Shirdi:

The 'light trap' is proving to be an effective solution to this. Dr. Vitthaldas Asawa, an experimental farmer from Chanegaon in Sangamner tehsil of Ahilyanagar district in Maharashtra, made a light trap for just Rs 50. For the past few years, the infestation of the white grub has been observed in many parts of Maharashtra on crops like soybean, sugarcane, turmeric, etc, due to climate change and unseasonal rains in April.

After the monsoon rains, adult weevils emerge from the cocoons of the white grub. These weevils start their livelihood on trees like acacia, neem, bor etc. After that, these weevils go to the fields and lay eggs. A large infestation of these insects is seen in many parts of Maharashtra.

The adult weevil of this insect is strong-built and reddish-brown in colour. The larva is white in colour and its head is dark brown. It has three pairs of legs. The English C-shaped worm that is easily found in the fields or in the manure pits is the white grub. The larval stage of the white grub directly attacks the roots of crops.

While the adult weevils live on trees like acacia, neem, and bor. The worm gnaws the roots of the crops. Due to this, the plants initially turn yellow. Then the leaves dry up. The infested plants are easily uprooted. Due to this, sugarcane also suffers a lot.

In a sugarcane island, one worm can gnaw the entire roots in three months, while two or more larvae can gnaw the entire roots in one month. The entire island dries up. There is a loss of as much as 40 per cent in sugarcane production. A single worm can cause a loss of Rs 10,000 to 20,000 in one acre.

During the Kharif season, this pest is also found on many crops like soybean, cotton, jowar, rice, sugarcane, groundnut, vegetables, turmeric, tomato, wheat, and gram.

Due to this, farmers are suffering huge financial losses. Asawa has discovered how to control this menace at low cost. There are four stages of the white grub pest in total. The egg stage lasts for 12 to 17 days, the larval stage lasts for seven to nine months, the chest stage lasts for 14 to 29 days, and the weevil stage lasts for 47 to 97 days.

Until the infestation of white grub worms is noticed, controlling them is out of reach. The cost of solar and electric light traps currently available in the market is around Rs 1500. However, the cost-effective trap made by Asawa is helping many people control white grub beetles.

The materials he used are easily available to us. He used a battery-powered spray pump, a 12-watt LED bulb, an empty plastic jar, old charger wire plastic or iron cans. Most importantly, old engine oil, water and a little pesticide.

How to make a light trap: Fix a holder inside the jar lid and make a hole at the back, and pull out the wires. Connect the charger wire to it and release the LED bulb. This entire system should be hung on the can over the water. Add a little engine oil or pesticide to the water. The beetles that come out to attack the crops in the dark of night are attracted to that light. Then they fall directly into the trap and are destroyed.

When the farmers of the entire area collectively use low-cost light traps, the pest control can be more effective. Therefore, there is an urgent need for farmers to adopt this simple, cheap and effective tactic, said Asawa.

Many farmers are moving away from sugarcane farming as the white grub caterpillar is causing huge damage to the cash crop. As a result, it is expected that sugar production will be affected. Keeping this situation in mind, sugar factories have implemented a white grub control campaign.

Sahakar Maharshi Bhausaheb Thorat Sahakari Sugar Factory at Sangamner and other factories have taken the initiative and started guiding the farmers. If the farmers weigh the beetles they catch and give them to the factory, they are being given a subsidy of Rs 300 per kg. Farmers' participation in pest control is also increasing significantly.

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