Go Green Farming Adopt Organic or Natural Methods: 2015

Monday, October 5, 2015

Home Made Pesticide - Pungam Seeds Solution Pesticide

The Botanical name of Pungam is Pongammia Punnata,

புங்கம் விதை கரைசல் (Tamil )Karanj (in Hindi)Honge Beeja(in Kannada)

Required Ingredients

S.No.	Ingredient Name	Qty in Litres/Grams/Kgs
1	Water	1 Litre
2	Pungam Dried Seeds	30 Grams

Method of Preparation

Crush the Pungam Dried Seeds into fine powder.
Add the 30 Grams of Pungam fine powder to 1 Litre of Water.
Stir the solution well so that the fine powder is completely dissolved in the water,
Filter the solution using a cloth and use it.

Note:

Please note that the stick (neem stick is better ) used for mixing the ingredients should be cleaned before & after the usage so as to avoid maggots formations in the pesticide.
The pesticide should be kept in the shade and covered with a wire mesh or plastic mosquito net to prevent houseflies from laying eggs and the formation of maggots (worms) in the solution.
This is applicable during the preparation as well as during the shelf life of the pesticide as well.
The pesticide is effective in controlling Aphids.

Fish Amino Acid An Organic Manure

Required Ingredients

S.No.	Ingredient Name	Qty in Litres/Kgs
1	Fish Wastes	2 Kgs
2	Solid Jaggery	2 Kgs

Method of Preparation

Cut the Fish or Fish Waste into small pieces and place it in an air tight container.
Crush the solid jaggery into small pieces and place it as well in the container.
Mix them well and store in a cool place. Avoid direct sunlight.
The solution can be used when the solution looks like honey. This will take 20-30 days of fermentation.
Remove the solid fish waste by filtering the same.

Usage :

Dilute 200 ml of the manure with 10 litre of water before use ,every 15 days the manure can be applied.

Dry Ginger Ashtira (Home Made Pesticide)

Required Ingredients

S.No.	Ingredient Name	Qty in Litres/Kgs
1	Dry Ginger	200 Grams
2	Cow's or Buffalo Milk	5 Litres
3	Water	200 Litres

Method of Preparation

Crush the Dry Ginger into a fine powder.
Add the Dry Ginger powder to 2 Litres of water.
Boil the water until the water becomes 1 Litre.
Allow the water to cool down to room temperature.
Boil the Milk well in a pot.
Allow the milk to cool down to room temperature.
Remove the layer (cream) at the top of the milk.
Finally, add the both the Dry Ginger water solution and the Milk solution to 200 Litres of water.

Uses :

The pesticide can be stored for 30 days.
The pesticide is effective in controlling fungus

Friday, October 2, 2015

Egg Lime Solution or Muttai Rasam ( in Tamil )

Egg lime Solution Preparation : Muttai Rasam ( in Tamil )

A Best & Must solution for All crops

Ingredients :

Lime 20 to 25 nos
Eggs 10 to 12 Chicken or ducks
water
jaggery 250 gms

Preparation :

Take about 20-25 limes and squeeze the juice into a bucket. Take about 250 gm of jaggery and mix it well with the lime juice to form a solution.

Then take about 10-12 chicken or duck eggs and place it in the bucket containing the solution in such a way that all the eggs are well immersed inside the solution. Close the bucket with an air tight lid and keep it in the shade for about 10 days. On the 10th day, the eggs along with the shells inside the solution would have become rubbery, like a rubber ball.

Use your hands to mix the eggs (along with the shell) with the lime, jaggery solution. After thorough mixing, add jaggery solution again in equal measure to the lime jaggery solution.

For example : If there is 2 litres of the solution, then add 2 litres of jaggery solution, if it is 3 litres add 3 litres of jaggery solution and so on.

Then close the bucket tightly for about 10 days. After the 10th day the formulation can be used as spray for the crops. About 10 to 15 ml of the formulation can be diluted in one litre of water and sprayed. The concentration varies according to the area to be sprayed.

This formulation can be sprayed for any crops such as paddy, wheat, banana, vegetables, greens and fruit trees. It is important that the spray be done either in the morning or late evening.

this solution helps in good plant growth and can also be mixed with Panchagavya, vermiwash and sprayed

Note : It works effectively as pest Repellent & also a good growth promoter for paddy and vegetable crops .

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Home made pesticide - Bhram-masthra

Preparation of Bhram-masthra Ingredients required :

It is called Bhramastra because it is very powerful weapon used in ancient time according Indian History,so this solution is powerful

Take Notchi leaves(Vitex Negundo) 10 kg
Neem leaves 3 Kg
Tamarind leaves 2 Kg
Water 100 liters
Cow Urine 10 liters

How to prepare :

Grind the all the above said three leaves well. Add cow urine 10 liters, after 48 hours filter it. Add 100 liters water for dilution.

