Madurai jasmine catches a bug due to erratic weather

Madurai: Erratic weather conditions prevailing in the region have reigned havoc on Madurai malli farms which have been extensively damaged by the jasmine bud worm. The extremely hot climate with sporadic rainfall is conducive to the survival of this pest.
The jasmine, cultivated within the boundary of Madurai district, Nilakottai and Natham areas in Dindigul and Aruppukottai region in Virudhunagar district, are geographically marked as Madurai malli area with a Geographical Indication Tag.The unique combination of red soil and dry climatic conditions produce milky white jasmine with thick petals and enchanting fragrance.
Bogged down by severe water shortage, jasmine farmers are battling the severe pest attack. "The pest becomes active after a spell of rain. The flowers turn pink or saffron and we won't be able to sell them in the market," said A G Pandi, a jasmine farmer from K Perumalpatti near Usilampatti. Farmers have to resort to heavy spraying of pesticides to ward of the pest, he mentioned.
Explaining the pest attack, head of entomology department at Agricultural College and Research Institute of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, M Kalyanasundaram, said that the adult which is a moth lays close to 300 eggs - each in a jasmine bud. The egg hatching into larvae starts eating the stem of the bud resulting in pigment discolouration turning the flower into pink or saffron. He estimated 100 to 150 gram per kilogram of jasmine would be lost to this pest. This is a huge loss for farmers as the yield dips between October and March while the demand soars.
Kalyanasundarm said that jasmine bug worm attack is a normal phenomena in jasmine cultivation, but the pest is turning aggressive due to erratic climatic conditions. Farmers must keep their farms clean allowing adequate sunlight and wind to pass through. "It should be a collective effort , else the pest will keep moving from one farm to another," he pointed out.
The challenge in using chemical fertilisers is that it will thwart the export prospects of jasmine since many countries have stringent pesticide norms. "Farmers could use neem oil or thiacloprid which is a biological insecticide to control the jasmine bud worm," he added.