Fenugreek Crop Stage-Wise IPM

Pre-sowing

Common cultural practices:

• Deep ploughing of fields during summer to control soil borne pathogens and weeds.
• Soil solarization: Cover the beds with polythene sheet of 75 gauge thickness for six weeks during summer months . It will help in reducing the soil-borne pathogens, insect pests and weeds.
• Timely and line sowing should be done.
• Field sanitation, rogueing
• Destroy the alternate host plants
• Soil test based application of manures and fertilizers.
• Plant tall border crops like maize, sorghum for the management of mites and thrips.
• Follow crop rotation of non-host crops like cereal crops for 3 years.
• Adopt ecological engineering by growing the attractant, repellent, and trap crops around the field bunds.

Nutrients

• Get the soil sample tested and apply nutrients based on soil test report. Soil is brought to fine tilth by 2-3 ploughing with harrow or plough.
• Incorporate 4 to 5 tonnes of Farm Yard Manure per acre in soil 2-3 weeks before sowing.

Weeds

• Solarisation of soil during summer reduces weed infestation

Sowing

Nutrients

• Apply 8 kg N, 20 kg phosphorus and 20 kg potash per acre at the time of sowing as basal dose.

Soil borne fungus, resting stages of insects and weeds

Cultural control:

• Soil solarization should be followed.

Biological control:

• Apply neem cake @ 80 Kg/acre at the time of sowing for reducing borer damage as well as to reduce the soil borne diseases while preparing the nurseries.

Root rot and collar rot

Cultural control:

• Avoid excessive watering
• Use raised beds: more than 15 cm height is better for water drainage

Damping off

Cultural control:

• Avoid excessive watering
• Follow crop rotation

Biological control:

• Apply neem cake @ 80 Kg/acre at the time of sowing for reducing the disease
• Soil application: Apply Trichoderma viride @ 2kg/100kg of FYM/acre.

Weeds

• Sowing should be done in lines to facilitate hoeing and weeding operations during vegetative stage.

Diseases and insect pests

• Select resistant varieties.

Vegetative stage

Common cultural practices:

• Avoid water stress and water stagnation conditions.
• Collect and destroy diseased and insect infected plant parts.
• Conserve natural enemies through ecological engineering

Common mechanical practices:

• Collection and destruction of eggs of pests and early stage larvae
• Use yellow/blue pan water/ sticky traps for aphids @ 4-5 trap/acre.

Common biological practices:

• Conserve natural enemies through ecological engineering
• Augmentative release of natural enemies.

Nutrients

• Apply second half of N as top dressing in two splits i.e. 4 kg per acre at 25-30 days after sowing and remaining 4 kg at 40-45 days after sowing.

Weeds

• The crop should be kept free from weeds for proper growth and development of plants. Generally, 2-3 hand weeding are required to keep the weeds under control.
• In drilled crop light intercultural operation is beneficial. 1st weeding and hoeing should be done at 25-30 days after sowing and 2nd weeding at one month after 1st weeding.

Aphids

• See common cultural and biological practices.

Cultural control:

• If aphid population is limited to just a few shoots then the infested plant can be pulled out

Biological control

• Conserve and augment lady bird beetles and lacewings.
• Spraying with tobacco decoction (1 kg tobacco boiled in 10 l of water for 30 minutes and making up to 30 l + 100 g soap).
• Insecticidal soaps or oils such as neem or NSKE 5% are usually the best method of control

Leaf miner

Cultural control:

• Avoid excess use of nitrogen.

Biological control:

• Conservation of natural enemies.
• Spray NSKE 5%.

Stem fly

Cultural control:

• Follow crop rotation Biological control
• Apply neem cake @ 80 Kg/acre at the time of sowing for reducing damage

Lucerne weevil

Cultural control:

• Follow crop rotation Biological control
• Apply neem cake @ 80 Kg/acre at the time of sowing for reducing damage
• Spray NSKE 5% or Neem oil 0.5 to 1% (max. 2%).

Mites

Cultural control:

• Keep the field free of weeds
• Remove and destroy infested crop residues

Biological control:

• Spray NSKE (5%)

Thrips

Cultural control:

• Use blue sticky traps/water pan traps 5/acre.

Cercospora leaf spot

Cultural control:

• Follow field sanitation.

Charcoal rot

Cultural control:

• Organic soil amendments such as the addition of manure or neemcake can be used to reduce levels of inoculum in the soil
• Follow crop rotation

Powdery mildew

Cultural control:

• Use adequate spacing when planting to avoid overcrowding

Mosaic

Cultural control:

• Manage the vector by adopting common practices for the aphid.

Mechanical control:

• The infected plants should be removed in the early stage of plant growth.
• Remove weed host
• Install yellow sticky traps 4-5 per acre.

Rust

Cultural control:

• Balanced use of manures and fertilizers.
• Uproot the alternate host.

Downy mildew

Cultural control:

• Use adequate spacing when planting to avoid overcrowding

Fusarium wilt

Cultural control:

• Avoid excessive watering
• Follow crop rotation

Biological control:

• Apply neem cake @ 80 Kg/acre at the time of sowing for reducing the disease
• Soil application: Apply Trichoderma viride 2kg/100kg of FYM/acre.

Reproductive/fruiting stage

Weeds

• Remove weeds to prevent weed seed spread in field.

Pests and disease

• Same as vegetative stage.

Spotted pod borer

Cultural control:

• The avoidance of broad-spectrum pesticides prior to flowering may help conserve natural enemies; however, beneficial insects are unlikely to control populations above about 10 per square metre.
• Follow common mechanical and biological practices