06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation

Lakshadweep Islands
1. Pre-baiting with inert materials such as
coriander, grains etc.
2. Baiting in the households, godowns etc. using
Bropmidiolone, Roda cake/ Roban cake.
3. Mass rat hunt campaign in the coconut fields
and placing anti coagulant bait materials on
the crowns of coconut palms.
4. Banding coconut tree truncks at the height of
5" to 6" from the ground level.
5. Fumigation of rat burrows with Alphos/celphes
tabs.
6. Follow-up action once in three months in the
identified pockets of rat nuisance.
The level of damage was successfully brought
down to 5% - 10% with the implementation of the
above-mentioned measures.
Loose approaches crept into the picture in the
matter of implementation of control packages. The
mass participation of the peoples for rat hunt has
weakened in every Island. The administration has
transferred the implementation of this scheme to
the village panchayat. Recent survey conducted in
Andrott and Kalpeni islands revealed that rat
damage in 2001 is at the level of 16%-20%.
Rhinoceros beetle: This is a common pest in all
the islands. It attacks the frondal region of the
palm. After electrification the damage has
reduced due to the fact that the streetlights trap
these beetles. However it became endemic in the
islands and cause on an average 8%-10% damage
to the coconut production. The intensity of attack
is more in the thickly planted coconut gardens in
the middle part of the islands. Earlier the beetle
control operation was carried out with the use of
BHC + sand mixture. The use of BHC is now
banned and biological control introduced.
Eryomide mite (coconut mite): Incidence of
coconut mites was first reported from the island of
Kalpeni. It has recently been noticed that this pest
has migrated to other islands of Andrott,
Kavarathi and Minicoy. Mealy bugs, scaie insects
and white flies attack coconut seedlings and
young palms but the extent of damage is in smaller
magnitude.
The intercrops like cucurbits, brinjal, chilies,
cowpeas etc. have common pests as in the
mainland. They are controlled by the use of
pesticide supplied by the agriculture department.
Wherever bio-control technology is available, that
only is adopted for control of pests and diseases.
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]}iseases: Stem bleeding disease is commonly
noticed in the coconut plantation. Bud rot of
coconut was once noticed in the Amini Island and
now controlled effectively. The toll of root wilt
diseases was observed in Kalpeni Island during
the 1970's but is now controlled.
f. Fertilizer and manure use :
The agriculture department units in the islands
introduced fertilizer and manure use since 1957-
58. The fertilizers recommended were Amonium
sulphate, Urea, Sulphate of potash, Muriate of
potash and sulper phospahate. A soil analysis
showed that the soil was very poor in Nitrogen and
Potash content. The college of Agriculture,
Vellangani, Trivandrum recommended the use of a
specially constituted mixture of 8:0:16 (N:P:K)
mixture for coconut. In 1973-74 The CPCRI
Kasargod, recommended to stop using sulphate of
Potash and minimize the use of Super Phosphate.
The annual consumption of chemical fertilizers
was about 40 mt nitrogen 8-10 mt, phosphatic and
60 mt of phospate fertilizers. In 1996-97 the use of
chemical fertilizers was banned and the use of
organic manures and organic wastes through
composting and leaf manure application were
popularized by the agricultllral department.
Intercropping in coconut gardens and multicropping
became a practice of the farmers with
the use of fertilizers and manures. This trend
continued till 1990-91 after which the scope for
intercropping and multicropping diminished due
to the rapid subdivision and fragmentation of
holdings making it impossible to raise annuals.
g. Hinderences to Agricultural development
1. Rapid subdivision and fragmentation of land
holdings has led to a very small holding size.
The percapita land holding size in 1996-97 was
1/20 of aha.
2. There is a tendency for the owners of Ihis newly
subdivided land to plant coconut trees to mark
their land boundaries. This has increased the
density of coconut trees and makes it
impossible to do any kind of intercropping.
3. The soil is loose and porus and has low
Nitrogen, Phosphorus and phosphate content.
Water holding capacity is poor.
4. The number of residential house has increased
with disintegration of the Joint property
Marimakkuthayam system and the popularity of
the nuclear family. This further causes a loss of
land for agriculture or plantation.