INTEGRATED LOCUST MANAGEMENT

On receiving the message of Locust swarm invasion, farmers may take following preventive measures

1. Farmers should go to their cropped field and make loud sound by beating empty tins/metal plates, drum or radio or through other electronic sound system to prevent locust swarm landing in the crop.

2. Spray Neem based formulation (0.15% EC) @ 45 ml/15 liter water on standing crop as feeding deterrent.

3. Dust the crop with Quinalphos 1.5 % DP or chloropyriphos 1.5% DP or Methyl Parathion 2% DP@ 25 kg/ha on standing crop.

4. Dig a trench 2 feet deep and 2 feet wide in front of marching hopper band and then apply Quinalphos 1.5% DP or chloropyriphos 1.5% DP or Methyl Parathion 2% DP dust in the trench or if water is available, pour water in the trench.

ULV sprayer

5. If the hopper band is roosting, either go for dusting Quinalphos 1.5% DP or chloropyriphos 1.5% DP or Methyl Parathion 2% DP dust @ 25 kg/ha or spray malathion 96% ULV @1.0 lit./ha or fenitrothion 96% ULV @ 1.0lit./ha with the help of ULV sprayer directly on the hopper band.

6. If the adult locust swarm has settled on the ground in uncultivated field, either go for dusting Quialphos 1.5% DP or chloropyriphos 1.5% DP or Methyl Parathion 2% DP dust @25kg/ha or spray malathion 96 % ULV @ 1.0 lit./ha or fenitrothion 96% ULV 2 1.0 lit./ha with the help of ULV sprayer directly on the hopper band provided it is in small area.

7. If it is on large uncultivated land, apply same dust of ULV formulation using vehicle mounted dusters/ULV sprayers as the case may be.

8. If a locust swarm is spotted invading a cropped area, the State Agriculture Department should arrange Aerial spraying of ULV formulation of insecticides like malathion 96% ULV @ 1.0 lit./ha of fenitrothion 96% ULV @1.0 lit/ha with the help of ULV nozzles fitted on a Helicopter.

9. If the Locust swarm is spotted settled in non schedule cropped or non-cropped area, the State Agriculture Department should arrange Aerial spraying of ULV formulation of insecticide like malathion 96% ULV @1.0 lit./ha or fenitrothion 96% ULV @ 0.5 lit./ha with the help of ULV nozzles fitted on a Helicopter.

10. Mix 500ml DDVP 76 EC 50 ml water in 100kg dry sand/Fine Soil and sprinkle in standing crop to kill adult locust.

Locusts are generally knocked down within short time after sprinkling the mixture.

CAUTION:

Apply during cool hours : 7 - 10 am or 5-7 pm.

Wear protective clothing/face mask/, hand gloves/googles/head cap while applying this mixture and leave the field as early as possible.

The crop should not be harvested for seven days after this treatment.

Some Other Details About Locust

Important Species of Locust in India

Desert Locust

Matured Adult Locust

Life Stages of Desert Locust

Stages: Egg - Hopper - Adult

Duration: Egg                      - 10-65 days

                 Hopper                - 24-95 days

                 Adult                    - 2.5-5 months

                 Laying-fledging  - 40-50 days

                 Adult maturation- 3weeks- 9 months

                 Total                    - 2-6 months

Larval moults: 5-6 (solitarious, 5 (gregarious)solitarious, transiens, gregarious

Phases Affected area:  Recession area-16 million km2.- Invasion area: 29 million km2

Locust Damage

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GROW PLANTS WITHOUT SOIL

Why Plants really need Soil ?

Soil provides nutrients and support to the plants. It gives water and oxygen to plants. So, soil just acts as a medium to provide plants support, water, and nutrients. Soil can be replaced until plants get their nutrient, support and water. By choosing not to use soil, we are also protecting our plants from common diseases, and pests.

Techniques to Grow Plants without Soil

1. Aquaponics

It is an innovative method in which plants absorb the fish waste as nutrients and recycle the water for the fishes. It creates a symbiotic relationship in which fish provide nutrients to plants and water is conserved as we don't need to change the water for fish.

