DHARMAPURI: Farmers in Dharmapuri urged the horticulture department to take steps to prevent the spread of whitefly infestation which could potentially cripple the coconut production in the district.
Dharmapuri district has about 5,578 hectares of coconut cultivation. Over the past few weeks, there have been increasing reports of white flies being observed in farmlands across the district and farmers are unable to manage the spreading infestation.
Farmers urged the horticulture department to take steps to improve awareness and provide "Encarsia Formosa" as a means to control the spreading infestation. (Encarsia Formosa is a parasitoid for the biological control of whiteflies.)
Speaking to TNIE, R Kumaravelan from Pappireddipatti, said, "These whiteflies are an invasive species and are spreading fast. They form thick sap outside the leaves and inhibit the growth of trees. This could have an impact on the yield. In Dharmapuri it has not become unmanageable. So immediate efforts should be taken to counter the spread."
Another farmer, SV Vijayakumar from Pappireddipatti, said, "A coconut tree, even the stunted one, can reach about 25 feet, and there are trees about 50 ft high. So, normal interventions are not useful. We need the parasitic mite, "Encarsia" but this is not available here. We need the horticulture department to take steps to ensure that farmers are supplied with the mites."
The horticulture officer told TNIE, "We have been spreading awareness among farmer groups in each block and also spreading messages via social media. We encourage farmers to spray water on the underside of leaves of saplings or trees for up to five years. Further, spraying castor oil with water is also a good solution. But this is only possible for young trees or saplings."
Officials added, "For big trees, farmers can also use 'Encarsia formosa,' a parasitic wasp that feeds on whitefly. But to use this, farmers must stop using pesticides. At present, we are involved in breeding these parasitic mites in our labs, and it is only available in Coimbatore."