controlling the grub manually

To control the grub knowledge of the life cycle of the grub is essential.It is said that in the evening ,after sunset beetles can be collected manually.Normally beetles emerges after pre-monsoon showers ,may be in the month of May-June.After emerging from the soil it sits or fly's at about 4 feet height.After mating it lays eggs in the soil and flies higher in search of food.Begane Kadappa Gowda controls the grub problem by collecting it manually.But the method needs very high concentration and affort,I personally failed to collect even a single grub this year.Each female beetles lays about 50 eggs and collecting one beetle means destroying 50 would be grubs. After one month of the beetle emergence little larvae can be found in the soil.This happens around in the end of July month.By forking the land grubs can be found and collected manually.Dr.A.R.V.Kumar says that if the right method is employed 99percent of the grubs could be destroyed by this. If we want to apply the chemicals this is the right time to apply it. In the month of September -October third stage grubs can be found in depth of the soil.Now the drainage canals must be blocked to increase the water level.As the water level increases the grubs comes to the top soil within 3-4 days.Grubs can be collected after forking the land. To control the grubs timing and methodology is very important otherwise we are spending only the time and money over it .

LIFE CYCLE OF THE GRUB

Actually the root grubs are the larvae of the beetle.It has four stages of development.While Lepidophora and Burmistry require two years to complete its life cycle Coniophora needs only one year.The eggs,larvae,and pupa were always in the soil.Only the beetles came out from the soil,have intercourse with other sex,eats its food and return to the soil.Every year it came out from the soil in the pre determined period and time.Beetles came out from the soil at the evening time,a little after sunset.Burmistry and Coniophora flys in the June month and Lepidophora flys in the month of July or August.This is only an indicator and the exact timing may vary from year to year depending upon the monsoon season. Immediately after the mating the beetles lays eggs in the soil.Eggs can be found in 6-60 inches depth of the soil.In about 15 days larvae came out from the egg.Its head has red colour with large size.Its body has white colour.Young larvae eats the organic matter in the soil. It reaches the second stage within 30-45 days. Now it is ready to eat roots of the arecanut plant.The grubs can be found around the arecanut palm.Its length may be 2.5-3cms. The grubs remain in this stage for about 2.5months or even more.Then it reaches the third stage.Lepidophora and Burmistry remains in the third stage for 14-18months.Most times farmers observe the grubs in this stage and it is almost impossible to control it now. After this stage the grubs enter the pupa stage.Pupa can be found 2-5feet below the surface.In about 15days pupa becomes beetle.The beetle remains in the soil waiting for the rain and appropriate time to emerge. THIS IS ONLY AN INDICATOR,EXACT TIME MAY VARY FROM PLACE TO PLACE.AS I AM ONLY A FARMER AND NOT AN EXPERT THERE MAY BE MISTAKES IN THE WRITINGS.

ROOT GRUB

Root grub is the major cause of destruction of arecanut plantation in Malanad region.Identifying the root grub problem is little difficult.Decreasing number and size of the flower,shortened leaves,yellowing of the leaves in some periods,decreasing size of the stem at the top which ultimately lets the plant to die were the common symptoms of the root grub.If we searched the basin of the plant by digging we can find finger sized,whitish,C-shaped,grubs with three pair of legs in the soil. There are several forms of root grubs in the arecanut plantations in the Malanad region.All grubs are C-shaped.But amongst them only one grub damages the arecanut plant.Apart from arecanut these grubs also damages sugar cane,coconut,plants too. There are three types of grubs in the Malanad region which damages the arecanut plant.Leacophelis lepidophora,Leacophelis coniophora,and Leacophelis burmistry [spelling may not be correct]were the three type of grubs.Coniophora canbe found in the coastal region,lepidophora in other places.Although it is said that Burmistry is very rare in the Malanad region,it is the same grub which is in my plot.Not only in my plot but also in my whole village,nearby villages too,and may be in the whole Taluk too.In fact whoever brought grubs to the seminar brought Burmistry grubs.Only one sample had Lepidophora grub.That grub was brought from Mairaje Ashok Bhats farm which is in Markanja village.

The Seminar

The seminar was to be held on 22-2-09 at local government school.Dr.Kumar came to Markanja on 20-2-09 evening after visiting Jedla Shreedhr Bhats plot.Next day he applied few bio controllers in my plot as an experiment. At the same time Dr.Ghosh from Pest control India too visited my plot. He gave metarizium anisapole of their company and applied it in a basket with grubs mixed with cow dung.He remained with us for the whole day.After treatment in my plot we visited about five farmers plot in the village which was affected by the grub problem.One of the plot visited was affected by yellow leaf disease.At the same time under the guidance of Mapalthota Krishna Bhat a few persons along with the students and teachers of the school made arrangments for the seminar in the school.Mapalthota Subraya Bhat brought vegitables and other things needed for the lunch. Next day,that is Sunday,we went to the school at 9 am. Several farmers brought grubs collected from their plot.Dr.Kumar identified all grubs brought as of bermistry variety except one.That was brought from Mairaje of Markanja village and it was lepidaphora variety.Those attended the seminar includes Dr.Anand and Dr.Ravi Bhat of C.P.C.R.I.Vittal,Dr.Hanumanthappa and Dr.Virendra Kumar of K.V.K.Manglore,Dr.Shivanna of K.V.K.Brahmavar. Badanaje Shankar Bhat,Shrinivas Achar,Padar Ramakrishna Shastri,also attended. Amongst the farmers a good number of them came from other taluks like Puttur, Belthangady, Karkala,Manglore. Around 250 farmers were present in the seminar.I am sorry if I have omitted any other persons name whom I must mention here.Using slides Dr.Kumar explained the life cycle of the grub ,efforts done to control it and his methodology to control the problem.Farmers were actively participated with their questions. I am going to write the gist of his talking at another place. Almost all press persons who were in Sullia and Etv and Suvarna news channel's reporters too were present. Media highlighted the program and thus very good after coverage too got to the seminar. The local M.L.A. S. Angara came to the seminar on his own. After a few minutes of listening to Kumars talking he invited all scientists to a room and asked them what must be done from the government side to control this problem.After Kumar sir gave his opinion I asked for a Lab for Sullia to help farmers. But they were politicians and I am told in later days that he did nothing afterwords. But on the whole the seminar was a huge success and most of the farmers participated were seem to be happy. From my side I was happy since the seminar brought down a few myths associated with grub problem.