Severe Thrips attack in Chilli crops in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh has seriously affected the crop yield and the chilli farmers are highly distressed and worried about the crop loss, which will add on to their financial burden.
In order to chalk out ways to address the issue caused by the invasive Thrips species the Chairman, Chilli Task Force Committee, G.V.L. Narasimha Rao, MP, conducted a meeting with Scientist community and Chilli crop experts today. Organised by the Central Government’s Spices Board, the meeting was attended by eminent scientists from the ICAR- Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Dr YSR Agriculture University, ICAR- National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR), Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI), Spices Board; officials from the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage (DPPQS), New Delhi, Horticulture Department from States of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and representatives from Chilli Seed Suppliers.
This video conference, chaired by GVL Narasimha Rao, was a follow up action to last month’s field visit to the pest-infested chilli farms led by him along with teams of scientists from institution and horticulture department to analyse the ground reality. Dr. A.B. Rema Shree, Director, Spices Board welcomed Shri Rao and experts and explained the gravity of the situation during the field visit conducted by a team of experts from IIHR, NBAIR, Spices Board, State agri / horti dept and other stakeholders in Chilli area. The field visits led by Shri Rao enabled the scientist communities to develop strategies / action plan to equip the farmers to prevent the further spread of pest attack and take precautionary measures to protect their crop.
During today’s meeting the detailed deliberation were made by the Crop experts and Scientists. Shri Rao requested the need for coherent and confluent approach to the deal the with attack from invasive pest Thrips parvispinus, in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karanataka other states, wherever this risk is prevailing. He emphasized to focus on developing advisories for farmers on Good Agriculture Practices, and recommend low-cost / affordable materials like blue sticky trap, cultivation of short duration chilli varieties, so that farmers can manage and survive the pest attack till a firm strategy against the pest is jointly prepared by the line departments and institutions. In meantime, Shri GVL Narasimha Rao, requested ICAR-IIHR to take the lead and analyse and screen for chilli varieties that are resistant to thrips attack from the affected plots in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana; he directed the IIHR entomologists to screen existing molecules which can be used against thrips and identify natural enemies of thrips with help of other institutes like ICAR-NBAIR.
The major reasons cited for serious infestation by invasive thrips were identified as the indiscriminate usage of pesticides, excessive application of Nitrogenous fertilizers, October-November rains, followed by hot and humid conditions which mediated triggering of thrips, replacement of common chilli thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis by invasive species – Thrips parvispinus, etc.
During the deliberations, the representative of State Agricultural Dept, Andhra Pradesh mentioned that the presence of thrips are now found in mango plantation also, which might affect the yield. It was also pointed out that the fields where the infested chilli crops were removed and Bengal Gram was grown, the latter crop also got infested with the thrips. The Deputy Director, State Horticultural Department, Karnataka mentioned that in major chilli growing belt in the state – Bellary and Raichur, the fruit rot is main issue and farmers have not been much affected by thrips attack, though it is equally damaging the chilli crop. The Director, Spices Board mentioned that due to fruit rot, the Board has received grievances from the Chilli manufactures that during value addition process, the final chilli product is losing its colour, which might affect the export of chilli from the country.
Citing all the observations made during the meeting, Rao asked IIHR and Spices Board to conduct joint training programmes to impart knowledge on Good Agricultural Practices by emphasizing on judicious usage of pesticides, use of Integrated Pest Management techniques, adoption of good hygienic practices in field to prevent as well as withstand the pest as well as disease attack. He also asked the two institutes to draw chilli samples from the market yards and test its quality to analyse and record how the pest and disease attack is affecting the quality of chilli as well as for recording the seriousness of pesticide residue in the final produce due to indiscriminate usage of pesticides from farmers to thrive the thrips attack. He asked the Joint Director (PP), DPPQS, to present the consolidated report by adding points suggested by the scientist community during the meeting, to the Secretary, Agriculture Ministry along with the report prepared by the DPPQS.
The meeting ended with request by GVL Narasimha Rao force to the scientists community to jointly work and share the details such as the publication of thrips attack worldwide in the various crops, the extent to which it caused damage, how the invasive thrip -’Thrips parvispinus’ was introduced in India, consultations with international pest management institutes to identify how various countries are tackling the issue, etc and prepare a consolidated report so that he can discuss it with Ministry of Agricultural and Farmers Welfare before the parliament session begins.
