Agriculture experts are left baffled after a new variety of soil-borne damaging white grub (WG) pests was detected in 400 acres of agricultural land in Kolhapur recently.
The new variety is showing different characteristics from the common WG species known as Leucopholis Lepidophora (LL).
"The new species has been found in sugar cane, soybean and groundnut crops. We have already informed the College of Agriculture, Kolhapur (CAK), and control measures have been suggested," said superintending agriculture officer of Kolhapur district, Umesh Patil.
After being informed of the finding, a team from CAK examined the new variety.
"This could be a new species or may be an adaptation of the existing species. We have already informed Udaipur and Bangalore centres of Indian Council of Agricultural Research about this new variety. The two centres are working on network project on WG," said Pandurang Mohite, section head, entomology department, CAK.
WG has four stages of life -- egg, grub, pupa and adult stage. The adult come out in large numbers in the third week of August and mate on the leaves of sugar cane and other plants. After mating the male dies immediately and the female lays eggs on the soil and then dies.
The grub and pupa stages take place under the soil. The grub feeds on the roots of the crops causing enormous damage. The sugar cane crop commonly known as adsali is planted in July and matures in October next year.
Thus planted sugar cane crop is very less affected by the grubs. But it heavily destroys the sugarcane ratoon crop.
A ratoon crop is the new cane which grows from the stubble left behind after the harvest of the planted corp.
"Right now this new variety of WG is in pupa stage. We think that the eggs were laid in April as the grubs are active in August," Mohite said.
Although the grubs can survive in water for 15 days, this new species cannot. Moreover, unlike the usual LL grubs that are snow white, this new variety is ash-white in colour and transparent.
"The farmers are unaware of this new variety of WG. We have conducted workshops in villages to create awareness about the new findings. But there is a need for greater awareness campaigns to tackle this different kind of infestation.
Or else it will cause heavy damage to the crops," Mohite cautioned. Farmers have been asked to drench the soil with the pesticides like Flubendiamide, Clothianidin and use bio-control Myco-Jal and Metarhizium.
