Crop Management
The Crop Improvement and Management program targets problems of significant field (broadacre) crops which can have either genetic or agronomic solutions. The program aims to increase productivity, sustainability and utilisation of major crops and cropping systems of mutual importance .

Crop Management in India

  • In northern region, soil mulching and other practices will help in in-situ conservation of residual moisture for successful Rabi cropping.
  • Mulching the basins of Coconut and Arecanut with palm leaves, dry Coconut husk & coir pith and other crop residues may be followed for effective conservation of moisture.
  • One sixth of the 50% dose of the recommended dose of fertilizer may be applied once a month for Kerala conditions through drip irrigation in Coconut. In case of other states where there is limited rains, the same dose can be applied once in 2-months.
  • In seed spices, harvesting of late sown coriander, cumin and fenugreek is advised. It must be ensured that the produce is dried well. In dill, irrigation for late sown crop and harvesting of early sown crop are to be takenup.
  • Trees on agricultural land may be prunned to open-up canopy for light penetration for crops. Green weeds and leguminous tree leaves my be lopped and used for composting, in-situ mulching or for incorporation in soil under puddled condition.
  • Rainfed crops like blackgram, chickpea, greengram, pigeonpea were affected due to non occurrence of winter rains. Farmers of eastern region are advised to harvest the crops at physiological maturity.
  • It is advised to harvest maize cob and market it instead of going for grain to save irrigation water.
  • Since winter season is dry, transplanting of summer rice is advisable where assured irrigation facilities are available.

Weather and Weather based Crop Management Plan

  • Land tillage for spring maize, moong, urad, sugarcane, sunflower, jute and maize for fodder may be taken up. Farmers of eastern region are advised to complete transplanting of boro rice. In well puddle fields at a spacing of 15x 15 cm. In main fields 60, 60 and 40 kg N,P and K/ha should be applied as basal application. Wherever, seedlings are affected due to frost injury, it is advisable to grow rice seedlings by dapog method to compensate the time loss.
  • Weeding and interculturing of rabi crops specially winter maize, wheat. Hand weeding of onion, garlic & other spices are to be attended. Sugarcane should be harvested and earmarked for ratoon. For broad leaved weeds 2,4-D chemical 625 gm in 700-800 litre water and for Phalaris minor, Isoproturan (75%) 1.0 kg in 800 litre water/ha should be sprayed. Eradication of Orobanche should be taken up in mustard, tomato, potato and tobacco fields. Desuckering of tobacco crop has to be attended to allow better leaf growth on main plant. Top dressing with urea in wheat, pulses, oilseeds, maize, fodder crops followed by irrigation
  • In all standing crops light irrigation is to be given.
  • Sowing of watermelon may be initiated in coastal Orissa.

