Stop Pests in Mango, Banana & More - No Chemicals Needed| The Farming Times

George K. Mathai

Deputy Director of Agriculture (Rtd), Krishippakappu

E-mail: mathaigk@gmail.com

Let’s provide a shield of protection for the main enemies in paddy fields and fruit-bearing trees. The first step in pest control is to use pheromone traps. The next step is to use yellow sticky traps. These are effective in controlling pests like whiteflies. They can also be used against aphids.

The next step is integrated pest management. The fruit fly is a major pest for jackfruit. Hanging traps, 2 per tree, can be used. Put a piece of ripe jackfruit inside the trap. Add 20 grams of jaggery mixed with a little water.

Pheromone trap hanging in a mango orchard for fruit fly control and integrated pest management

🛡️ Pest-Control Shield For Fruit Trees

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For other fruit flies, hang traps with 1cc of pesticide mixed in 1 liter of water on the branches.

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Let’s look at some other organic control methods. To make these effective, they must be implemented with community participation.

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Also, it is crucial to ensure that there are no stagnant water sources that can become breeding grounds for pests.

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Yellow sticky traps are effective in controlling pests like whiteflies and can also be used against aphids.

🍄 Macrostin Uses In Banana, Mango And Coconut

Macrostin is a type of fungus. It is available in powder form. To control the corm weevil in bananas, mix 5 grams of Macrostin and 3 grams of jaggery in one liter of water and apply it to the cut surface of the banana pseudo-stem after harvesting the bunch.

For mangoes, this can be applied to the cut surface of pruned branches. Also, make a paste by mixing it with a little water and apply it to the trunk of the tree up to a height of 2 feet.

To control the rhinoceros beetle, mix 20 ml of the mixture in one liter of water and pour it into the leaf axils.

Macrostin biocontrol fungus mixture applied to a cut banana pseudostem after harvest

🌿 Crop-Wise Organic Pest Management

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Banana

✅ To control aphids, mix 5 ml of neem oil in 10 liters of water and spray. Use soap as an emulsifier.
✅ To control corm weevil, mix the biocontrol agent EPN, 2 grams per liter of water, or the liquid formulation, 100 ml for 2-3 banana plants, and drench the base.
✅ For root rot, which is common during the rainy season, apply 4 grams of Pseudomonas at the base.
✅ To trap the red palm weevil, cut a banana stem into pieces, smear them with jaggery, and place them in the plantation. Collect and destroy the weevils that are attracted to it.
✅ Another method is to cut a four-inch-long piece from the leafstalk of a coconut frond, split it, smear it with the pheromone for the red palm weevil, and tie it to the trunk of the coconut tree.
✅ To control EPN, use pheromone traps for EPN weevils as well.

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Mango

✅ To control fruit flies that attack ripening mangoes, use pheromone traps.
✅ Another method is to use traps to attract and kill them. Mix 20 grams of jaggery in one liter of water and keep it in a plastic container with holes. The fruit flies will be attracted to it and die.
✅ To control the mango stone weevil, use the biocontrol agent EPN at 10 ml per liter of water. Drench the soil around the base of the tree.
✅ To control mango hoppers, which cause flowers and young mangoes to drop, use a spray of neem oil. It is recommended to use at least 50 ml for one tree. To prepare this, neem oil must be mixed with soap.

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Coconut

✅ Pheromone traps are the best way to control the rhinoceros beetle in coconut trees. They should be installed in the plantation.
✅ Another method is to fill the leaf axils with a mixture of neem cake and sand.
✅ To prevent the red palm weevil, mix 30 ml of neem oil and jaggery and pour it into the leaf axils.
✅ To control the grubs of the rhinoceros beetle, which grow in manure pits, mix 2 grams of EPN per liter of water and spray it on the pits.

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Golden Cucumber

✅ A variety of cucumber that can be grown year-round. Sow the seeds in pits. Plant spacing should be two meters.
✅ After sowing, drench the pits with a solution of EPN, 2 grams per liter of water.
✅ Apply jaggery and a PGPR consortium mixture, 3-4 grams per plant, at the base. Drench the base with Pseudomonas. Also, do foliar spraying.
✅ This helps increase plant growth and yield. This method is effective in controlling various pests and diseases.
✅ To control fruit flies that attack after fruit set, use pheromone traps. Hang two traps per 10 cents.

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Rambutan, Pulasan

✅ The main pest is the mealybug. Spray a mixture of jaggery, 3 grams per liter of water.
✅ The ants that protect the mealybugs will get trapped in the jaggery.
✅ Then, spray a solution of Verticillium, a type of fungus. Mix one gram per liter of water.
✅ Spraying should be done in such a way that it reaches the places where the mealybugs are present.
✅ Water mixed with polling. Can be used.

