| Details of Innovation |
Mansukhbhai Govindbhai Kachadia of Gujarat has two practices -- one to increase the flowering of plants and thence to better crop production, and the other to prevent pest and aphid attack. He sprays buttermilk made out of cows milk or whey (the watery top of buttermilk) before the flowering stage of crops. But the whey is not used readily. It is allowed to ferment for a minimum of at least eight days and a maximum of 30 days. The crop so sprayed will have abundant flowering. The practice can be used on any crop.
As for the control of aphid, Mansukhbhai takes 200 gram of tobacco (Nicotina tobaccum) powder (snuff), two leaves of aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis), two litres of buttermilk made out of cows milk and 15 litre water. All these are put in a pot or vessel and kept aside for 15 days. After the fortnight, the strong solution is filtered with the help of a thin cloth. The filtrate is again diluted in 15 litres of water. The ratio at this stage will be 100 millilitres of the filtrate to every 15 litres of water. This herbal filtrate will be effective in controlling pest, aphid, white worm, and as well as effective in increasing the inflorescence. More flowering will eventually result in more crop.
There is no gainsaying the fact that pest control is absolutely necessary. The pests thrive on plant nutrition and debilitate the plants, causing as much as 60 per cent to 70 per cent loss in crop production. Pests proliferate during the winter season.
Mansukhbhai has been using this method for the last two years. |
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