Crop Management

Clove

• The important pests found to attack clove is high rainfall zone are the stem borer, Sahyadrassus malabaricus and the black scale.
• Soil application of Phorate 60g/tree or trunk implantation of Monocrotophos 1 ml/tree was found to be effective for the management of stem borer Sahyadrassus malabaricus on clove.
• Spray application of Monocrotophos 1.5 ml/l or dimethoate 1 ml/l was found to be effective for the management of the black scale Saissettia nigra on clove.
• Identification of clove accession (Acc. No.13) possessing tolerance to the leaf spot disease.
• Pre-monsoon spray of Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf_PPB) @ 0.2% + Lawsonia leaf extract (5%) was found to reduce the leaf spot and bud shedding disease (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) effectively.
• Recognition of the period of disease epidemic in a particular year. Well distributed rainfall with RH 89-92% and the temperature range of 22.53^oC – 30.50^oC favours the spread of the disease.
• Development of effective and ecosafe disease management strategy – The combination of the native strain of the antagonistic bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf _PPB) and the leaf extract of Lawsonia controlled the disease effectively.

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Cinnamon

• In cinnamon the vegetative propagation using semi hardwood cuttings resulted in 92.34 per cent rooting. The cuttings planted in coir pith medium resulted in longest root (10.5 cm) and shoot (4.33 cm).  The maximum number of root is 6.2.

CINNAMON – CV-5

Quills

Quillings

Nutmeg

• In nutmeg vegetative propagation by approach and soft wood grafting were done during October-January and February-April. The performance of grafting by approach method recorded better survival (82.2%) during Oct-Jan season.

Allspice

• Dipping hardwood cuttings of Allspice in 1000 ppm of IBA/IAA before planting in polybags gave maximum rooting.

Ginger

• Rhizome treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 20 g/kg rhizome + soil application @ 10 kg/ha immediately after planting and 45 days after planting followed by premonsoon drenching with Metalaxyl 0.1 % was found to be effective against the rhizome rot disease (Pythium aphanidermatum).
• Metalaxyl 0.1 % application three times has recorded the lowest mean per cent ginger rhizome rot disease incidence (10.78). This treatment was on par with neem cake + Pseudomonas fluorescens (11.87 % PDI).
• Highest Cost Benefit ratio of 1:3.31 was recorded in Neem cake + Pseudomonas fluorescens application for the management of rhizome rot.

Vanilla

• The disease can be managed by following the integration bioagents viz., native strain of the antagonistic bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens and the fungal antagonist T. harzianum.
• The disease incidence was found to be maximum during the month of February during the years 2004 and 2006. The key factors influencing the increase in the disease incidence were found to be the limited rainfall combined with the RH 85 – 89 % and the temperature range of 19.26^oC – 35.98^o
• The giant African snail,  Achatina fulica was found to be a serious pest on vanilla when grown as an intercrop in coconut plantations. Botanicals viz., Neemazal 2 ml/l or garlic extract 3% were found effective in deterring the African snail, Achatina fulica on Vanilla.

Cashew

• In cashew the pest population build up was found to be negatively correlated with temperature, RH and rainfall and positively with sunshine.
• Spray methyl parathion 2 ml/l followed by carbaryl 50 WP 2 g/l and monocrotophos 1.5 ml/l during vegetative flush stage, panicle initiation stage and nut formation stage respectively for the management of tea mosquito bug.

Plantation Crops

• Mangala was the best performer with the consistent yield of 9.78 kg/tree followed by Subamangala (8.41 kg/tree).  Hence, for the physiographic and climatic pattern of Kanniyakumari District, the ideal arecanut cultivar identified is Mangala.
•  In Oil palm the Acc. 8 gave the maximum bunch yield (108.29 kg/tree) followed by Acc. 1 (69.31 kg/tree).  Acc. 8 can be utilized as mother palm for further breeding work.
• In cashew the pest population build up was found to be negatively correlated with temperature, RH and rainfall and positively with sunshine.
• Spray methyl parathion 2 ml/l followed by carbaryl 50 WP 2 g/l and monocrotophos 1.5 ml/l during vegetative flush stage, panicle initiation stage and nut formation stage respectively for the management of tea mosquito bug.

Banana

• 25 kg of FYM, 25 g of ZnSo4, 500 g of Neem cake per plant was found to correct zinc deficiency in Red banana.
• Pseudostem injection of monocrotophos or dimethoate @ 1 ml + 5 ml water mixture administered @ 4 ml/plant was found to be effective for the management of pseudostem borer on banana. The cost benefit ratio was 1:2.85 and 1:2.79 in the case of Monocrotophos and Dimethoate respectively.
• Spraying Mancozeb 0.25 per cent starting from 3^rd month onwards with one month interval registered 18.8 per cent incidence of leaf spot as against 65.2 per cent in control.
• The relative susceptibility of the banana varieties to the pseudostem borer showed that Nendran variety was highly susceptible followed by Red banana, Poovan and Robusta. The incidence was found from the sixth month of the crop and it was positively correlated with plant girth (r=00941). The distribution pattern of the borer showed that the borer incidence was maximum in the centre row of the field (40.83 %) followed by outer second row (20.67 %) and a minimum of 8.30 per cent damage in the outer rows. The borer can be effectively managed by pseudostem injection of monocrotophos or dimethoate @ 1 ml + water administered in two points of the pseudostem viz., 60 cm and 150 cm from the ground level @ 2 ml/injection point, so that a plant receives 4 ml of the mixture.  The dose of the insecticide should be continuously monitored, since at higher dose it shows splitting of the pseudostem.

Pineapple

• Application of 25 t of FYM, 800:40:650 kg of NPK/ha registered higher yield and TSS.
• A spacing of 60 x 30 cm recorded the highest yield of 52 t/ha. with a maximum fruit length of 20.5 cm and fruit girth of 42.5 cm.

Jack

• The variety PPI (1) Jack was less susceptible to die back disease and KCK Yellow was less susceptible to leaf spot disease.
• The fruit rot of jack can be effectively managed by Calixin 0.2 % spraying two times at fifteen days interval.
• The pink disease of jack can be effectively managed by swabbing Calixin 0.2 % around the infection site followed by tar coating on the next day.
• Prophylactic spray of carbaryl 50 WP @ 2 g/l on the 60^th day after flowering in Jack was effective in suppressing the fruit borer, Margaronia caesalis on Jack.

Tapioca

• Application of NPK @ 50:65:125 kg/ha recorded maximum tuber yield.

Anthurium

• One part of leaf mould and one part of cocopeat is the suitable medium for anthurium Cv. temptation.

Medicinal plants

• The medicinal plant Mucuna pruriens has been identified as an ideal intercrop in young rubber plantations.
• The sequential cropping of Mucuna pruriens cum Andrographis paniculata in comparison to pure crop pine apple had the highest Benefit : Cost ratio of 2.30 as against pineapple monocropping which had only 0.79.