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Cucumber

✅ Pheromone traps can be used. The main pest is the pumpkin beetle.
✅ To control it, drench the pits with EPN, 2 grams in 150 ml of water per pit.
✅ To control other pests like epilachna beetles, spray neem oil. Mix 4 cc of neem oil per liter of water and spray.
✅ Yellow sticky traps can be used to control whiteflies.
✅ By controlling the pests that spread mosaic disease, the disease itself can be controlled.
✅ Apply lime and Pseudomonas at the base.

📊 Trellis Cucumber Planting Details

A table of four cucumber varieties that can be grown on trellises. These include Mudikode, Local, Sadanand, and Nadan. The table provides information on planting distance, the number of plants per hectare, etc. This helps in achieving high yields.

Item	Planting Distance (cm)	Plants per Hectare	Additional Figure
Mudikode Local	100	130	165
With 2 suckers	200	250	330
Sadanand	300	400	500
Nadan	100	210	280
With 2 suckers	330	400	500
Sadanand	500	625	850

There are many methods to increase yield. We must choose the method that is most suitable for our local conditions.

🌶️ Pepper, Vegetables And Flower Crop Protection

Organic vegetable pest management with neem oil spray and biocontrol methods in a farm garden

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Black Pepper

To control the pollu beetle, spray neem oil. For quick wilt disease, apply lime/dolomite. After 14 days, drench the base with a Trichoderma mixture. For slow wilt, apply Paecilomyces. To control burrowing nematodes, it is essential to grow cover crops. Use marigolds as a trap crop and destroy them after two months.

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Vegetables

To control nematodes, which are a major problem, apply Paecilomyces at the base of the plants. Drenching the base with this is a good practice. To control bacterial wilt in solanaceous vegetables like tomatoes, eggplants, and chilies, drench the base with a Pseudomonas solution. Another method is to graft them onto wilt-resistant rootstocks.

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Orchids

To control snails and slugs that damage the flowers and leaves, use a tobacco decoction. Boil 5 grams of tobacco in one liter of water and spray. This can be done once a week. Protect from root rot.

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Chrysanthemum

To control leafminers, spray a Verticillium solution. To control nematodes, which are a major problem, apply Paecilomyces. It is recommended to apply 11 grams for 3 pots.

Elephant Foot Yam: To control mealybugs found at the base, apply Beauveria.

FAQ

How many pheromone traps are needed for jackfruit fruit fly control?

For jackfruit, the article recommends hanging traps at the rate of 2 per tree. A piece of ripe jackfruit is placed inside the trap along with 20 grams of jaggery mixed with a little water. This attracts fruit flies and helps reduce infestation pressure.

How is Macrostin used to control banana corm weevil?

To control corm weevil in bananas, mix 5 grams of Macrostin and 3 grams of jaggery in one liter of water. Apply this mixture to the cut surface of the banana pseudo-stem after harvesting the bunch. This uses Macrostin as a fungal biocontrol support in banana pest management.

What is the organic method for mango fruit fly control?

For ripening mangoes, use pheromone traps to control fruit flies. Another method is to mix 20 grams of jaggery in one liter of water and keep it in a plastic container with holes. The fruit flies are attracted to the jaggery solution and die inside the trap.

How can mango hoppers be controlled naturally?

To control mango hoppers, which cause flowers and young mangoes to drop, the article recommends a neem oil spray. At least 50 ml is recommended for one tree, and the neem oil must be mixed with soap so that it emulsifies properly before spraying.

What is the role of EPN in banana, coconut and cucumber farming?

EPN, or Entomopathogenic Nematodes, is used as a biocontrol agent. In banana, 2 grams per liter of water can be drenched at the base for corm weevil. In coconut, 2 grams per liter is sprayed on manure pits for rhinoceros beetle grubs. In cucumber, pits are drenched with EPN before or after sowing.

Why are yellow sticky traps useful in integrated pest management?

Yellow sticky traps are effective in controlling pests like whiteflies and can also be used against aphids. By reducing insects that spread diseases such as mosaic disease in cucumber, sticky traps support integrated pest management and help reduce the spread of pest-borne plant problems.

How can bacterial wilt in tomato, eggplant and chili be managed?

For bacterial wilt in solanaceous vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants and chilies, drench the base with a Pseudomonas solution. Another method is to graft these vegetables onto wilt-resistant rootstocks. Both approaches support healthier plants in areas where bacterial wilt is common.