Karnataka: Scientific Committee discusses arecanut growers’ problems

MANGALURU: The Scientific Committee constituted to address arecanut growers’ problems as per the suggestion of Shobha Karandalaje, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, held its first sitting at the ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod on Thursday.
The committee examined the current status of leaf spot disease and Yellow Leaf Disease (YLD) of arecanut in Karnataka and Kerala. It is observed that the leaf spot disease of arecanut has become a serious concern in over 20000 ha area in Karnataka in the districts of Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Hassan. It is also spreading to the Kasaragod, Kannur, and Wayanad districts of Kerala.
Being an airborne disease, community-level disease management has to be followed otherwise the benefit will not be long-lasting. It is consisting of phytosanitation (removal and burning of affected leaves) and sequential spraying of systemic fungicides Propiconazole 25% EC (1 ml per litre of water) followed by Tebuconazole 38.9% SC (1 ml per litre of water) or Hexaconazole 5% EC (2 ml per litre of water) or Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% WP (2.5 g per litre of water) after 25 to 30 days.
Soil-test-based balanced nutrient management should be strictly followed to maintain the healthy status of the palms. The Committee recommended conducting awareness campaigns and programmes in different locations of disease-endemic areas by department of Agriculture and Horticulture.
With regard to YLD that is prevalent in more than 9000 ha area in Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu districts of Karnataka and all the areca growing areas of Kerala, farmers may adopt scientific cultivation practices along with plastic mulching if the disease is in the early stage. In severely affected areas, cultivation of other suitable crops may be encouraged. Since tissue culture plants of YLD resistant palms are promising, research in this area has to be strengthened by establishing a diagnosis laboratory at CPCRI Regional Station, Vittal and providing the technology to government tissue culture labs for the production of a large number of planting material for disease endemic areas.
Other aspects considered in the meeting include a pilot study to delineate arecanut value chains in the country, a systematic review on arecanut and health and a multi-institutional project on alternative uses of arecanut, the medicinal properties in particular.
Various sub-committees involving scientists and extension personnel were also constituted to take up the programmes effectively.
Dr Anitha Karun, Director, ICAR-CPCRI, Dr Homey Cheriyan, Director, DASD, Calicut, Dr M Wali, Director of Research, KSN University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga, Dr H R Naik, deputy director of Horticulture, Dakshina Kannada and other members of the committee attended the meeting.