Last Word.

               This year we have not applied any insecticides. Alternatively Dr.Prakash supervised the application of bacteria in my plot just after the rainy season came to an end.No other work was done .Now again the rainy season started. But no signs of root grub visible in the plot.All plants which exists seems to be healthy.Hence I think I can proudly say at last " we conquered the menace of root grub".
                Mean while Dr.Nagesh told that he sold the nematode production technology to three firms.Among them Multiplex company brought these nematodes under the brand name 'terminator'. Dr.A.R.V.Kumar  has an increased belief in bacterial control .I think a solution to control root grub without using chemical insecticide is ready now.
            My interest in starting this blog and writing is controlling root grub.I think this has achieved.Hence I may not write anything now on here.
                       THANK YOU ALL.

Root grub death

Two years back a farmer committed suicide near Bellare, Sullia taluk.  It was reported as death due to YLD problem.Nobody asked is YLD attacked any plot in that region. The reality is that his farm was attacked by the root grub problem.
         I mention this incident only to highlight the fact that how much difficult it is to differentiate YLD from root grub problem.

Economics of the treatment, a shock to me

     I had to face two questions from Mr.Shree Padre and Shrenivas Achar yesterday.What is the area of root grub affected plot? How much is the cost of controlling measures ?For the first question I had to depend upon Kumar Sir.For the second one I may calculate it from my experience.
      The problem in assessing the area of root grub affected plot is that lack of knowledge of the problem.Few farmers ,including our political representatives,fail to differentiate between YLD problem and root grub problem. YLD is affected in a few villages,in Sullia it appears in about six villages,almost all plots under its net is attacked.Hence assessing the area and organizing the affected farmers are easy.Even then the total area under YLD is yet to be calculated by the authorities.Root grub problem is not so extensive ,it appears in patches in almost all villages,sandy soil is a favorable condition .Hence the affected farmers can not be united.Assessing the area of affected plots is very difficult.Dr.Kumar estimated that approximately ten percent of the arecanut plots were affected by root grub problem in the Malnad region.
      To calculate the cost of the treatment we have to consider the methodology of the treatment.
[1]  To collect and kill the Bettles in the month of May-June when it emerges from the soil.
                     The work needs expertise and motivation .It cannot be universally adopted. Only a handful of farmers  including ,Begane Kadappa Gowda,Agali Nagesh Rao,adopted this method.I failed to find,not to mention collect,beetles
[2]  To remove grass and weeds from the plot
                      If we use weed cutters one can remove grass from  one acre plot  in one or two days,depending upon the thickness and length of the grass.Operators experience too counts..On the other hand if we used weedicides cost will be cheaper.                      Rs  1250.00-2500.00
[3] To remove organic matters from the plot,then applying insecticides,then reapplying organic matter to the arecanut basin in the July month-15-20 labour days per acre.    Rs3000.00-4000.00
[4]T o do the forking [Agate] work and to remove grubs from the soil manually---30 labour days per acre  in the month of September/October
                                                                                               Rs 6000.00

[5]Cost of the insecticide-------Imidacloprid [Confidar]           Rs1350.00/0.5 liter/acre
                                                fipronil [Regent]                       Rs1240.00/liter/acre
In this way when we count the total cost it comes around Rs 11500.00--14000.00/acre/year
      Most important thing is that we must undertake these measures not only in the affected plot but also in other healthy plots too.Otherwise there will be a risk of grub migration from the treated plot to untreated plot
           All these works are time sensitive ,that means the works must be done in the stipulated time,otherwise it wont give result.
      Earlier I had not calculated the total cost per year.Now I was in a shock,had I spend this much money for this?   The question now is that how many farmers can afford this?   It is not only the question of money, how many farmers could arrange labourers in time bound period?  Is there any other cheaper yet effective method?


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Bacteria application

Dr.Kumar explained the method to use the Bacteria.First we have to cook about a kg boiled rice using a little more water.Afterwords Bacterias must be added to it ,while the temperature was about 90 degrees,and stirred.Later  it was covered properly and  kept for a week.It must be stirred daily.Then the mixture may be diluted or mixed with fertilizers  to apply to the areca basin.Later it must be covered with soil or organic matter.This was my understanding of the method.  We are in the process of doing this.

BACTERIA CONTROL

 Dr.Kumar told with me that he was trying to develop a few Bacteria to control the grubs.He had thousands of Bacterias in his possession from which those Bacterias which could be used for grub control must be identified.He already identified three Bacterias to control grubs in arecanut field,and seven Bacterias to control grubs in the sugarcane field.Good thing with the Bacterias is that it could be multiplied easily by the farmers themselves,may be for a limited period.It will reduce the cost of treatment.But he lacks funds to do that.
      From where the funds needed to do the research could be found was the question.My knowledge was  that from three quarters we can ask funds..From ORGANIC MISSION, CAMPCO Reserch FOUNDATION,AND FROM THE GOVERNMENT.    I doubt that it started  new stories to write.

HURRAY GRUBS ARE UNDER CONTROL

   Last week Dr.Kumar came to my plot. As usual sampling was done.He observed that number of grubs which may had been there at the time of insecticide application was drastically reduced.But new fresh grubs were found.He said that from the size of the grubs it may be L.lepidophora or some other species which were not root grubs.The size was so small that identification was difficult.
   On my question, he said that earlier it was believed that only one type of the grubs were in one field. But in some places it was observed that when Burmistry was controlled Lepidophora  attack started.What happened in my plot could be answered only after a few months.
    Since the number of grubs found was very small he advised me that this year forking[agate] is not necessary.I became very happy person now because finally he too agreed that the problem came under control.

reapplying organic matter to the basin

After reapplying organic matter to the basin it is important to apply insecticide to the place where the organic matter was kept