Irrigate crop during this critical growth phase-
- Flowering, peg penetration and early pod formation are the moisture-sensitive phases of groundnut growth.
- The pegs cannot enter the soil if the soil surface is hard due to prolonged dry-spell.
- The early phase of pod setting is especially sensitive to water deficit.
- Provide some irrigation to your crop to avoid reduction of pod yield, in case of drought.
Monitor your field for disease and insect/pest incidences-
Jassids: Empoasca kerri
Symptoms of damage:
- Nymphs and adults inject toxins resulting in whitening of veins and chlorotic patches especially at the tips of leaflets, in a typical ‘V’ shape.
- Heavily attacked crop looks yellow and gives a scorched appearance known as ‘hopper burn’.
Identification of the pest:
- Adult: Elongate, active, wedge shape, green insects
Management:
- Timely sowing of the crop and field sanitation
- Crop rotation with non-host crop
- Intercropping with pearl millet
- Avoid groundnut-castor inter crop, it increases the infestation
- Irrigate once to avoid prolonged mid season drought to prevent pre-harvest
- Spray dimethoate 30EC @ 650ml/ha in 600 liter water
White grubs: Holotrichia consanguinea, Holotrichia serrata
Symptoms of damage:
- The grubs feed roots and damage pods.
- Grubs feed on fine rootlets, resulting in pale wilted plants, dying in patches.
Identification of the pest:
- Eggs: White, almost round.
- Larvae: Young grubs are translucent, whitish yellow in colour , fleshy ‘C’ – shaped
- Adults: Dark brown beetle. Beetles emerge out of the soil within 3-4 days after the onset of rain.
Management:
- Apply anyone of the following insecticides
- Carbofuran 3%CG 33.3 kg/ha
- Chlorpyrifos 20%EC 1125 ml/ha
- Phorate 10%CG 25 kg/ha.
Rust:
Pustules appear first on the lower surface of leaf. They may be formed on all aerial plant parts apart from flower and pegs. Severely infected leaves turn necrotic and desiccate but are attached to the plant. After infestation is observed, take spray of Mancozeb@400 gm/acre or Chlorothalonil@400 gm/acre or Wettable sulphur@ 1000 gm/acre. If necessary take second spray with interval of 15 days.
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