Tamarind monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future
Tamarind monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future
Tamarind monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future
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5% Aldrin, where permitted, at 500 g per tree (Butani, 1979). For more<br />
detialed in<strong>for</strong>mation on legal restrictions of this chemical refer to:<br />
http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_ChemUse.jsp?Rec_Id=PC35039 Aldrin<br />
Some thrips are reported to attack tamarind flowers. Scirtothrips dorsalis<br />
Hood (Thysonoptera: Thripidae) is a polyphagus thrip and <strong>the</strong> adults live <strong>for</strong><br />
10-15 days and complete 25 overlapping generations per year (Raizada,<br />
1965). Ramaswamiahiella subnudula is ano<strong>the</strong>r small yellowish thrip which<br />
attacks tamarind. Halothrips ceylonicus Schmutz (Thysanoptera:<br />
Phlaeothripidae) is a minor pest of tamarind. Thrips can be controlled by<br />
spraying with dimethioate, where permitted, at 20-30 ml /10 litres of water<br />
or Fenthion at 10-15 ml /10 litres of water (Wijegunasekera, 1999, personal<br />
communication).<br />
The moth, Eublemma ungulifera Moore (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) attacks<br />
flowers, weakening <strong>the</strong>m, causing <strong>the</strong>m to dry and fall from <strong>the</strong> trees. The<br />
larvae of Cydia (Laspeyresia) palamedes Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Torticidae)<br />
also bore into tender buds. The caterpillars cover <strong>the</strong> flowers and buds with<br />
webs and heavy losses of <strong>the</strong> crop may result. The slug caterpillar, Latoia<br />
lepila (Parusa lepides) can be a serious pest (Babu et al. 2000).<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r minor pests in India include <strong>the</strong> bruchid beetle, Pachymerus<br />
(Coryoborus) gonogra (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), which is <strong>the</strong> most serious<br />
pest of tamarind in India and Pakistan (Beeson, 1941; Mathur and Singh,<br />
1961; Butani, 1978; Chaturvedi, 1985). The eggs of this insect are laid on<br />
<strong>the</strong> pods or on seeds whose contents are eaten by <strong>the</strong> larvae. The infestation<br />
frequently continues in storage. Bruchid beetles can be controlled by<br />
fumigating <strong>the</strong> pods / seeds with phosphine, ethylene bromide, carbon<br />
tetrachloride or acrynitrile, where <strong>the</strong>ir use is allowed. O<strong>the</strong>r bruchids, e.g.<br />
Caryedon serratus, can also use tamarind as a host, this being <strong>the</strong> important<br />
groundnut bruchid (Sundia and Akhil, 2004). It attacks tamarind in India,<br />
Colombia, Puerto Rico, Egypt, South Africa, Australia and New Caledonia<br />
(Mital and Khamna, 1967; Valez Angel, 1972; Timyan, 1996; Delobel et al.,<br />
2003).<br />
The lac insect Kerria lacca Ker (Hemiptera: Lacciferidae), whilst not<br />
considered a major pest, is a widely distributed polyphagus insect in India<br />
which attacks tamarind stems, twigs and leaves, and many o<strong>the</strong>r cultivated<br />
and wild plants. Removing <strong>the</strong> affected parts in early stages, as commonly<br />
practised by farmers, can control <strong>the</strong> lac insect. In serious infestations, <strong>the</strong><br />
legal spraying of diazinon or Carbosulphan at 1% solution is effective.<br />
Chionaspis acuminate-atricolour, which is a sap sucker, can be controlled in<br />
<strong>the</strong> same way.<br />
Larvae of Achaea janata Linn. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are reported to<br />
cause heavy losses when epidemics of <strong>the</strong> moth infest flowers in tamarind<br />
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