Crop Protection

  • For management of Karnal bunt , one spray of propiconazole 25EC @ 0.1% may be given (in seed crop only) at ear head emergence stage. Instead of one spray of propiconazole 25 EC, two sprays of T.viride or one spray of T.viride at 31-39 days and 41-49 days provide a non-chemical (biological control) management of disease. One spray of T.viride (at 31-39 days) followed by one spray of propiconazole 25 EC at growth stage 41-49 can be given to attain near complete control.
  • For charcoal rot management in maize, water stress should be avoided at post-flowering stage, 3-4 sprays of Mancozeb (Dithane M-45) effectively reduce rust and Turcicum leaf blight intensity in susceptible varieties.
  • The weather is conducive for ocurrence of Sigatoka leaf spot disease especially in Cavendish group of Bananas like Robusta, Grand Naine, Dwarf Cavendish which are commercially grown in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnatak, AP and Tamilnadu. Banana farmers are advised to spray Propicanazole 0.1% with wetting agent (Teepol/sandovit 5ml/litre water), Bavistin 0.1%, Calixin 0.1% and Mancozeb 0.2% each at 21 day interval.
  • For management of termites, in the standing crop, the broadcasting of the insecticide treated soil 15 DAS be practiced. For this, Endosulfan 35EC @ 2.3 l/ha or chloropyriphos @ 3 l/ha be done. This is applicable to safeguard mulch material in Cocconut and Arecanut basins.
  • In the North-Western and Indogangatic plans, Bengal gram (chicken pea) crop at flowering stage shall attract pod borer damage. If the larvae cross 2 per plant in 20 plants per acre, spraying of endosulfan or any contact insecticide at 2 litres per hactare may be taken up. However, the insecticide application should be only need-based and never as per any schedule.
  • To control blister beetle in cucumber, collect the adults mechanically and crush them or spray Endosulfan @ 2ml/litre
  • Dip the ginger fingers with Redomil MZ72 or Spectra MZ 72 @2gm/lit of water for 30 minutes and keep in the shed
  • To protect the crop from pea pod borer, spray of 0.05% Monochrotophos 36SL or 0.07% Endosulfan 35EC is advised.
  • Present weather situation is favourable for the powdery mildew disease in pea crop. Dusting with sulphur dust @ 25 - 30 kg/ha is advised. Spraying 2-3 times 0.1% Bavistin or 0.1% Karathane is also effective for the control.
  • In Kumaon area and in parts of eastern UP, widespread damage of crops due to white grub is noticed. Drenching of Chlorpyriphos 0.07% is recommended in the affected patches.
  • Himalayan rats are seen to damage the cereal crops in Kumaon area. Suitable steps to install bait stations on a community scale has to be undertaken. The crop loss can be reduced by timely baiting interventions.
  • In the north-eastern states bamboo flowering has been reported in Arunachal Pradesh & Mizoram. The rodent population is expected to explode. Mass trapping using bamboo traps as well as mass-baiting as a community level campaign may be taken-up particularly in the districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur where rodent explosion is currently seen.
  • For the management of aphids in wheat crop, foliar spray of Methyl demeton 25EC @ 2 litre/ha on infected rows at the start of the aphid colonization be given.
  • Sap sucking insects damage crops such as Oilseed crops, gram and vegetables. Spray Methyl demeton or Endosulphan or Quinalphos @2 l/ha as and when the damage crosses designated threshold levels.
  • Application of Karathane (0.1%) for controlling powdery mildew in Mango is advised.
  • Wherever there is incidence of attack of fruit and shoot borer in Brinjal, it is recommended to arrange pheromone traps @ 4 per acre. Clip the infested shoots and fruits and destroy them. Prophenophos @ 2 ml or Carbaryl @ 3g/l of water may be sprayed.
  • For the control of thrips in Chilli, spray of Acephate @ 1.5g/l or Dimethoate 1.5ml/l is recommended. For management of anthracnose disease spraying Hexaconazole 0.05% is recommended.
  • For the management of wilt in cumin, drench the soil with the carbendazim 0.2%. Suggested live irrigation in moisture stress areas for Black pepper, Cardamom and Vanilla.
  • Damping-off and Leaf blight disease in Tobacco nurseries under excess moisture are anticipated. 0.4% Bordeaux mixture (40 gm Copper sulphate and 40 g lime in 10 litre water) or Copper-oxy-chloride 20 g/10 litre/20 sq m or metalaxyl (2g) + mancozeb (20g) in 10 litre for 100 sq m to be applied.

Pest Management of Coconut Palms

  • Eriophyid mite infestation in coconut palms can be managed by spraying neem oil-garlic-soap mixture at 2% concentration.The spray droplet is to be directed towards second - fifth month old bunch. Avoid spraying in un-pollinated inflorescence. Root feeding of neem formulations containing 5 % Azadirachtin @ 7.5 ml + 7.5 ml water. Avoid using wettable sulfur as it brings down the myco-acarine population.
  • Isolated incidence of stem bleeding has been reported from North Malabar(Kerala), Pollachi (Tamilnadu) and Ambajipetta (Andhra Pradesh). Integrated disease management includes regulation of moisture regime, application of organics@50 kg/palm, additional application of 5 kg neem cake fortified with Trichoderma harzianum. Root feeding with 5% Calixin, chipping and dressing the chiseled portion with 5% calixin followed by coal tar application.
  • The Coconut slug caterpillar, Conthyla rotunda has caused severe damage to the palms in Nagercoil District of Tamil Nadu. In addition to coconut they feed on banana also. They can be managed by spraying carbaryl 0.1%, / chlorpyriphos 0.05 %. In addition release of predatory pentatomid bug, Eucanthecona furcellata are found effective in managing the pest.
  • Rhinoceros beetle: Fill the leaf axils with naphthalene balls 10g (4 nos.) & neem cake 250g + fine sand (250g). Placing pheromone traps helps in monitoring tree and to capture the adult beetles. Spray carbaryl 50% WP 0.01% (200mg/ lit. of water) in breeding sites.
  • Red palm weevil: Stem injection of 1% Carbaryl 50 % WP @ 1 litre per palm. Place pheromone traps @ 1 per ha. The adult weevils can also be trapped using attractants such as fresh toddy fermented with yeast/acetic acid or fermented mixture of crushed sugarcane+ jaggery + Banana.
  • Black headed caterpillar: Spraying Dichlorvos @ 0.02 % or malathion @ 0.05 % helps to bring down the population.