Physical and Mechanical

Practices in Potato

Erecting 1.25 -2 m long branches of neem plants in white grub infested areas before sunset during the peak period of activity

(April - June) to attract and destroy the adults of white grubs

Fig. White grub adults (scarab beetles) on neem tree

Source: www.ainpwhitegrubs.com

Shaking the twigs of the preferred host plants like neem, guava, jamun, ber etc. of adults of white grubs and subsequent collectionand destruction of the fallen beetles by dipping in kerosinized jaror by burning

Fig. Collection of scarab beetles from host trees

Source: www.ainpwhitegrubs.com

Hand collection and destruction of eggs, larvae and pupae of white grubs and cut worms after ploughing the soil

Fig. Hand collection of white grubs

Source: AINP on white grubs , Department of Entomology Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785013

Hand collection of snails and slugs in a bucket containing salt water just two hours after sunset

Fig. Hand collection of slugs and snails

Source: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://blisstree.com/files

Use of saw dust, rice bran, wood ash as protective barrier to snails and slugs

Wood ash Rice branSaw dust

Fig. Saw dust Fig. Wood ash Fig. Rice bran

Source http://www.google.com

Repeated ploughing of soil to destroy the paths and caves of mole crickets

Source: http://www.egreenlawncare.com Source: http://insects.tamu.edu/

Collection of Epilachna beetles and green leaf hoppers by hand nets or sweep nets to reduce the intensity of infestation

Source: http://www.google.co.in

Use of substances such as saw dusts, ashes or crushed eggshells placed around the base of plant may trap and subsequently kill the cutworm larvae by abrasive action

Against cutworm larvae, use bait trap containing gram bran (1 kg),

jaggary ( 100 gm), yeast (1gm) and chlorpyriphos (1 ml) at the time

of 1st and 2nd earthing up

Covering of potato tubers with a 5 mm layer of dry sand, ash, rice husk or saw dust also lowers tuber moth infestation

Source: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thedailystar.net/photo/

Keep the potato tubers in cold storage to reduce tuber moth infestation

Source: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thedailystar.net/photo/

Use of light trap to collect and destroy adults of white grub, tuber moth, cut worm moth and mole cricket etc.

Source: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thedailystar.net/photo/

Use of pitfall trap to collect and destroy mole crickets, field crickets and cutworm larvae

Source: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://mcz-28168.oeb.harvard.edu/

Use of Yellow pan trap, sticky trap to attract and kill winged aphids, leaf hoppers, mites etc. Locally available empty yellow coloured tins coated with ordinary grease on outer surface may also be used

Source: http://www.google.com/imgres