Tirupur: Away from its home in Central America, Rugose spirally whitefly, a small bug of 2 mm, has been plaguing coconut trees in Pollachi and Udumalpet areas in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts of Tamil Nadu. The farmers are a nervous lot because the state agricultural department has no longer given adequate consideration to the menace so far. They worry that it may lead to a situation like that of the bollworm infestation of cotton vegetation, which had derailed cotton cultivation.
Rugose spirally whitefly is an invasive insect attacking vegetation, together with coconut, guava and banana. It is believed that the whitefly population can have unfold first from Kerala to Pollachi, the place it was once reported last 12 months. "But only this year, the scale has gone up owing to the climatic conditions. Now it has spread to Udumalpet region too," stated S Deivasigamani, Thali president, Coconut Producers Association.
The pests would multiply if the humidity is less, and the lack of northeast monsoon has helped the unfold of the whiteflies, stated M Mahalingam, Kudimangalam assistant director of agriculture.
The pests have affected most commonly the hybrid sorts of coconut trees, together with dwarf into tall, yellow dwarf, chowghat orange dwarf and tall into dwarf. But the tall types and the native species were not suffering from the pests. It may be due to the top resistance energy of the tall species. Moreover, the whiteflies could no longer fly greater than 30 toes top to succeed in to the leaves of the tall trees, added Mahalingam.
The bugs suck the coconut sap feeding at the under-surfaces of the leaflets leaving them dry. Their sugary excretion will get deposited at the surface of the leaves. This substance draws ants and ends up in the formation of fungus and impact the growth of the plant. It can impact yield as much as 20%, stated every other reliable from the agricultural department.
M Senthil Kumar, state secretary, Farmers Union, stated, "The invasion of different types of whiteflies had affected cotton plants in this region in the past, which was once known for cotton production. "
"It is high time that the government act and take measures to control the infestation in the state, which is expected to become number one in coconut production in 2020," stated Karthik Krishnakumar, youth leader of the affiliation.
Rugose spirally whitefly is an invasive insect attacking vegetation, together with coconut, guava and banana. It is believed that the whitefly population can have unfold first from Kerala to Pollachi, the place it was once reported last 12 months. "But only this year, the scale has gone up owing to the climatic conditions. Now it has spread to Udumalpet region too," stated S Deivasigamani, Thali president, Coconut Producers Association.
The pests would multiply if the humidity is less, and the lack of northeast monsoon has helped the unfold of the whiteflies, stated M Mahalingam, Kudimangalam assistant director of agriculture.
The pests have affected most commonly the hybrid sorts of coconut trees, together with dwarf into tall, yellow dwarf, chowghat orange dwarf and tall into dwarf. But the tall types and the native species were not suffering from the pests. It may be due to the top resistance energy of the tall species. Moreover, the whiteflies could no longer fly greater than 30 toes top to succeed in to the leaves of the tall trees, added Mahalingam.
The bugs suck the coconut sap feeding at the under-surfaces of the leaflets leaving them dry. Their sugary excretion will get deposited at the surface of the leaves. This substance draws ants and ends up in the formation of fungus and impact the growth of the plant. It can impact yield as much as 20%, stated every other reliable from the agricultural department.
M Senthil Kumar, state secretary, Farmers Union, stated, "The invasion of different types of whiteflies had affected cotton plants in this region in the past, which was once known for cotton production. "
"It is high time that the government act and take measures to control the infestation in the state, which is expected to become number one in coconut production in 2020," stated Karthik Krishnakumar, youth leader of the affiliation.
Whiteflies ravaging coconut plantations
![Whiteflies ravaging coconut plantations]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
November 28, 2017
Rating:
