Studies on different formulations of the bioagent Trichoderma in the management of stem bleeding disease in coconut

Stem bleeding disease is the most common and well-known disease of coconut and is prevalent in almost all coconut growing countries. Thielaviopsis paradoxa is the pathogen causing stem bleeding disease. The symptoms of the affected trunk areas exhibit dark discolouration and a reddish-brown or rust-coloured liquid bleeding from different points. Affected plants die within 3 to 4 months after stem symptoms first appeared, if corrective measures are not taken properly. Keeping in view the severity of disease and the need for managing the disease with effective biocontrol formulation, the current experiment was initiated during 2014 at Mukkamala village of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh State, India. The treatments like Trichoderma harzianum cake formulation, Trichoderma reesei paste formulation along with paste application of copper oxychloride were tested in the field conditions. Among the treatments tested, application of T. harzianum cake formulation completely brought down the disease index from 12.91 to 0 per cent within 50 days of cake application. Disease index of 17.70 was reduced to 2.05 in case of paste application of copper oxychloride, and disease index of 14.02 was reduced to 3.69 in case of paste application of T. reesei against stem bleeding disease of coconut over three years from 2015-2018. Thus, the cake formulation of Trichoderma was found very effective in managing the disease at the field level, which is a bioagent and safer for environment protection

Performance of coconut hybrids and varieties in the East coast of Andhra Pradesh

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is one of the plantation crops with more life span, so suitability of a variety or hybrid for particular region may improve the productivity of the coconut. An experiment was carried out with seven hybrids and two varieties viz. Chandra Sankara (COD × WCT), Chandra Laksha (LCT x COD), VHC1 (ECT × MGD), VHC-2 (ECT × MYD), Kera Ganga (WCT × GBGD), Laksha Ganga (LCT × GBGD), Godavari Ganga (ECT x GBGD), Kera Chandra (Double Century) and Chandra Kalpa at Dr.YSRHUHorticultural Research Station, Ambajipeta, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema Dist., Andhra Pradesh. The experiment was initiated in 2002, in Randomized Block Design in three replicated blocks. The compiled data for six years (2015- 2021) revealed that, Godavari Ganga recorded significantly highest nut yield /palm/year (144.40 nuts) followed by VHC-2 (134.93 nuts) and Kera Ganga (133.33 nuts). Godavari Ganga recorded maximum copra yield of 3.20 t/ha and oil yield of 2.20 t/ha. Tender nut water quantity was recorded more (322.5 mL) in VHC-2 and Godavari Ganga. Due to its superior nut, copra and oil yield, Godavari Ganga and VHC-2 can be recommended for cultivation Andhra Pradesh

Management of coconut slug caterpillar (Macroplectra nararia) with light traps

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Not AvailableAn experiment was conducted at Horticultural Research Station, Ambajipeta during 2006-2011 to identify the most suitable intercrop among medicinal and aromatics under coconut. The trial was laid out in June, 2006 with four aromatic crops and one medicinal crop in randomized block design with four replications. The results revealed that the yield of all the medicinal and aromatic plants grown as intercrop were found to be reduced compared to their sole crop yields. The reduction in yield was less in lemon grass (4.5%) followed by citronella (9.3%), palmarosa (10.3%), patchouli (14.7 %) and mango ginger (14.9%). The nut yield of coconut increased with intercropping of medicinal and aromatic plants. Coconut+patchouli intercropping system recorded 55.3% increase in nut yield/palm followed by coconut+palmarosa (43.5%) when compared to monocrop yield. The economic analysis of the cropping system revealed that the highest net returns were recorded in crop combination coconut + patchouli (Rs. 1,43,705/-) with benefit – cost ratio of 2.84 followed by coconut + citronella (Rs.1,08,870/-) with benefit – cost ratio of 2.12 compared to the net returns of Rs. 29,650/- with benefit - cost ratio of 1.60 in monocropping of coconut. Hence, cultivation of patchouli followed by citronella as intercrops in coconut can be recommended to the farmers of Coastal Andhra Pradesh in general and to the East Godavari area in particular.Not Availabl

Biological suppression of coconut black headed caterpillar Opisina arenosella outbreak in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh – eco friendly technology

Not AvailableThe leaf eating black headed caterpillar Opisina arenosella is a serious pest of coconut palm causing significant yield loss in all the coconut growing tracts of India. During 2015–16, a high infestation of black headed caterpillar was observed in all the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, and an incidence ranging from 42.82% to 62.86% was recorded. From October 2015 to April 2016 inundative releases of about 3,788,000 larval parasitoids Bracon hebetor and Goniozus nephantidis were carried out in pest affected gardens in Allavaram and Uppalaguptam mandals of East Godavari. To study the impact of the parasitoid releases, 10 leaflets/palm were randomly collected from 10 sample gardens in seven villages of these mandals and the pest population recorded. After three months of parasitoid release, the larval population of O. arenosella decreased by 34.08–75.88%, pupal population by 33.33–94.52%, and the paralysed larval population recovered was 8.30–26.92%. After six months, the larval population decreased by 59.65–100%, the pupal population up to 92.77–100% and the paralysed larval population recovery was also high, ranging from 18.68% to 34.61%. The impact of inundative release of bio agents for suppression of leaf eating caterpillar was prominent, after six months providing impetus to the role of biological control in pest management. The assumed overall economic loss prevented due to this intervention was 192.6 million rupees

Towards the sustainability of the “Tree of life”: An introduction

It has been estimated that around one in ten of the human population is connected directly with coconut production and the processing, trade, and retail distribution of the diversity of its products. Industry planners, nationally and internationally, require information on the principal sources of production, and consumption, locally and through world trade, as well as awareness of the urgency for replanting and the potential means to rapidly achieve this. The production base of the coconut industry is shown to be currently stable, but the advanced age of a high proportion of the palms foreshadows an accelerating decline in productivity unless renewal begins immediately. The purpose of this book is to provide a road map for replanting by identifying up-to-date knowledge on the ecology of the coconut, its management needs, and above all the choice of genotypes possessing traits that will advance adaptation and potential productivity beyond that presently achieved by the old generation of palms needing to be replaced. Recent advances in biotechnology, offering the possibility for a new way to conserve germplasm by cryopreservation, the large-scale cloning of coconut, and the detailed understanding of coconut genetics, are shown here. Taken together, they present a great opportunity to deliver superior plantlets and seedlings in an adequate quantity to specific regions. The complexities and challenges of selecting the best possible genotype for a given location are shown to be a pressing need requiring urgent attention

Bio-control based integrated disease management of basal stem rot disease of coconut

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