Usage :

Spray monthly two times generally for all crops all pests.

Home Preparation of Neem Seed Kernal Extracts

NSKE = Neem seed kernel extracts

Items Required :

10 kg of Neem seed kernels

water

Preparation :

10 kg of Neem seed kernels boiled in 15 liters of water. Dilute 200 ml of this extract mixed in 15 liters of water and four to five sprays may be given to control sucking pests.

Important Pests of Paddy ( Rice ) 2

Main field pests

Paddy stem-borer: Scirpophaga incertulas

Symptom of damage

1. Presence of brown coloured egg mass near leaf tip.

2. Caterpillar bore into central shoot of paddy seedling and tiller

3. Causes drying of the central shoot known as “dead heart”

4. Grown up plant whole panicle becomes dried “white ear”.

Identification of insect pest

Egg - Laid in a mass and covered with buff coloured hairs.

Larva - Pale yellow with dark brown head.

Pupa - White silken cocoon.

Adult

Female moth - bright yellowish brown fore wings with a black spot possess a tuft of yellow hairs.

Male moth - Smaller with pale yellow fore-wings without black spot.

Control:

Avoid close planting and continuous water stagnation

Pull out and destroy the affected tillers

Set up light traps to attract and kill the moths

Harvest the crop up-to the ground level and disturb the stubble

Release the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma japonicum on twice @ 5 cc/ha/

Apply neem seed kernel extract

Spray ginger garlic extracts

Gall midge, Orseolia oryzae

Symptom of damage

1. Maggot feeds at the base of the growing shoot

2. Causing formation of a tube like gall that is similar to “onion leaf” or “Silver-shoot”.

3. Infested tillers produce no panicles.

Identification of insect pest

Egg: Reddish, elongate, tubular eggs just near the ligule of the leaf blade

Larva: Maggot is pale to red colour feeds inside the gall.

Pupa: pupates at the base of the gall and moves to tip of the gall

Adult: Adult is orange coloured mosquito like fly

Control:

Early ploughing

Harvest the crop and plough immediately

Remove the alternate hosts and adjust the time of planting (early)

Use early maturing varieties

Optimum recommendation of potash fertilizer

Setup light trap and monitor the adult flies

Swarming caterpillar, Spodoptera mauritia

Symptom of damage

1. Larvae cut the seedlings in large scale

2. Severe infestation - cattle grazing appearance to the field.

3. They feed gregariously and march from field to field.

Identification of insect pest

• Egg - Laid in masses on leaves and covered with grey hairs

• Larva - Caterpillar is cylindrical dark to pale green with lateral lines along the body

• Pupa - Pupates in an earthen cocoon in soil

• Adult - Moth is medium sized stoutly build.

• Dark brown with a conspicuous triangular spot on fore wings.

Control:

Kerosene the water while irrigation – suffocation

Allow ducks into the field

Nursery

Drain the water

Spray Panchkavya

Rice skipper, Pelopidas mathias

Symptom of damage

1. Edges of the leaves are fastened with webbing.

2. Backward rolling of leaves,

3. caterpillar feeds from margin to inwards

Identification of insect pest

Larva: Pale green with constructed neck.

Adult: Butterfly with brown coloured wings and curved antenna

Control:

Spray Neem Astra

Leaf folder (or) leaf roller, Cnaphalocrocis mainsails / Marasmia patnalis

Symptom of damage

1. Leaves fold longitudinally and larvae remains inside.

2. Larvae scrapes the green tissues of the leaves and becomes white and dry.

3. During severe infestation the whole field exhibits scorched appearance

Identification of insect pest

• Egg - Flat, oval in shape and yellowish white in colour.

• Larva - Greenish translucent

• Adult - Moth is brownish with many dark wavy lines in centre and dark band on margin of

Control:

Clipping of the affected leaves

Keep the bunds clean

Avoid excessive nitrogenous fertilizers

Light traps to attract and kill moths

Release Trichogramma chilonis @ 1, 25,000/ha thrice

Spray NSKE 5 %

Rice horned caterpillar, Melanitis ismene

Damage

• Larva feeds on leaf blades of rice.

• Leaves are defoliated from the margin or tip irregularly.

Identification of insect pest

• Egg - White eggs singly on the leaves is green,

• Larva - Lightly flattened with two red horns processes on the head

• Two yellow processes in the anal end

• Pupa - Chrysalis, which suspends from the leaf.

