Port Blair, Mar 13: Pest monitoring and surveillance is a significant activity of the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage (DPPQS), Faridabad, and Union Ministry of Agri & Farmers Welfare. As a part of this process, a periodic pest survey was conducted by Central Integrated Pest Management Centre (CIPMC), Port Blair to identify pest and disease associated with different agro ecosystems of Great Nicobar Islands in collaboration with Zonal Agri Office, Campbell Bay.
A team composed of Dr. Shiva Kumar H.D., Assistant Plant Protection Officer of CIPMC along with Mr. S.P. Prasad, Asst. Director (Soil), Mrs. Pitchammal Beevi, AO, Mr. Sitaram, JAA, Ms. Naazneen, SCFA visited the farmers’ fields at Govind Nagar, Joginder Nagar, Vijay Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Shastri Nagar. They observed that the Arecanut Palms were infected by Leaf Spot, Bacterial Leaf Blight, Yellow leaf disease in trace to low intensity and the Coconut Orchards on the other hand, were sporadically infested with Rhinoceros Beetle in trace level. The experts advocated Integrated Pest Management (IPM) through balanced nutrition along with MOP, Borax and Zinc Sulphate. They also suggested the application of Farm Yard Manure (FYM), Trichoderma, Neem Cake, spraying of Neem Oil and use of Light traps as well as bucket traps for Rhinoceros Beetle infestation. They stressed on the need to provide good drainage to overcome the disease. The team urged the farmers to adopt IPM technology to minimize the pest and disease incidence in Coconut and Arecanut.
Concurrently, as a significant milestone in the inclusiveness of DPPQS, Dr. Shiva Kumar H.D., APPO(WS) visited Tsunami Shelter in Shastri Nagar, which is known as the Southernmost Village of India and interacted with a Woman Farmer Mrs. Kusum Mishra, The Southernmost Farmer of India in her Coconut and Arecanut Orchard. He discussed shifting the cropping pattern from paddy to coconut-based farming post tsunami and the incidence of pest and diseases in the field. He advised Mrs. Kusum to adopt IPM technologies to minimize crop losses caused by pests and diseases and for the betterment of environment and human health. Mr. Sitaram, JAA facilitated the visit.
Dr. Shiva Kumar H.D., APPO(WS) with Mr. Sitaram, JAA in the field of Mrs. Kusum Mishra.
