadth & Leaf length (R2 81%) with optimum values as 67.2 cm and 164.1 cm were the best indicators of crop yield.

Marker genes are genes introduced with the aim to identify and isolate the cells that have been transformed from those that have not taken up the desired gene. Marker genes in bacteria are often antibiotic resistance genes while in plants often it is for tolerance to herbicides.

Number of fingers /bunch and Number of hands/ bunch (R2 99%) with optimum values as 26 fingers /hand and 13 hands/ bunch were the best indicators of crop yield.

• To prevent infestation of these borers keep the orchards clean.
• If and when any infestation is noticed, kill the caterpillars mechanically by inserting an iron spike into the holes made by the caterpillars.
• In case of severe infestation, clean the affected portions of the trunk or main stem and insert in to the holes swab of cotton wool soaked  dichlorvos 0.25%

32 plants were needed for conducting field trials in chrysanthemum