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Sci Tech
FARMER'S NOTEBOOK
Managing tall coconut palm pests with telescopic sprayer
M.J. PRABU
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The device is useful if all the trees in the garden are of uniform height
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— Photo: CPCRI
Attractive features: Farmers having a hands on experience on using the device.
The main objective of developing a new agricultural tool or implement should be to help the farming community by reducing the number of manual labourers required for performing the operation, should be farmer friendly, (that is it should not be complicated to understand and use), and should be affordable.
Trial basis
In addition, there must be an experimental field where farmers can view the device being operated and they should also be asked to operate it on trial basis as only then can it give them hands on training and create confidence about the device.
Scientists at the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, Kerala have to be appreciated for taking into consideration all the above mentioned points when they developed the telescopic palm sprayer for spraying tall palms such as coconut against the europhid mite and leaf eating caterpillars which are major pests.
Dual use
The sprayer can also be used for spraying arecanut palms.
Both the diseases are presently affecting several trees and damage them if insecticide is not sprayed at the right time.
Before this device was developed, there were no mechanical sprayers available.
The usual method for spraying was done manually where a person used to climb the tree and spray the insecticides. But shortage of manpower and monsoon made the situation more difficult due to non-availability of climbers.
Though a sprayer was developed by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, it was not popular among the farmers as it was quite heavy.
Giving details on the functioning of the sprayer a senior scientist said, “two light weight pipes with a special mechanism to raise or lower them are used in this device.
“The first pipe is fitted on a rotating bearing for rotating the pipe (at 360 degrees) for spraying in all the directions. A steel wire is also provided for lifting and lowering the telescopic pipes.”
Adjustable height
A ratchet mechanism helps to fix the pipes firmly at required heights.
The spray boom is pivoted at the top of the pipe with a spring and a rope to control the spraying direction from the ground.
The pipe height can be locked at any desired level above 6 metre height. But are the pipes durable for long term performance as farming operations are quite tough and machineries developed for that purposes should be able to withstand the wear and tear?
Highly durable
The device has been specially treated by a process called alloying which gives the poles extra durability to stand wear and tear and can be ideally used for a long time without getting damaged.
But farmers have to bear in mind that while spraying for europhid mite only one palm can be sprayed from a place for mite whereas for spraying against leaf eating caterpillar four palms can be sprayed, they explained.
Uniform height
This telescopic pipe sprayer is useful if all the trees in the garden are of uniform size in height. Same height can ensure that the entire canopy at the top of the palm could also be sprayed without any difficulty, according to the scientists.
How has the response been from the farmers on using this device? the sprayer was field tested in a nearby farmer’s field. It was handed over to the farmers for two months for spraying during the monsoon.
The feedback that we got from them is quite encouraging as the farmers who had used this device in their fields had reported that the sprayer works well in gardens where all the palms are of uniform height.
The device is lightweight, durable, portable and is priced Rs.12,500, they explained.
Readers can contact the office of the Director, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod - 671 124, Kerala, email: cpcri@hub.nic.in, phone: 04994-232333 and 232 894.
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