Case worm infected paddy leaves
Case Worm (Nymphula depunctalis known as Dhovem Pisollem in Konkani) pests appear in low-lying areas whenever heavy rainfall occurs during July-August. The case-worm larvae cut the leaf blades into short lengths, construct tubular cases, remain inside these small rolls and feed on the foliage. This pest is semi aquatic in habits and is able to breathe under water. In a badly infested field, a number of these leaf cases, white in colour could be seen attached to the plants. The case worm also appears in the Rabi season and causes severe damage.
The whitening of the grass blades in paddy is a typical sign of CASE WORM attack. The greenish caterpillar eats the leaf mesophyll that contains the green chrophyll pigment and hence it looks white. It rolls a small (about one inch long) beedi of the rice leaf and cuts it to fall and float on the water to pupate before emerging as the white moth that is known as “dhovem pisollem” in Konkani.
Solution
Important is the water regulation. If one can drain the water from the field and float a coir rope at the outlet, it will trap the pupae in the leaf beedi. Collect and crush on the road or any hard surface. Where the earhead (of rice) has not emerged, CUT the affected leaves with a sickle and destroy the caterpillars inside.
You can also use VIKARSHA ORGANIC REPELLANT (from Jafer Ali’s AgriHelp – 94466 38348| Email: agrihelp@rediffmail.com). It is ovicidal, (kills insect eggs) and a repellant. It works on lepidopterans (moths and Butterflies) and also reduces Plant Hoppers including Brown Plant Hopper (BPH) which is a problem in rice paddies.
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Case Worm – English (PDF)
Dhovem Pisollem – Roman Konkani (PDF)
Several of us have had a problem with our Capsicum crop, as well as the local varieties of chillies that we grow.
The Problem: Leaves of the capsicum plan seem to be shriveling up and are not growing in size.
Shriveled up leaves of Capsicum
The diagnosis: Scientists from the KVK visited the farms where this seemed to be a problem. They suggest that this is a problem of fungal attack as well as that of white flies.
Dr. Prabhu and Dr. Rajnarayan visit affected farms
They also suspect that due to very high moisture levels (because of a low water table) and excessive watering the fungal attack was seen more in low-lying and not so much in upland areas.
Solutions: There were a couple of approaches taken to try and address the issue:
Sprinkle the following
- wood/burnt cow-dung ash on the plants
- a solution of burnt cow-dung ash in water (soaked for 24 hrs)
- a neem-based water solution (though this was found to also contain the chemical epichlorohydrin )
It remains to be seen which of the above has been most effective.
Samiksha sprays her chilly crop with neem-based insecticide
Despite attack, Capsicum seems to be growing well in some pockets
Applying for compensation is usually looked upon as a complicated waste of time. Not without reason. Last year, several members from our Club applied for compensation when we had untimely rains that damaged the cashew crop. We never heard back from the various departments concerned.
Sample Letter of Complaint and Form 1 & 14
This year also we have applied for compensation due to untimely/heavy rains, which damaged our crops twice this year. The first time it happened in the last week of September and then recently Cyclone Phyan (on the 14-15 of November) ruined our harvested crops. Several farmers were affected at each instance.
For the September incident, several farmers submitted forms individually and are still to hear form the government departments.
For the November incident, 22 farmers got together and decided to use the Farmers Club as a platform to push the departments to act swiftly.
A standard letter was designed, leaving space for each farmer to provide his/her details (see sample above) and attach respective Forms 1 & 14 and NOCs (as needed). Each farmer filled out two such letters and sent them out collectively, one each, to the Mamlatdar and to the Zonal Agricultural Officer (ZAO). The Club also wrote a covering letter requesting the Mamlatdar and the ZAO to look into this matter urgently, which concerned residents of our village.
We also provided prints of the photos documenting the damage and about 6-8 of us, along with a TERI representative met the Mamlatdar and requested him to urgently send the necessary officers for the inspections.
We will follow the process and report back on how long it took for us to actually get the promised compensation. Stay tuned.
In February this year, 19 Club members had applied and received Kisan Credit Cards (under a NABARD scheme). Like most credit cards, Kisan Credit Cards too, have a credit limit that is determined by assessing a farmers needs and ability to pay back.
Unfortunately, the then Branch Manager credited the entire ‘credit-limit’ amount into the savings accounts as a ‘loan’ to the Club members. This meant that the clock had begun ticking, and these 19 members were being charged an interest on their CREDIT LIMIT!
The Club members were alert and realised what happened and imediately wrote to the Branch Manager, requesting a clarification. We also sent copies of the letter to NABARD and the Regional Branch of Central Bank of India.
In the meantime, the Branch Manager got transferred out of our village, and we received a reply from the Regional office saying this would be looked into.
The new Branch Manager, Mr. Amrik Singh Deol was appraised of the situation and he promised to remedy it immediately. And he kept his word.
Central Bank of India Branch Manager - Chodan Branch. He wasted no time in regularising all the KCC accounts.
At our last meeting, all those who had applied for the KCCs, were given fresh passbooks (as they should have been given at the very start). He’s also sanctioned KCCs for several more members.
A round of applause for Mr. Deol and the Central Bank of India’s Chodan Branch!!
