| Details of Innovation |
Certain insects, flies, and white ants infest the cotton crop, destroying its leaves and pods and the grower's hopes. The development of the cotton plant stops completely owing to these pests and parasites. The situation also threatens the very existence of the cotton grower who may have taken huge loans from the banks to invest in the crop. The pests and parasites develop resistance to insecticides and pesticides, and halt the growth of the plant while also paving the way for infestation by worms. It is difficult to remove these worms using buckets.
Even so, there is a way out. Jadubhai has no magic cure. But he has a systematic mind. He knows the essence or tattva of the plants. Each of the herbs has a specific quality. A tree may have compound leaves that can halt even the fury of the wind. Jadubhai takes wind killer (Clerodendron phlomidis). The growth of wind killers at specific distances may be a good idea because farm after farm, village after village, taluka after taluka have all grown cotton. For the pests, it is an open hunting ground. So the wind killer could be a dependable windbreaker, at least between villages. Then, Jadubhai collects in equal measure the worm killer (Aristolochia bracteata), and well-known natural pesticides neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves and mamejavo (Enicostemma hyssopifolium).
He then grinds them all together and prepares a combined essence which he then sprinkles on the cotton crop twice in a fortnight. This effort is expected to give 70 percent plant protection for the cotton crop.
Within 30 days of the planting of cotton, insects come to infest the crop. Insects multiply in cloudy and wet weather.
As for a specific proportion of the herbal protection, Jadubhai takes 100-gram leaves of each, wind killer (Clerodendron phlomidis), worm killer (Aristolochia bracteata), mamejavo (Enicostemma hyssopifolium), and neem (Azadirachta indica). |
Honey Bee Network Knowledge & Innovation Database (HBNKIND)