• Adult - dark brown with large wings having a black

• yellow eye like spot one on each of the fore wings.

Control:

Spray neem Astra.

Yellow hairy caterpillar, Psalis pennatula

Symptoms of damage

Caterpillar causes defoliation

Identification of insect pest

• Caterpillar is yellowish brown with red stripes

• Orange head and tufts of hairs all over the body.

• Pupa - pale white cocoon of silk and frass attached to the leaf

• Adult - Moth is stout with straw coloured fore-wings.

Control:

Spray Neem Astra

Grasshopper, Hieroglyphus banian

Short horned grasshopper, Oxya nitidula

Symptom of damage

Irregular feeding on seedlings and leaf blade

Cutting of stem at panicle stage

Completely defoliate the plants leaving only the mid ribs

Identification of insect pest

Adults - Green, larger with transverse black lines on pronotum

Control:

Expose the eggs to be picked up by birds after ploughing and trim the bunds

Dusting the crop neem

Dusting Panchkavya

Spiny beetle / Rice hispa, Dicladispa armigera

Symptoms of damage

Adults feed on chlorophyll by scraping and causing white parallel streaks

White patches along with long axis of leaf.

Grubs mine into the leaves and make blister near leaf tips.

Identification of insect pest

Larva - Grub is minute, flat and yellow

Adult - Blue - black shiny beetle with spines on the thorax and elytra

Control:

Leaf tip containing blotch mines should be destroyed

Manual collection and killing of beetles – hand nets

Spray Neem Astra

Whorl maggot, Hydrellia sasakii,

Symptom of damage

Maggot feeds on the tender tissue inside the whorl

Yellowish white longitudinal marginal blotching with hole

Leaves shrivelled plant stunted and maturity delayed.

Drooping of young leaves near the tip

Identification of the pest

Maggot - Yellowish white in color.

Adult - Small dull grey fly.

Control:

Remove the alternate hosts and adjust the time of planting (early)

Use early maturing varieties

Spray Neem Astra

Green leafhopper, Nephotettix virescens,

Symptom of damage

Yellowing of leaves from tip to downwards.

Vector for the diseases viz., Rice tungro virus, rice yellow & transitory yellowing

Identification of insect pest

Adults - are green with black spot and black patch on wings.

Control:

Apply neem cake @ 12.5 kg/20 cent nursery as basal dose

The vegetation on the bunds should also be sprayed with the insecticides

Set up light traps

Spray Bhrammasthra. twice, 15 and 30 days after transplanting.

Brown plant leafhopper, Nilaparvata lugens

Symptoms of damage

Nymphs and adults congregate at the base of the plant above the water level

Affected plant dries up and gives a scorched appearance called “hopper burn”.

Circular patches of drying and lodging of matured plant

It is vector of grassy stunt, ragged stunt and wilted stunt diseases

Identification of insect pest

Adult: Brown body and chestnut brown eyes. It has two forms viz.,

(Macropterous (long winged) and brachypterous (short winged)).

Control:

Avoid close planting

To provide 30 cm rogue spacing at every 2.5 m to reduce the pest incidence.

Avoid use of excessive nitrogenous fertilizers

Control irrigation by intermittent draining

Set up light traps during night

Yellow pan traps during day time

Conserve natural enemies like Lycosa pseudoannulata, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis

Apply any one.

Neem oil 3% @ 15 lit/ha

Iluppai oil 6% @ 30 lit/ha

Neem seed kernel extract 5% @ 25 kg/ha

White backed plant hopper, Sogatella furcifera,

Damage

Suck the sap and cause stunted growth.

“Hopper burn” is caused in irregular patches.

Identification of insect pest

Nymph - White in colour and pronotum is pale yellow.

Adult - Possess a diamond like marking on the thorax and ovipositional site is black streaks.

Control:

Avoid use of excessive nitrogenous fertilizers

Control irrigation by intermittent draining

Apply any one of the following

Neem oil 3% @ 15 lit/ha

Iluppai oil 6% @ 30 lit/ha

Neem seed kernel extract 5% @ 25 kg/ha

Mealybug, Brevennia rehi

Damage

Large number of insects remains in leaf sheath and suck the sap.

Plants become week, yellowish and very much stunted in circular patches.

Presence of white waxy fluff in leaf sheaths

Identification of insect pest

Adult - Small reddish white, soft-bodied

wingless insect covered with filamentous materials.

Control:

During field preparation - remove the grasses from the bunds and trim the bunds

Remove and destroy the affected plants.

