Inventory of Peasant Innovations for Sustainable Development an annotated bibliography

1. 
   Rats in gourd plants are controlled by bamboo trap.
   

1. 
   The preventive measures for leaf eating caterpillar (cabbage worm, diamond moth, loopers) is mixed cropping. Diamond back moth (Plutella xylostella) occurs less cabbage-tomato combination. Curative measures are use of contact and systemic poisons like Derris spp (Leguminoseae) Quassia spp (Simarubaceae) ‘BAKULO VIRUS,’ etc.
   

2. 
   Neem, (Azadirachtaindica), (Meliaceae Ryania), (Speciosa), (Facourtiacea), (Derrisspp) the application of the se, acts as a deterrent to the borer and smuts.
   

1. 
   Pour cactus milk into the water inlets in the paddy field to keep away certain insects.
   

2. 
   Discarded Buddhist robes made into wicks, dipped in coconut oil placed in different parts of the fields. Coconut oil has a strong smell which keeps insect/pest away.
   

3. 
   Juice of certain creepers poured and then pounded into the water at the inlets in paddy fields. This was effective against Godewella worms.
   

4. 
   Makra leaves are stack dried at four corners of the field.
   

5. 
   Branches of the ‘KADURA’ tree are planted at the four corners of the field. They are used as a support to the coconut lamps which attract bugs away from the paddy field.
   

6. 
   Sprinkle sand over paddy fields before irrigation.
   

7. 
   A long rope is impregnated with a sticky substance derived from jackfruit. When dragged across the field, bugs would stick to the rope.
   

8. 
   Tie lot of rags into a long bit of string. Impregnate the rags with resin called ‘DUMMALA’ which is then dragged across the fields. The bugs in the paddy fields get stuck to these.
   

9. 
   Special tool ‘PINOVIA’ is used for removing bugs from the surface of water.
   

10. 
    Crush coconut refuse and spread in each corner of the field. This attracts a bird called ‘Demal Ichcip’ which eats the paddy bugs.
    

11. 
    Bury four pieces of roots taken from eastern side of the ‘MEE’ tree, burn them in four corners of the paddy field, the rats will not enter the fields.
    

12. 
    Grow small sections of rice at the end of each paddy field for the birds.
    

1. 
   In Rhodesia humus protects the maize crop from the attack of the witchweed.
   

2. 
   A small field of gram in Indore, about 2/3^rd of which was flooded for few days in July due to the temporary shortage of one of the drain canals, which took storm water from adjacent areas. In October, about a month after sowing, this plot was heavily attacked by gram caterpillar. The insect infected area corresponded exactly with the inundation area.
   

The rest of the plot escaped infection and grew normally. Some change in the food of the caterpillar might have been brought about by the alteration in the soil condition by the temporary flooding.

3. 
   The second case of disease occurred in a field of ‘Sunhemp’ intended for green manuring. However, this was not ploughed but kept for seed. After flowering the crop was smothered by mildew; no seed was harvested. To produce a crop of seed of sunhemp on the black soils it was necessary to manure the land with humus or farm yard manure.
   

4. 
   The chief pest of fruit trees at Quetta was green fly. It attacked ‘soon after the young leaves appeared.’ Any interference in the soil aeration brought on this trouble. The tribesmen got over the tendency of these soils to pack under irrigation in a simple way. ‘LUCERNE’ is always grown in the fruit orchards and regularly top dressed with farmyard manure. In this way t he porosity of soil is maintained and the green fly kept in check.
   

1. 
   The study of the life history of the pest, including the general relation of the parasite to crop and the influence of the environment on the struggle for supremacy between the two.
   

2. 
   The study of the natural parasites of insect pests, the breeding of these animals and their actual introduction, whenever t his procedure promises success.
   

3. 
   The framing and conduct of regulations to protect an area from foreign pest which has not yet made its appearance.
   

1. 
   A low perimeter fence to exclude rodents is made by the farmers. Fencing reduces the chances of such a catastrophe and helps trap animals valued for their high-quality meat. Cane-rat meat is especially welcome in households beset by preharvest hunger.
   

2. 
   Birds are without doubt major pests on upland rice farms. Early rice is especially badly affected. Towards the later part of the harvest season the bird problem abates, perhaps because they have a much greater range of targets to attack. here are two key periods for bird scaring-just after broadcasting and then the 30 days or so leading up to the harvest (in effect, the period from flowering to ripening).
   

