Control of rhizome scale in turmeric
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The pest brings down yield tonnage
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Among the various factors affecting the productivity of turmeric, infestation by insect pests is a major one.
Of these, the rhizome scale (Aspidiella harttii) is an important infestation. The adult (female) scales are circular (about 1mm diameter) in form and light brown to grey in colour.
Predominant role
As March-April is the time of harvest in Southern India, management of rhizome scale plays a predominant role in storing the harvested produce.
Use of scale-infected mother rhizome for planting during the next cropping season will definitely reduce the growth and development of crops, resulting in reduction of yield and quality of turmeric.
Pest symptoms
The scale insect infestation is visible as white encrustations on the rhizomes. In the field, it drains the sap from the developing rhizomes and causes the shoots to droop and wilt.
The infestation is carried over from the field to storage where the scales suck away the water content of the rhizhomes. making them pithy in appearance.
This results in poor out turn of turmeric powder at milling. The seed rhizomes are also affected.
Management practices
Dip the seed rhizomes in monocrotophos at 0.05 per cent or quinalphos at 0.1 per cent for 5-15 minutes before storage to effectively control the pest. Discard severely infested rhizomes.
G.BALAKRISHNAMOORTHY
D. VIJAYALAKSHMI
Department of Spices and Plantation CropsHorticultural College & Research Institute, TNAUCoimbatore, Tami Nadu
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