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Onion is the major
vegetable crop being cultivated during rabi season in Kopargaon, Rahata,
Sangamner, Rahuri and Shrirampur tehsils of Ahmednagar district. Every
year the onion growers have to face the problem of heavy thrips
infestation on this crop. Due to severe infestation of this particular
pest onion leaves become twisted and large number of white streaks
appear on the leaves. This results in increasing the incidence of purple
blotch disease on onion. Ultimately the yield of onion was being
hampered and thereby the farmers have to face yield economic losses.
The problem of these onion grower was analyzed by the KVK in onion
growing villages and discussion were held with onion growers in Madhi
KdII and Dahigaon Bolka villages of Kopargaon block. The effective
solution in the form of karanjin 2%EC was advised for management of
thrips as well as to minimize the cost of plant protection. The farmers
were asked to apply 400ml of karanjin extract per acre after 30 and 45
days of transplanting of the crop. This karanjin extract destroys the
eggs and nymphs of this pest and thereby minimize it’s population. For
popularizing this concept among the onion growers, the KVK undertook the
frontline demonstration on use of karanjin 2%EC against onion thrips at
30 different locations in Madhi Kd and Dahigaon Bolka villages.
Two applications of karanjin extract @ 400ml per care were adopted by
the farmers after 30 and 45 days of transplanting of the crop. This
resulted in minimizing thrips infestation by almost 80% and twisting of
leaves was also not observed in the demonstration plots. Similarly
incidence of purple blotch disease was 30-35% less as compared to
chemically treated plots. There were no white streaks on leaves and the
colour of leaves was also green as compared to whitish green in control
plots.
By observing the lowest thrips infestation, the onion growers got fully
convinced and they found that almost 50% cost on plant protection was
reduced. The neighboring onion growers also visited the demonstration
plots.. For wide spread dissemination of the technology a field day was
organized on the farmer’s field. Similarly the technology was
popularized through mass media like radio talk and news paper articles.
This has resulted in large scale adoption of karanjin extract not only
in onion but also in other vegetables and fruit crops for controlling
thrips.
By observing the effectiveness of karanjin extract, some of the
vegetable and fruit growers in the district purchased it in bulk
quantities from the service center of the KVK and started to use it
against all the sucking pests like white flies, thrips, jassids, red
mites etc. By considering the demand for karanjin extract by the
farmers, the KVK has started to supply karanjin extract at a very
reasonable rate to the farmers of the district. Thus the timely and
quality supply of this input at reasonable rate has also resulted in
increasing the adoption of this technology. The farmers are fully
convinced about the results of karanjin extract against onion thrips and
also gave the feedback that it’s application in other crops has also
been proved effective.
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