Spray neem Astra in the initial stage of infestation

Conserve the natural enemies

Rice earhead bug: Leptocorisa acuta

Symptoms of damage

Sucking the sap from individual grains, which are in milky stage.

Individual grains become chaffy

Black spots on the grains at the site of feeding puncture.

Buggy odour in rice field during milky stage

Identification of insect pest

Eggs: Dark, reddish brown and laid in rows of 10-15 on the leaves (or) panicles

Nymphs: Green to brown.

Adults: Slender with long legs and antennae.

They are brownish green in colour, while disturbing it emittes stink odour

Control:

Spray Neem seed kernel extract 5% @ 25 kg/ha or Notchi or Prosopis leaf extract 10% . twice as above

Thrips: Stenchaetothrips biformis

Symptoms of damage

Laceration of the tender leaves and suck the plant sap

Yellow (or) silvery streaks on the leaves of young seedlings

Terminal rolling and drying of leaves from tip to base

It causes damage both in nursery and main field

Identification of insect pest

Adults - are dark brown in colour

Control:

Spray neem Astra or panchkavya in nursery stage

Spray neem Astra or panchkavya in field stage

Ginger Garlic Pesticide for Home Garden and for all Crops

Preparation of Ginger Garlic extract

Ingredients :

Ginger 1 Kg

Garlic 1 Kg each

Green chillies 2 Kg

Cow urine 5 liters

Procedure to Prepare :

Take ginger and garlic 1 Kg each, 2 Kg green chillies & cow urine 5 liters. Grind the above ingredients with Cow urine keep it away for 10 days. Then filter. Dilute the 500 ml filtrate with 10 liters of water. Now 5 % ginger garlic extracts is ready

U can use this to all crops...

Important Pests of Paddy ( Rice ) 1

Nursery Pests

Thrips: Stenchaetothrips biformis

Symptoms of damage

Laceration of the tender leaves and sucks the plant sap

Yellow (or) silvery streaks on the leaves of young seedlings

Terminal rolling and drying of leaves from tip to base

It causes damage both in nursery and main field

Identification of insect pest

Adults - are dark brown in color

Control:

Spray Panchkavya

Green leaf hopper, Nephotettix virescens,

Symptom

Yellowing of leaves from tip to downwards.

Vector for the diseases viz., Rice tungro virus, rice yellow & transitory yellowing

Identification of insect pest

Adults - are green with black spot and black patch on wings.

Control:

Use resistant varieties.

Apply neem cake @ 12.5 kg/20 cent nursery as basal dose

The vegetation on the bunds should also be sprayed with the insecticides

Set up light traps , Spray Bhrama Astra

Rice case worm, Nymphula depunctalis

Symptom of damage

Caterpillars feed on green tissues of the leaves and leave become whitish papery

Tubular cases around the tillers by cutting the apical portion of leaves

Floating of tubular cases on the water

Identification of insect pest

Larva - Pale translucent green with orange head.

It has filamentous gills on the sides of the body

Adult: Moth is delicate white moth with pale brown wavy markings

Control:

Drain the water

Dislodge the cases – running rope

Nursery - Mix 100 ml kerosene in standing water

Spray Neem Astra, Agniastra

Paddy stemborer: Scirpophaga incertulas

Symptom of damage

Presence of brown colored egg mass near leaf tip.

Caterpillar bore into central shoot of paddy seedling and tiller

Causes drying of the central shoot known as “dead heart”

Grown up plant whole panicle becomes dried “white ear”.

Identification of insect pest

Egg - Laid in a mass and covered with buff coloured hairs.

Larva - Pale yellow with dark brown head.

Pupa - White silken cocoon.

Adult

Female moth - bright yellowish brown fore wings with a black spot possess a tuft of yellow hairs.

Male moth - Smaller with pale yellow forewings without black spot.

Control:

Resistant varieties: Ratna, Jaya, TKM 6.

Avoid close planting and continuous water stagnation

Pull out and destroy the affected tillers

Set up light traps to attract and kill the moths

Harvest the crop up-to the ground level and disturb the stubble

Release the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma japonicum on twice @ 5 cc/ha/

Apply Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki and neem seed kernel extract

Spray ginger garlic extracts

Swarming caterpillar, Spodoptera mauritia

Symptom of damage

Larvae cut the seedlings in large scale

Severe infestation - cattle grazing appearance to the field.

They feed gregariously and march from field to field.

Identification of insect pest

Egg - Laid in masses on leaves and covered with grey hairs

Larva - Caterpillar is cylindrical dark to pale green with lateral lines along the body

Pupa - Pupates in an earthen cocoon in soil

Adult - Moth is medium sized stoutly build.

