Author(s):

Sandeep Mandal, Rajesh Kumar Ekka, Saurabh Padamshali and N Laskar

Abstract: Brinjal, Solanum melongena L.(Eggplant) is one of the most important vegetable crops in Asia, where more than 90% of the world’s eggplant production occurs. Among different biotic and abiotic stresses,insect pest is one of the most important limiting factors for successful cultivation of brinjal. For protecting the crops, farmers usually rely upon chemical pesticides those gradually hampering non-target organisms, increasing cost of production as well as leaving hazardous residues in the produce (Prempong et al., 1977). Among the non-chemical alternate technologies, indigenous technology may play important role in bringing sustainability in brinjal cultivation. From time immemorial, the farming communities of northern tract of West Bengal that comprises many aboriginal populations earlier used a number of indigenous techniques in managing pest menaces on brinjal. A good number of them are still in use on brinjal at different corners of the region. A number of indigenous knowledge based pest management module for brinjal have been formulated and tested in the agro-ecosystem under consideration during rabi season of 2015 and 2016. Inspiring results obtained in field trial from two years of study. Insect pest population observed lowest in chemical based pest management module but natural enemy complex found drastically low. On the contrary in indigenous knowledge based pest management module moderate pest population were recorded with higher natural enemy population. Thus, production cost reduced, non-target arthropod faunal complex less hampered and reasonable harvest recorded in indigenous knowledge based management module where almost all the indigenous technology were accommodated including use of sieve ash, cow urine, cow dung slurry and cow urine+cow dung slurry (Karkar et al., 2014). Hence, considering the ill effects of pesticidal application in agro- ecosystem and increasing cost of production, the indigenous technical knowledge based pest management technologies may be recommended to protect brinjal from pest menace. However, it may not be the only option but may be accommodated as one of the most viable as well as effective tools of IPM under northern parts of West Bengal.

Pages: 2033-2036  |  1598 Views  535 Downloads

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