Black worm disease affecting coconut plantations in Mys, Chamarajanagar districts | Mysuru News

Mysuru: The “black worm disease” in coconut trees, also known as black-headed leaf-eating caterpillar disease, has affected growers in the twin districts of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar. This comes at a time when farmers are fetching decent prices for coconut and tender coconut crops.A large number of farmers are cultivating coconut in the twin districts, covering nearly 19,793 hectares, including 12,617 hectares in Chamarajanagar district. According to sources, about 4,679 hectares of coconut palms were affected by the disease. Farmers in Santhemarahalli, various villages of Hanur, Gundlupet taluk in Chamarajanagar district, and villages in T Narasipura, HD Kote, and Nanjangud taluks in Mysuru district were the worst sufferers.Even though the farmers are spraying pesticides and insecticides using drones, both manual and machine sprayers, the disease is not coming under control and is affecting the yield. The disease is spreading from one farm to another rapidly, even after pesticide and insecticide spraying.Scientists at Chamarajanagar Krishi Vigyan Kendra suggested that farmers adopt integrated pest management practices, including biological control and using neem-based pesticides. They said this pest is prevalent in coconut-growing areas both in coastal and inland regions of the state. Releasing beneficial insects like parasitoids, such as Goniozus nephantidis, to coconut trees can help control the caterpillar population in coconut-growing areas.Chamarajanagar deputy director of horticulture, Shivaprasad, said that the department has regularly undertaken awareness drives for coconut growers and initiated measures to control this pest. This caterpillar pest causes damage by creating silken galleries on leaves and consuming the green tissue, which reduces the tree’s ability to photosynthesize. Massive infestation leads to defoliation and coconut palm death. The entire plantation looks scorched by this infestation, he said.“As agriculture and horticulture cultivation crops like coconut are the mainstay for most of the people in the twin districts, eking out a living, the govt must initiate all measures to prevent the spread of the disease,” said Attahalli Devaraj, Mysuru District Farmers Federation vice-president.