Dark brown with a conspicuous triangular spot on fore wings.

Control:

Kerosene the water while irrigation – suffocation

Allow ducks into the field

Nursery

Drain the water

Spray Neemastra

Sunday, April 19, 2015

The Red Queen (Red corn or Maize)

Current Facts

Red corn, also known as Red posole, is a member of the grass family Gramineae. Corn, known outside of English language as simply maize, is technically classified as a grain crop, though when harvested immature is considered a vegetable. Its stalks produce a cob of seeds, which are better known as the kernels, though by botanical definition they are the individual fruits of the plant. Red corn is just one cultivars among thousands of corn varieties, heirloom, hybrid or genetically modified. Some names of Red corn varieties include Bloody Butcher, Broom Corn, Strawberry Popcorn, and Ruby Queen. The red color in Red corn is created by the plant pigment, anthocyanin. The red gene is recessive, thus a high percentage of red kernels must be planted to maintain the color variation.

Description/Taste

Red corn is a type of sweet corn. Its ears are wrapped in tightly bound lime hued husks with silks and a tassel that extend out from the tip. Red corn's kernels are stained with hues of ruby brick red and creamy pink tones, depending on specific variety. The cobs of Red corn are typically leaner than yellow or white and kernels and less plump in size, though this is not a reflection of the Red corn's sweetness. Red corn is exceptionally sweet and nutty in flavor and that flavor is brought out by cooking. Its texture is semi firm and the kernels juicy when young. It is very important to harvest Red corn at the proper stage of maturity. The critical time is the milk stage, when the juice in the kernel appears milky when you puncture the kernel with your thumbnail. As with all sweet corn varieties, as the corn matures, it looses its moisture, starch content increases and the kernels become tough.

Nutritional Value

Red corn provides twenty percent more protein than white corn or yellow corn. Anthocyanin, the pigment that creates the red color in this corn, are antioxidant flavonoids that protect many body systems. Besides chlorophyll, anthocyanins are probably the most important group of visible plant pigments. Anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory properties, have been linked to reversing nervous system damage and can also reverse affects of diabetes. Red corn contains 350% more antioxidants than common white or yellow corn. - See more at: http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Red_Corn_2852.php#sthash.dx3TYAju.dpuf

Red Corn is a hardy and beautiful alternative to everyday sweet corn.

A striking variety of corn grown since the 1800's

Red Corn has a deep red color and when cooked a soft, firm texture

Current Facts

Description/Taste

Nutritional Value

Current Facts

Description/Taste

Nutritional Value

Current Facts

Description/Taste

Nutritional Value

Current Facts

Description/Taste

Nutritional Value

Days to Maturity 100-110 days.

Nutritional Value

Current Facts

Red corn, also known as Red posole, is a member of the grass family Gramineae. Corn, known outside of English language as simply maize, is technically classified as a grain crop, though when harvested immature is considered a vegetable. Its stalks produce a cob of seeds, which are better known as the kernels, though by botanical definition they are the individual fruits of the plant. Red corn is just one cultivars among thousands of corn varieties, heirloom, hybrid or genetically modified. Some names of Red corn varieties include Bloody Butcher, Broom Corn, Strawberry Popcorn, and Ruby Queen. The red color in Red corn is created by the plant pigment, anthocyanin. The red gene is recessive, thus a high percentage of red kernels must be planted to maintain the color variation.

Description/Taste

Red corn is a type of sweet corn. Its ears are wrapped in tightly bound lime hued husks with silks and a tassel that extend out from the tip. Red corn's kernels are stained with hues of ruby brick red and creamy pink tones, depending on specific variety. The cobs of Red corn are typically leaner than yellow or white and kernels and less plump in size, though this is not a reflection of the Red corn's sweetness. Red corn is exceptionally sweet and nutty in flavor and that flavor is brought out by cooking. Its texture is semi firm and the kernels juicy when young. It is very important to harvest Red corn at the proper stage of maturity. The critical time is the milk stage, when the juice in the kernel appears milky when you puncture the kernel with your thumbnail. As with all sweet corn varieties, as the corn matures, it looses its moisture, starch content increases and the kernels become tough.

Nutritional Value

Red corn provides twenty percent more protein than white corn or yellow corn. Anthocyanin, the pigment that creates the red color in this corn, are antioxidant flavonoids that protect many body systems. Besides chlorophyll, anthocyanins are probably the most important group of visible plant pigments. Anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory properties, have been linked to reversing nervous system damage and can also reverse affects of diabetes. Red corn contains 350% more antioxidants than common white or yellow corn.