thrips damaging panicles and capsules elaichi flowers dropping
How to control thrips in cardamom (elaichi)?
SShaji9mo ago · 359 views
6 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓9mo ago
Cardamom thrips is the most destructive pest, with adults and larvae rasping leaves, shoots, flowers and capsules, causing flower and immature capsule shedding and corky scab marks on capsules that lower the grade. Manage it by regulating shade, as heavily shaded thick plantations favour thrips, so open up the canopy for light and air. Remove and destroy old dried up panicles and trash where thrips hide. Apply recommended insecticides at flowering and capsule formation as per Spices Board guidance and label, rotating chemicals to avoid resistance. Maintain field hygiene and keep the plantation weed free. Always follow the recommended dose and pre harvest interval to keep residues within limits.
JJose8mo ago
Shade management made the biggest difference for me. My darkest blocks had the worst thrips and scabby capsules. After thinning the overhead shade trees the damage came down.
MManoj8mo ago
Clean out the old dry panicles, the thrips breed in them. Field hygiene plus timely spray at flowering kept my capsules cleaner. Scabby capsules lose grade so it is worth the effort.
SSaji Kurian8mo ago
Watch the pre harvest interval carefully on whatever you spray. The auction and export buyers test for residue, and a scabby low residue lot still sells better than a clean looking lot that fails the residue check. Follow the label gap before picking.
TThankachan8mo ago
Rotate the chemicals or the thrips stop responding. On my estate using the same spray every round lost its effect within two seasons. Now I alternate as the Spices Board advisory suggests and pair it with shade and hygiene.
BBiju Varghese7mo ago
Scout the panicles closely at flowering, the early damage is easy to miss until the capsules already show scab. Catching the first build up and spraying then saved more of my crop than any late heavy spray.