The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University demonstrated the “Integrated Pest Management in Lablab bean” in the farmer Rajkumar’s field at Mettubhavi village, Coimbatore. ‘Farmers Field Day’ was organized to disseminate the technologies followed in the demonstration to the fellow farmers, in the farmers field on Friday.
Murgan, Director of Extension Education, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University expressed the importance of farmer producer organization to get better prices for their product. The Mettubhavai Panchayat President and former Member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Muthukaruppanan, stressed the importance of organic practices in Agriculture. The Training Division Professor & Head Anandaraj explained about the project activities to the farmers.
The Department of Plant Pathology Professor & Head Karthikeyan highlighted the importance of bio fungicides in plant disease management. The diseases in Lablab and their management were narrated by Angappan, Professor (Plant pathology). Swaminathan, Professor (Agril. Entomology) and Seenivasan, Professor (Nematology) explained about the Integrated Insect Pest and nematode management to the farmers.
In the field, the integrated Pest management technologies followed use of sticky traps, pheromone traps, biocontrol agents and botanicals were explained by the entomology Associate Professors Elaiyabharathi and Shanmugam. The Assistant Director of Agriculture Gomathi gave a brief account of schemes operated by the Department of Horticulture to the farmers.
The application of Bacillus subtilis and Trichodermaviride to manage soil borne diseases were demonstrated to the farmers. The official from Horticulture department, University village stay programme and more than 180 farmers in nearby villages participated in the field day.