Integrated Community Approach for Successful Management Of White Grubs in Groundnut: Success Story

Abstract

“C-shaped” white grubs or root grubs are commonly occurring, soil-inhabiting polyphagous insects and they cause economic losses in several crops. The species of white grub those are endemic to Saurashtra region of Gujarat are, Apogonia rauca, Schizonycha ruficollis and Adoretus sp. Since 2010, sporadic outbreaks of white grubs noted in Saurashtra and in severe form in the year 2016. Up to 90% of surveyed groundnut fields in Saurashtra were infested with white grub, complete crop failures were also observed at some endemic locations. Community-level integrated pest management (IPM) approaches were formulated by ICAR-Directorate of Groundnut Research, Junagadh to tackle the white grub menace during 2017 and 2018. Sensitization of farmers in the white grub-prone villages i.e., Samadhiyala and Mithapur of Mendarada (Taluka), Junagadh (District) was initiated before and during the monsoon season. Information on white grub life cycle, weak links in the life cycle, damage symptoms, management strategies and need for community approach were repeatedly emphasized through pamphlets, posters, field visits, interactive meetings, kisan-mela/ goshti and demonstration of white grub management practices. These interventions resulted in successful implementation of community-level IPM approaches for white grub management during 2017 and 2018. Since 2018, farmers witnessed reduction in per cent groundnut damage caused by white grubs post interventions made by ICAR-DGR and thus saved an estimated monetary loss of around Rs. 10,000-15,000 rupees per ha.