Adoption of Recommended Plant Protection Measures for the Management of Major Coconut Pests by Coconut Growers in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka
Abstract
Coconut production in Sri Lanka is threatened by pest and diseases. Therefore, different remedial measures have been introduced by Coconut Research Institute (CRI) to safeguard the plantations. This study was carried out to determine the adoption of recommended plant protection measures to manage major pests of coconut by the growers in different land categories. The growers were selected from Kurunegala district, which is the major coconut growing district in coconut triangle in Sri Lanka. Findings of the study revealed that more than 70 percent of the growers in all land categories above 2Ac had adopted technologies recommended by CRI to control black beetle. Technology adoption was around 60 percent for red weevil control, around 30 percent for coconut mite and around 65 percent for plesispa beetle. It was also noted that the decision making on the adoption of different technologies is affected by the perceptions of the growers. Growers’ perception was determined by two factors, information receiving sources and occurrence of pest attacks in their fields. Further, it was found that the growers are having limited access to latest technologies in pest control. In addition, the study revealed that unawareness of technologies and low attention for coconut farming was the two major reasons for poor adoption of the recommended technologies. It is concluded that coconut growers in Kurunegala district require more awareness regarding recommended plant protection measures to manage major coconut pests and strengthen extension programes.
References
Basaram, G. S. and Cofenor, A. R., (1968). Factors related to acceptance of new ideas
and techniques in farming Punjab. Indian Journal of Extensional Education,
4(1 and 2): 29-39.
Central Bank Report of Sri Lanka, 2016: Chapter 6 (2), 39-45.
Coconut Statistics, 2008. Ministry of Plantation Industry, Colombo 2, Sri Lanka.
Fernando, L.C.P., Manoj, P., Hapuarachchi, D.C.L., Edgington, S. (2007). Evaluation of four isolates of Hirsutella thompsonii against coconut mite (Aceria guerreronis) in Sri Lanka. Crop Protection 26: 1062-1066.
Ghulam Ali Jariko., Mumtaz Ali Junejo., Muhammad Saleem Rahpoto., Maqsood Zia Shah., 2011. Socioeconomic factors affecting adoption of Sunflower varieties in Sindh. Pakistan Journal of Commerce and Social Sciences. Vol. 5 (1), 192-201.
Liyanage, M. de S. (1999) A guide to scientific cultivation and management of coconut, Hitech Prints, Nugegoda Sri Lanka.
Peiris, T.S.G., Appuhamy, P.A.H.N., Nainanayake, N.P.A.D., Bandaranayake, C.K. and Fernando, M.T.N. (2006). Coconut research, development and dissemination of technologies – Growers perception. A diagnostic survey report, coconut Research Institute, Lunuwila, Sri Lanka: 33-77.
Ranasinghe, C.S., Peiris, T.S.G., Jayawardena, J., Perera, L., Fernando, M.T.N. and Wickramananda, I. (2006). Coconut palm decline: Assessment of the prevalence and probable causes. A CRI Publication.
Rogers, E. M., (1968). Diffusion of Innovations. Free Press, New York.
Somasiri, L.L.W., Nadarajah, N., Amarasinghe, L. and Gunathilake, H.A.J. (1994). Land suitability assessment of coconut growing area in the coconut triangle. Occasional Publication Series 3, CRI, Lunuwila.
Statistics on coconut and oil palm. 1, 2011. Coconut Research Institute, Lunuwila, Sri Lanka; 18.
Wickramananda, I.R., Peiris, T.S.G., Neil Fernando, M.T., Fernando, L.C.P. and Edgington, S. (2007) Impact of the coconut mite (Aceria guerreronis Keifer) on the coconut industry in Sri Lanka. Cord 23 (1).