2. Aeroponics

Aeroponics is an advanced type of hydroponics. In this technique plants grows in a mist or air evironment without any aggregate medium or soil.

3. Aquascaping

It is a method to grow aquatic plants generally for the purpose of decorating the aquarium and arranging them with rocks, stones, in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

4. Hydroponics

Hydroponics is a type of hydroculture to growing terrestrial plants without soil by dissolving nutrients in a water solvent. The inert medium like gravel or perlite support the plants with only roots submerged to the nutrients solution.

Raising plants without soil allows farmers to grow more food in less space. It is especially important in our country, where many people go hungry.

Once word got around, people were growing plants in baskets, on patios and on rooftops using only water and a little plant food.

NASA researcher checking hydroponic plants 

Best Plants to grow in a Hydroponic System

Vegetables

• Lettuces
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Spinaches

Herbs

• Mint
• Basil

Fruits

• Strawberries
• Peppers

How to Start a Hydroponic Garden

• Choose a container

There are many types of containers that we can use including fiberglass tank, glass jar, cement trough and metal containers. The container should be leak proof.

• Pick a Plant

Spread newspapers over work area and then carefully remove the plant from its pot. Tap the bottom of the pot while gently easing the plant out.

Then gently brush all the soil from the roots.

• Making Solution

We can make hydroponic solution in two ways. One way is to buy the premixed nutrients. Another way is to mix nutrients. Buy the nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium etc from market to make base of out solution. These are in the form of salt. Mix this salts with water to make a solution. The salts will breakdown and provide nutrients to the plants. The quantities we should use :

2 tsp of ammonium phosphate

4 tsp of magnesium sulfate

4 tsp of potassium nitrate

4.5 tsp of calcium nitrate

Calcium and magnesium carbonates are also common ingredients.

• Supporting the Plant with Solution

Plants can be supported in pure water culture. In water culture, plants grows with immersed in nutrient solution without any aggregate medium. Carefully thread the plant stem. Place the roots into the glass container filled with water.

• Add Light

Move plant to a sunny location and watch it grow!

After about a week, pour out the water and refill. Change the water and the plant food solution about once a month.

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PRECISION FARMING

ADVANTAGES OF DRONES TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Precision agriculture refers to the precise application of agricultural input with respect to soil, weather, crop need in order to improve productivity, profitability and quality in agriculture.

Drone technology is useful for scouting out new field locations, remotely check small sections of crops, surveying entire fields. The drones can helps in pollution reduction,  permitting for improved agricultural adaptation to the effect of climate change. They can also assist to increase the crop productivity.

Pollution Reduction

Agricultural runoff from industrial fertilizer and pesticides is very harmful for health. By checking on plant health, drones produce valuable data that farmers can use to reduce chemical application by only administering chemicals in a targeted manner. They can also be equipped with equipment that gives them the ability to scan the ground and spray the precise amount of chemicals. The dramatically reduces the amount of chemicals used. 
Remotely accessing field can help detect bacterial infections early and a rapid response to such infections can save an entire crop.The capability to react quickly allows farmers to apply monitor remedies more precisely.

Adaptation to Climate Change

Irrigation is the main concern for farmers in India who are  faced with longer and more dramatic droughts. Drones equipped with the right sensors can identify which parts of a field need more water. Farmers can use this information to make the proper adjustments to their fields and use their resources optimally and without waste. Additionally, the information gathered by the drones helps farmers perfect the level of water in the field to create peak growing conditions tailored to specific crops.

Increase Crop Productivity

Giving growers the ability to quickly and easily analyze entire fields at once has many advantages. Present development in drone farming can indicate the development of a crop with precision and can locate under-performing areas, enabling better crop management. Drones can be outfitted with countless combinations of sensors to fit farmer's need. Different sensors can also be used to pick out healthy plants from the unhealthy ones, while other simply, compare color difference in crops which are detectable to the human eye.Various sensors detect heat or moisture to determine crop health.

It is possible that in the near future, farmers will be able to utilize autonomous systems that monitor and update all information in real time.

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