1. How can I control fruit borer in Tomato?
Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura (common for both)
i. Grow simultaneously 40 days old American tall marigold and 25 days old tomato seedlings @ 1:16 rows.
ii. Set up pheromone traps @ 12/ha.
iii. Collection and destruction of damaged fruits and grown up caterpillars.
iv. Spray endosulfan 35EC 2 ml/lit or carbaryl 50WP 2 g/lit or Bacillus thuringiensis 2g/lit or quinalphos 2.5 ml/lit.
v. Release Trichogramma chilonis @ 50000/ha/release coinciding with flowering time and based on ETL.
For Helicoverpa armigera
Helicoverpa armigera NPV 1.5 x 1012 POBs/ha
For Spodoptera litura
Spodoptera litura NPV 1.5 x 1012 POBs/ha
Provide poison bait with carbaryl 1.25 kg, rice bran 12.5 kg, jaggery 1.25 kg and water 7.5 lit/ha.
2. Suggest some ways to control spotted wilt virus in tomato.
Carbofuran 3G 1kg. a.i./ha in nursery at sowing and second application at 1.25 kg a.i./ha 10 days after transplanting in mainfield and 3 sprays of Endosulphan 35 EC 1.5 ml/lit @ 25, 40, 55 days after transplanting.
3. What is the seed rate for hybrid tomato?
150 g/ha
4. Is there any alternate to boost the yield in brinjal?
Spray 2 ppm (1 ml in 500 lit) triacontanol + Sodium borate or Borax 35 mg/lit of water 15 days after transplanting and at the time of full bloom to increase the yield.
5. In my Brinjal field one or two plants are having very small leaves. What is the problem and remedy for that?
It is mainly due to virus disease problem called ‘little leaf of brinjal’. This can be controlled by removing the affected plants in the early stage and spray Methyl dematon 25 EC 2 ml/lit to control the vector.
6. Certain plants in my bhendi field show yellow coloured leaves? What is the problem and how to rectify that?
This is mainly due to the virus infection. The virus mainly transmitted through white flies.
7. How can I increase the quality of chilli fruits?
Application of potassium in the form of Potassium Sulphate will increase the quality in chilli crop.
8. A severe flower drop was noticed in chilli. Howe to control that?
Spray NAA 10 ppm (10 mg/lit of water) on 60 and 90 days after planting to increase the fruit set.
9. Can I grow capsicum under commercial cultivation?
Under shade nets the capsicum is grown on commercials scale.
10. Can I grow paprika under open condition?
Paprika cannot be grown under open condition high temperature conditions/ belts. Hence it is best grown under coconut shade/under shade net conditions.
11. Can I use copper fungicides to cucurbitaceous vegetables? If not, why?
DDT, Lindane 1.3 % dust, copper and sulphur dust should not be recommended to cucurbitaceous vegetables, since they are phytotoxic in nature.
12. Guar gum is extracted from which plant?
Cluster beans
13. Name some dolichous bean varieties suitable for growing in pandals.
CO-1, CO-2, CO-3, CO-4, CO-5 and Pusa Early Prolific
14. Name some varieties in annual moringa?
PKM-1, PKM-2 and KM-1
15. What is the seed rate required for raising 1 ha of annual moringa
500 grams
16. Hairy caterpillar is a big problem for me in moringa crop. How to control that?
i. Use flame torch when the caterpillar settle at the trunk
ii. Spray Chloripyriphos or Quinalphos 2 ml/lit.
17. How many number of fruits can be harvested in a tree in one year?
220 – 225
18. How to control diamond back moth in cabbage?
i. Grow mustard as intercrop as 20:1 ratio to attract diamond back moths for oviposition. ii. Periodically spray the mustard crop with insecticide to avoid the dispersal of the larvae.
iii. Install pheromone traps at 12/ha.
iv. Spray cartap hydrochloride 1 g/lit or Bacillus thuringiensis 2 g/lit at primordial stage (ETL 2 larvae/plant)
v. Spray NSKE 5 % after primordial stage.
vi. Release parasite Diadegma semiclausum at 50,000/ha, 60 days after planting.
19. Certain plants roots are forming club shaped appearance? What is the reason and how to control that?
Seed treatment at 10 g/ kg of seeds or soil application @ 2.5 kg/ha or seedling dip in solution of 5g/ litre with Pseudomonas fluorescens. Dip the seedlings in Carbendazim solution (1 – 2 g/lit) for 2 minutes. Drench the soil around the seedlings in the main field with Carbendazim @ 1 g/lit of water. Follow crop rotation. Crucifers should be avoided for three years.
20. What is meant by whip tail of cauliflower?
This is caused by Boron deficiency. It appears as water soaked areas and later changes into rusty brown. Spray one kg of Borax in 500 lit of water 30 days after planting.
21. Some plants show smaller curds. What is the problem?
The term buttoning is applied to the development of small curds or buttons. The plants do not develop normally and leaves remain small and do not cover the developing curds. Deficiency of Nitrogen and planting the early varieties late may cause these symptoms. Avoid transplanting aged seedlings.
22. I can notice certain cauliflower plants without production of curds? Why?
Blind-cauliflower plants are those without terminal buds. The leaves are large, thick, leathery and dark green. It is due to the prevalence of low temperature when the plants are young or due to damage to the terminal bud during handling the plants or due to injury by pests.
