The Hindu Business Line : Tea planters urged to control red spider infestation

The Regional Centre of the UPASI Tea Research Foundation has advised its members to take the necessary steps to control the red spider infestation in the plantations in the Nilgiris.

Since the harvest in May is scheduled to go up, the planters should attach due weightage to protecting their crop from pest infestation.

"The crop position in the estates is likely to improve from now. The estates should gear up for harvesting the crop efficiently. Shear harvesting can be continued in the late second, third, fourth and fifth year fields. All the surface banjies must be harvested as single leaf banjies by hand along with shear harvesting" the Foundation has said.

It further said the pruning programme is in progress and would be completed at the earliest. Considering the good recovery of the fields pruned during April/May and consequently higher yield in the pruned year, about 75 per cent of the area earmarked for pruning for the year may be brought under knife now, it said.

Delay in spraying

At this point of time, it is disturbing to see red spider infestation. Pointing out that the infestation spread because timely spraying was not done, the Foundation said, "There was delay in commencement of spraying; also, improper method of spraying. In many instances, acaricidal application was initiated only after noticing prominent symptoms of damage".

It has advised the planters to spray the infested fields with any one of the following recommended chemicals - propargite 57 EC (Omite or Allmite or Simbaa) @ 500 ml/ha; Dicofol 18.5 EC (Kelthane or Colonal) @ 1000 ml/ha; Lime sulphur - Polysulphide-S content 13-15% @ 1:40, 10-12% @ 1:30; 7- 9% @ 1:25 and 5 -7% @ 1:20; paraffinic oil @ 1000 ml/ha; or Mycomite 1.5 to 2 kg/ha.

"A change of acaricides during alternate rounds of spraying will give better control. The number of spraying rounds necessary for the control of red spider mites depends on the severity of infestation. Lime sulphur has poor ovicidal action and therefore, synthetic acaricides such as Dicofol and propargite should be included in the spray schedule. In all cases initial spray interval should be 8 days", the Foundation said.

The bushes, which were affected by the frost in December and January, have not only recovered but started yielding crop.