CUTTACK: Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, coconut growers of the district are left high and dry as a sudden pest attack is taking a heavy toll on production. Coconut trees in several hectare (ha) have been affected by rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW) infestation. Around 50,000 farmers, who have taken up coconut farming on more than 5,000 ha in the district, are now worried a lot.
“After the Super Cyclone in 1999, coconut yield had dwindled alarmingly with eriophyid mite attacking the plants and forcing us to resort to distress sale. Besides, frequent cyclones have been damaging the coconut plantation. The fresh pest attack on coconut trees is now making us think about giving up its cultivation,” said Bibhuti Bhusan Panda, a farmer of Aenda village in Nischintakoili block.
However, officials from the horticulture department have asked the farmers to follow a few scientific methods to control the insect attack. “Rugose spiralling whitefly, an invasive pest on coconut tree, is considered to be introduced from Florida (USA) into Tamil Nadu and Kerala during 2016. It has since spread to all coconut growing areas of the country.
The pest attacks in severe proportion and its impact is higher on palms in terms of sooty mould deposits,” said Dr Tusar Ranjan Sahoo, Horticulture specialist, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, ICAR-NRRI, Cuttack. The prolonged dry spell during June to September and deficit rainfall coupled with decreased relative humidity seem to have favoured the spread of the pest in coconut plantations, he stated.
The coconut growers would be able to get rid of the pests with application of one per cent starch solution on leaflets to flake out the sooty moulds. Installation of yellow sticky traps on the palm trunk as well as inter-spaces to trap adult whiteflies will also help, Sahoo said. Assistant director of Horticulture, Cuttack, Sachidananda Bhola said the department would create awareness among the coconut growers to control the pest attack.