India - Use of Trichogramma egg parasitoid cards proves effective in controlling stem borer

Farmers in Ibrahimpur village of Narayanraopet mandal are getting good yields after they started using Trichogramma egg parasitoid cards to control stem borer pest in paddy fields instead of pesticides.

Since the stem borer (Lepidoptera) has been invading paddy crops in Telangana, the farmers here regularly used pesticides to control the menace. The use of pesticides, however, not only increases crop investment but it also polluted the environment besides increasing the possibility of pesticides entering the food chain. In addition to this, stem borer developed resistance to these pesticides. To overcome the menace, a few farmers in Ibrahimpur village started using egg parasitoid cards of Trichogramma, which is a parasite of stem borer, under the guidance of Agriculture Extension Officer (AEO) T Nagarjuna.

Though a majority of farmers in Ibrahimpur still used pesticides during the Vanakalam crop, the few farmers who sed egg parasitoid cards in their crop have got better results.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Nagarjuna said the farmers did not believe him at first when he tried to educate them on the need of using egg parasitoid cards to control the stem borer. He then chose a few progressive farmers like Nagesh Reddy who came forward to use the same in his field. When these farmers got better results besides saving money on pesticides, the AEO said that many farmers were looking forward to adopting the same method next year.

Since Trichogramma is a parasite of stem borer eggs, Nagarjuna said they eat the eggs of stem borers that helps in contolling its spread.

Nagesh Reddy said the Trichogramma egg parasitoid cards were more effective than the pesticides they regularly use in paddy fields. He further said the environmentally friendly method is not only preventing the Stem Borer but also saving them money besides enhancing the yield.