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written by V R Iyyappan |
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Protection, Conception & Expulsion:A Farmer Reports from tamil nadu |
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Plant Protection Practices
a) Controlling Sucking Pests
(i) To check the damage caused by whiteflies and aphids in crop plants, four or five lines of millets such as sorghum and or pearl millet are grown as border crop. This thick hedge acts as a barrier against the entry of these pests into the field.
(ii) In chilli (Capsicum spp) fields, coriander is grown as an inter-crop for reducing the incidence of pests like aphids, thrips and whiteflies. It is believed that the strong odour that emanates from the coriander plants repels the pests. (In our field work in North West India in District Mahendragarh, Haryana, we had learned in 1985 that farmers grew coriander around the chick pea (bengal gram) crop to repel the pests. As it turned out, research at ICRISAT following our suggestion showed that insect pests were not repelled. Instead, the predators were attracted by coriander which killed the pest. Farmers may do right things for wrong reasons sometimes! :Ed)
(iii) Cow urine, neem oil and tobacco infusion are mixed together and sprayed over the vegetable crops. The tobacco infusion is prepared by immersing tobacco wastes in water for a day or two.
b) Termite Control
While planting coconut seedlings, bulbs of Aloe vera are planted in the same pit to keep away termites which attack the young palm.
c) Storage of Grains
(i) To prevent insect attack on stored grains, the storage containers are filled only up to 3/4th level with grain. A cloth or paper is spread over this and a 7.5 cm-layer of leaves of neem, Vitex negundo, Pongamia glabra are spread over the paper/cloth. Next, the leaf layer is covered with a 15-cm layer of fine sand. This method of storage gives full protection against pests. When an insect tries to get past the sandy layer, the abrasive particles cut into the soft portion of its body thus killing it.
(ii) In seed storage containers, the grain is mixed with leaves of neem, Vitex negundo, Pongamia glabra, ‘tulsi’ (Ocimum spp). This is effective over long periods against insects.
(iii) Seeds of bitter gourd, snake gourd, ribbed gourd, Dolichos lablab are stored in cow dung cakes.
Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Practices
1. To Promote Conception in Cattle
When cows and buffaloes fail to conceive, they are first fed roots of ‘Peikumatti’ (Citrullus colocynthis) for getting rid of intestinal worms and then given half a kilogram of sprouted bengal gram everyday for one week. Before taking the animal for mating or artificial insemination, it is bathed in cold water or allowed to swim in tanks or ponds.
2. Choking Caused by Fodder
Certain grasses tend to get stuck in the throat of the animal eating them and may also lead to asphyxiation. When this happens, the suffering animal is fed with diluted palm jaggery for quick relief.
3. For Easy Expulsion of Placenta
About one kg ‘keela nelli’ (Phyllan-thus amarus) plants are macerated and crushed and fed to the animal.
4. Infertility
Plants of ‘Aduthinnapalai’ (Aristo-lochia bracteolata), rhizomes of Cyperus rotendus are ground and mixed with some salt and fed to the infertile animal. About half an hour after this, the animal is allowed to drink water.
5. Indigestion and Gastric Trouble
When an animal suffers from indigestion or a gastric problem, 10 betel leaves, and 10 g each of pepper and garlic are ground together, diluted in hot water and administered to suffering animal.
6. Blood Tinged Diarrohea
To treat this condition, plants of ‘pazhampasi’ (Sida acuta), seeds of Cuminum cymimum, flowers of banana are soaked in water and ground to a paste and the resultant mixture is administered to the affected animal twice a day.
7. Increasing the Milk Yield
Plants of ‘thandu’ (Tinospora cordifolia) are crushed along with palm jaggery, diluted in cow’s milk and fed to milch animals as a galactogogue. (In Gujarat also the leaves of the same plant, known locally as ‘galo’, are used for the same purpose. :Ed)
8. Septic Wounds
a) A small piece of camphor added to ‘tulsi’ (Ocimum spp) leaf extract is applied over festering wounds to effect cure.
b) Another method uses a finely ground mixture of leaves of ‘seethapal’ (Annona squamosa), tobacco leaf powder and a little camphor to be applied over the wounds. (The leaves of Annona squamosa are used for the same purpose in Gujarat too. :Ed)
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| Volume No. |
Honey Bee, 5(4):13-14, 1994 |
