Hello Friends
We are having some issues with our drumstick crop. Some pest has destroyed everything, all leaves are gone. Lost one good crop.
I am attaching pics for your visual, please see the damage and guide on what could have been the pest.
As per previous advises, I had sprayed Malathion but did not work effectively. Like to know if I could have done anything else. This is for next time it happens, and any ways to prevent.
I am open to both organic and chemical measures.
I am feeling very sorry for the bad incidence for your Moringa crop. It is unfortunate. pl dont loose your hopes on agriculture.
Malathion works well against Bud Worms.
I have gone through your photographs. in general very little pest affects the moringa plants. In these Bud worms, Cater Pillars,Aphids, and Termites rarely spoils the moringa plants. Rarely Root Rot also troubles the Moringa plants.
Termites: If the soil at your plants are in dry condition, sufficient water is not supplied regularly, If the soil is Red loomy, there is possibility for attack of Termites. But this will happend in only neglected stage. As you are a senior, and sincere farmer ,I don’t think, this.
Root Rot:Due to Root Rot, soil born, the plant will get dried and damaged. This will happen mostly, if your plants are suffered with heavy water logging. Is there any water logging.
I went to concerned professor of GKVK and found he is on camp. Probably i will be meeting him on Monday or tuesday, and try to get a solution.
As well said by Mr.G.P.Rao ,the drumstick is a hardy vegetable crop …It is tolerant to drought but not resistant to drought …
The observation of attached picture shows the drumstick is damaged by an insect pest called specifically " LEAF WEBBER " that is earlier controlled by spraying carbaryl 50% WP @ 2 gram / litre water …Also chlorphyriphos ( Dursban ) can be used to control leaf webber …
But now Lamda-cyhalothrin is used to control leaf webber along with NSKE …
Also I wish to say that the death or die back of moringa is primarily due to abiotic reason that prevailing drought , deficit soil moisture , day time high temperature and night time very low temperature , dry atmospheric humidity , gravel and red sandy soil that is hard and heavy in the absence of irrigation water .This will create stress in the plants that the leaves turn yellow , new branches start drying from tip backward , side branch and sometime later entire plant will wilt …
So spraying pesticide alone will not cure …You need to do clean cultivation , minimum soil moisture , mulching with paddy straw or locally available plant debris like grass etc…
I think this type of problem occur in interior land locked area that lie away from seashore with low annual average rainfall …
Thanks for update friend …Keep good health of drumstick …Induce more flowers by following the principle of drumstick physiology …Flowering is induced in drumstick by mild stress that is partly evident when you apply PGR ( Plant growth retardant called UNICONAZOLE ) -A Triazole compound that when applied via foliage as well as roots cause mild stress - a chemically induced stress …
Also you can try applying Ammonium sulphate that has also triggered flowering in drumstick …application rate is 370 grams per tree - Time of application is also important…
Generally moringa starts flowering from 150 days to 180 days after planting …To initiate flowering process the Ammonium sulphate needs to be applied in 3 1/2 months after planting in 2 consignment through pocket manuring …
Drumstick fertilizer requirement is 100:100:50 grams of Nitrogen: Phosphorus : potash …in terms of Urea , SSP,MOP respectively 217 g, 625 g,83 g …
In semi arid region 10 kg FYM per tree with bio fertilizers mix holds promise of good yield …
Fruit fly is a serious damage affecting pods besides other pests like leaf webber, Hairy cater pillar, bark eating caterpillar …Serious disease is Fusarium fungal disease that is escalated in hot dry climate with poor soil moisture …
Hope you follow the procedure next time to harvest bumper crop
My moringa trees are into their 4th season. This time the pods are shorter about 1 to 1.3 feet and lacks flesh. The appearance is dull & is not very pleasing. I could not give much fertilizer & required water during the growth. I did regular pruning and the branching is good i.e., 5 to 8 branches per tree.
Now that the trees are producing pods, is there any way of a quick-fix to make the pods grow a bit lengthier & with better flesh? I know it is not quite reasonable to expect good yield without having done my homework properly but curious to know just in case if there is any remedy.
I have been experiencing the same problem as Mr Nikhil and Mr Guruprasad since last 2 weeks and the hitch is I am following organic cultivation practices.Would be obliged if experts provide me some urgent remedy.~~
Ashok
Tree has grown with good number of branches and with medium flowering and the pods have just started forming.
I have one problem with the pods. The tender pods have red lining/patches. I watering the plants every 2 days and the temperature is around 39-40 degrees C. Given ammonium sulphate @75 gms/plant two times (before flowering and after flowering with a gap of 45 days). Also noticed around 50% flower drop.
Did the plants with the red pods yield green ones before?
I ask because I have one or two plants that produce only the reddish ones, while all others are green. At least in my case, that seems the character of the plant.
There are few plants which only yield reddish pods right from the beginning.
The plants I am referring to used to yield green pods before. Now the same plants have pods with intermittent pinkish red patches.
Two of our sisters(including me) have planted ODC variety drum stick plants in 5 acres of our father’s land near Hyderabad (Keesara village). The soil is Black and we have good water supply.
we are expecting the flowering to start in the 5th month from planting and harvest from 7th month.
We have seen your very impressive post suggesting a fertiliser schedule for brinjal.
Will you be kind enough to suggest a similar fertigation schedule for our drumstick crop till the harvest.
We prefer to use water soluble fertilisers and sprays. Not particular about organic methods.
I am also facing same issue, when I search in google I got this link by luckily.
May I know where can I get “Lamda-cyhalothrin + NSKE”.
May I know what is the meant by NSKE?
Can you please suggest quantity of mixing for 10L of water?
Moringa was grown in aravakurichi way before any other locality, The pests that attack drumsticks usually takes down the flower and when the flower is gone it attacks the leaves and it leaves the entire tree bald. Many here is of the practice of using pesticides twice to thrice a week to control the pests. If you have used pesticides then you have to use it regularly and more frequent than any other plants or trees. That’s the drawback of moringa trees ! It can withstand severe drought but not the pests. If you want the moringa to have resistance, you have to wait for few years, The pests will attack the tree and it will go bald and it will again grow leaves and flowers and it will again go bald and it will again regrow and over a period of time it will attain the resistance, If you grow it with using pesticide then you haven no other way you have to use it regularly , and it becomes a poison rather than a good valuable vegetable !!
Dear friends …
Last year I incurred heavy losses due to reddening of drumstick pod. Im not sure of the cause (powdery mildew or brown disease or something else). It discouraged me a lot. This is my second year of drumstick farming. Please suggest precautionary measures for this season.
Dear Ramu Sir,
We are Facing Drumstick fruit fly in maharashtra.drumstick fruit fly destroyed 50% of my feild.I sprayed Malathion also but till we facing fruit fly.please suggest any effective treatment for drumstick fruit fly.