23. Name some carrot varieties suited for plain region.
India Gold, Pusa Kesar and Half Long
24. What is the ideal season for planting of carrot in plains?
August
25. Suggest some of the radish varieties suited for growing in plain region.
Co 1, Pusa Rashmi, Pusa Chetki, Pusa Desi, Japanese white and Arka Nishant
26. When I cut the radish a pronounced spongy and pithy region is notices. Why?
Harvesting should be done at proper time. The delay in harvest leads to pithyness in radish.
27. What is the compound responsible for pungent flavour in radish?
Isothiocynate
28. What is the main intercultural operation to be followed in beet root?
Thinning. One seed of beet root give 2 – 3 seedlings. This has to be thinned 10 – 15 days after planting to maintain the required plant population.
29. When I am cultivating potato, the cost of tuber itself occupies 2/3rd of cost of cultivation. Is there any alternative to reduce the cost of tubers?
Potato can also be propagated through true potato seeds. To raise one hectare of land 100 – 150 g of seeds are sufficient. Thereby the costs of inputs are greatly reduced.
30. What is the plant population to be maintained in sweet potato?
By adopting 20 cm spacing, in one hectare 80,000 plants can be planted.
31. Sweet potato harvested from my filed shows warts, punched / spots symptoms and market preference is less. What is the reason and suggest some ways for controlling them?
This is mainly due to sweet potato weevil infestation. This can be controlled by adopting the following the control measure
i. Remove previous sweet potato crop residues and alternate host i.e., Ipomoea sp. and destroy them.
ii. Use pest free planting materials.
iii. Dip the planting material in fenthion 100 EC or fenitrothion 50 EC .
iv. Rake up the soil and earth up at 50 days after planting.
v. Drench the soil with endosulfan 35 EC or fenthion 100 EC at 2 ml/lit. Spray any one of the insecticides, if needed.
vi. Harvest the crop immediately after maturity and destroy the crop residues.
32. I am having farmlands of clay soil type. Whether it is possible to cultivate tapioca in my land?
No. Tapioca must be grown in red laterite or loamy soils for better tuber development.
33. Can I use the foliage of tapioca as cattle feed?
Yes. While using, the terminal portions or buds has to be nipped off or removed.
34. I am having sago industry. Can I use the peeled skin of tapioca tubers as cattle feed?
It should be properly dried in sun and can be given to cattles. The raw or fresh skins of tubers are very toxic since it contains Hydrocyanic acid. This will be removed / denatured upon drying under open sunlight. After proper treatment it can be fed to cattles.
35. In my tapioca field most of the plants show crinkled leaves. Why?
This is mainly due to cassava mosaic disease. The virus is mainly transmitted by white flies. The vectors can be controlled by spraying Methyl Dematon 3 ml/lit. While planting disease free cuttings can be selected.
36. How many setts are needed for planting one hectare of land?
17,000
37. I want to plant tapioca under rainfed conditions. Is there any specialized treatment before planting of setts?
For rainfed conditions, treat the setts with a mixture of potassium chloride @ 5 g/lit and micronutrients viz., ZnSo4 and FeSo4 @ 0.5 % for 20 minutes before planting.
38. Is there any biofertilizers treatment for tapioca setts?
Dipping setts for 20 minutes in Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria each at 30 g/lit is recommended for commercial cultivation.
39. In my filed few patches of tapioca plants shows pale green / yellow coloured leaves. What is the corrective measure to be followed?
This is mainly due to iron and micronutrient deficiency. This may be corrected by foliar spraying of 1.0 % FeSo4 + 0.5 % ZnSo4 at 60 and 90 DAP.
40. Due to heavy rain during cyclone season, the tapioca leaves are found to be drooping and drying. How to prevent this?
i. Water stagnation due to heavy rain causes tuber rot and thereby wilting of plants. Hence provide good drainage facility.
ii. Spot drenching with copper oxychloride 2.5 g/lit can be done.
41. How can I propagate amorphophallus / elephant foot yam?
The tuber is cut into small bits in such a way that each bit has atleast a small portion of the ring around each bud. There are also projections with tender buds called “Arumbu”. These are removed before planting as they do not give vigorous growth. An ordinary sized yam gives about 6 to 8 bits for planting. The cut pieces are dipped in cow dung solution to prevent evaporation of moisture from cut surface. In some places, the small round daughter corms are also planted.
42. I want to cultivate peruvalli kizhangu. Suggest some suitable varieties for villupuram conditions.
Co 1, Sree Roopa, Sree Keerthi, Sree Shilpa
43. Name some varieties of siruvalli kizhangu for villupuram conditions.
Sree Latha, Sree Kala
44. In my onion field I can notice few white patches along with slender black insect. What is the control measure to be adopted for that?
It is mainly due to thrips infestation. It can be controlled by Methyl Dematon 25 EC 1 mil/lit of water along with 0.5 ml/lit of teepol (sticking agent).
45. In bellary onion, how many days old seedlings can be used for transplanting in the main field?
45 days
46. Name the variety suited for clipping type of amaranthus.
Co 3
47. What is the amaranthus variety suitable for grain extraction?
Co 4
48. Amaranthus seeds are very smaller and how can I use this little quantity of seed (2.5 kg) for one hectare.
Broadcast the seeds evenly on the bed after mixing with 10 parts of sand. After that apply Lindane 1.3 % dust @ 10 kg/ha around the beds to control ants, termites and other burrowing insects.
49. I am cultivating Co 4 amaranthus variety in 1 hectare of land. What is the approximate yield of grains?
2.4 t grains/ha in addition to 8 tones of tender greens.
