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Invasion of gall wasps hits Wayanad pepper growers

Pest infection kills thorny support trees

Kalpetta : The hard-pressed pepper cultivators in Wayanad district are now hit by the invasion of another pest called `Erythrina gall wasps' that kill the thorny support-tree that helps pepper vines to climb up.

The attack of gall wasps destroying Erythrina indicus — called `murikku' in Malayalam — has, of late, become so intense that the farmers, already hit by afflictions like quickwilt and slowilt, are finding it difficult to carry on with pepper cultivation.

``About 70 per cent of the pepper gardens in Wayanad, which contributes about 25 per cent of the country's pepper production, have been affected by the problem.

Murikku is used as support tree for pepper vines for centuries and it has no viable alternative,'' a farmer from Abmalavayal panchayat said.

While sprinkling of anti-pest solution to save the defoliated, deformed and fast-dying trees has proved ineffective, the alternative of en-masse burning of the affected plants is proving an impracticable solution to the farmers, most of whom are small and marginal holders.

According to experts at the district centre of Kerala Agricultural University, the affliction is caused by a kind of wasp called Quadrasticus erythrina, which can proliferate and spread so quick to cause severe damage to the trees.

Its invasion in Wayanad was first reported last year, but it could spread and cause havoc so fast, they said. — PTI

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