3. 
   Some farmers rig up a network of ropes to operate sets of rattles and alarms. Others rely on slings and stones (or on tumu farms, where there are no stones, specially prepared mud pellets are used).
   

4. 
   Some local rice varieties are reputed to be resistant to bird attack. These include both long-awned varieties, e.g., ngolo-yombo and filiwa, and varieties with long outer glumes. The general descriptive name kalembaama is sometimes applied to rices in the latter group (examples include ‘Madam Yebu’ and gbondobai).
   

1. 
   Seed preservation could be done without pesticides, provided they are dried well and stored in their natural form.
   

2. 
   If banana suckers are immersed for a few minutes in boiling water, root nematodes would be completely checked and no chemicals are necessary.
   

3. 
   If marigold flowers plants are grown 15 ft. apart, both the aroma of the plant and the flower may check about 40 percent of insect multiplication in the cabbage family crops. Similarly the root excretion of the marigold is very much liked by the root nematodes which kills them in Solanaceae family crops.
   

4. 
   Companion planting like onion and carrot, rose and garlics, banana, and coconut helps in pest control.
   

1. 
   Spraying neem leaf or oil cake decoction checks pest infestation, because of its bitter taste and strong repellent odour.
   

2. 
   Nicely pulverised chilly powder mixed with neem oil is the alternative found by farmers for most dangerous and costly pyrethorids which could not control pest infestation in cabbage and cauliflower.
   

3. 
   Maida and fine salt powder mixed well and dusted over cabbage made larvae die of thirst. (One farmer in Amravati controlled the ‘Kolshi’-a fungus like mildew infestation on the lower sided of leaves, first appeared in 1980-81, by spraying starch solution which when dried formed films and absorbed the ‘Kolshi’- Pers. Commn. Y. Mandavkar).
   

4. 
   Application of two to three kilogram of neem or pungania oil cake t the basins, checks root nematodes, white ant infestation and multiplication of mealy bugs.
   

1. 
   Natural enemies like birds, frogs, snakes should be encouraged to be present around the farms as it helps a lot in pest control.
   

2. 
   Natural predators like ladybug controls aphids. Praying mantis checks most of the insects in the orchards. Spiders could keep control over many paddy pests provided they maintain needed population.
   

1. 
   Application: 20 days after broadcasting to control leafroller
   

2. 
   Application: 35 days after broadcasting to control the leafroller and spondopters
   

3. 
   Application: During the panicle stage, but before pollination, about 2½ months after broadcasting to control the BPH.
   

For the BPH control he recommends spraying early to control the nymphs rather than the adults in order to prevent the build-up of a high population. Thus fewer eggs will be laid. During pollination spraying has to be avoided otherwise he will get empty grains. Usually he does not spray anymore after pollination.

A mixture of 1 kg root of S. tuberose and 1 kg leaves of A. indica mixed with 5 litres of water is prepared. Chop the plant parts, pound them finely, and mix them with water. Soak them for several days then filter and add 20 more litres of water. Before application add soap (about 5 grams per litre of water).

1. 
   Seed of Schleichera oelsa (Kesambi, Australian oak) are collected when they fall (June-July) and are crushed into powder which is mixed with seeds to be stored. This tree was once used in traditional reafforestation programs by the Timorese as its timber is useful for making fences and for fuel. The seeds are also used to make a low quality lamp-oil and are eaten by cattle during the dry season.
   

2. 
   Pachyrrhizus bulbosus (Vas). Seeds are collected in late February and used as above. The seeds are quite toxic but the bulb of this annual legume is edible and the flowers are believed to be medicinal.
   

3. 
   Sterculia foetida (Nitas). This tree has large pods with 10-15 seeds from which lamp oil can be extracted. The oil can be drained over 3 days from the green seeds (June-July), dried, and mixed with grain/seed to be stored.
   

(There are several other similar practices mentioned n the Newsletter mentioned above).

1. 
   Before one and half month of harvesting of T. Aman varieties of paddy draw a strip at distances of 2-3’ to control insect.
   

2. 
   Weeds are used for Nematode control in paddy.
   

1. 
   Jute (capilaris) seed powder/extract are used for controlling stem borer insect in paddy.
   

2. 
   Juice of ‘Talakachi’ leaf mixed with water sprinkled on leafy vegetables helps in control of beatles.
   

3. 
   Powdered neem fruit is used in paddy to control insect.
   

1. 
   Banana plant is used for rat control in wheat (the rustling of leaves crease sound which keeps rats away).