PEST OF JUTE AND THEIR MANAGEMENT

Jute is a  long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber having strong thread. It is produced from plants in the genus corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae or more recently in Malvaceae.Jute is one of the most affordable natural fiber.

 Features:
1. Jute fiber is 100% bio-degradable and recyclable                                                                               2. It is the cheapest vegetable fiber.
3. It is the second most important vegetable fibre after cotton.
4. It helps to make best quality industrial yarn, fabric, net, and sacks.
5. It is a natural fibre with golden and silky shine and hence called The Golden Fibre.

About 40 species of insects and mites attack jute in Bangladesh.The overall loss is believed to account for more than 12% of the potential production. almost two-third of this loss was attributed to 5 pest species.common name of this insect species are,
1.jute hairy caterpillar
2.jute stem weevil
3.jute semi-lopper
4.jute mite  and
5.field cricket


1.Jute hairy caterpillar(Spilartia obliqua):

it is the major pest of jute  in Bangladesh.Commonly known as bicha or shoa-poka.

Only the caterpillars are harmful to the jute crop.the young gregarious caterpillars feed gregariously on chlrorophyllus tissues from lower surface of same leaf giving a peculiar membranous appearance.
Then they attack another leaf.They scrape the green part of leaves.Only leave the midribs and cross veins.


Control measures:

Hand picking of egg masses and early instar larvae and killing them by burning or kerosinized water is considered to be the easiest method of control.

 Making trench with irrigated water around the jute field to prevent entrance of the caterpillar.

When the caterpillars are spread in the entire field chemical control measures are necessary.we can use Ripcord10EC;Caught10EC@550ml/ha and Reeva2.5EC1.25ml/l.



2.Jute stem weevil(Apion corchori)

It is the most harmful pest of jute in Bangladesh.

Adult weevil feeds on tender leaves making pinholes.Attack top shoot  for egg laying.

top shoots dry up and as a result side branches develop and reduce the length of fibers.

Grub damages the fiber bundles and as a result of injury,mucilaginous and gummy substances produced in the stem and produced knot on the fiber.Fiber having knot called 'knotty fiber'.



Control measures:

pest may be suppressed by collecting and destroying the stubble after harvest.

Bon okra(Triumfetta rhomboidea) and other shurbs and bushes should be removed.

Infested plants should be sprayed with any of the recommended insecticides.


3.Jute Semilooper(Anomis sabulifera)

The adult moth is of dull earth brown color.Late-sown crop(due to delayed monsoon)suffers the maximum damage.

The larvae just after hatching feed on the epidermal tissue and mesophyll of the lower surface of young leaf,keeping the upper epidermal membrane intact.


 Control measures:

after harvest the land should be ploughed well so that the pupae are exposed.

providing perching of bamboo top for sitting the birds

light traps may be used to destroy the moths




4.Jute mite(polyphagotarsonemus latus)

 mite is a very destructive pest and causes damage to both fiber and seed crops.

 
in recent years mite population regularly as one of the most serious pest of jute and other crops.




5.Field cricket(Brachytrypes portentosus)

field cricket is not only destructive for jute but for other crops.

they destroy the crop plant by digging the soil at root zone.

Increase in the yield of jute is proportional to the vegetative growth of the plant and pest attack adversely affecting the vegetative growth is likely to bring loss in yield.we can control these pest using cultural,biological and chemical control measures.it will help to increase jute production as well as fiber production.