Severe incidences of white stem borer (WSB) in Karnataka’s coffee growing region are threatening the cultivation of the Arabica coffee crop.
The high incidence of WSB this year is due to continuous dry weather from October to April and high temperature during April-May (as high as 38 degrees). The delay in blossom showers has also aggravated the situation and the region got rains only in the first week of April.
“This dry weather and high temperature was conducive to the borer to be active to breed and spread into large areas. This effect is all across the arabica growing estates in the Chikmagalur, Hassan and Kodagu districts in the State,” D Govindappa Jayaram, Chairman, Karnataka Planters’ Association (KPA), told
The incidence of WSB is severe in Chikmagalur’s Mudigere and Tarikere taluks and a few areas in Hassan district. In Kodagu, Somwarpet – one of the largest arabica growing taluk – is the worst affected. High incidents are also reported from Virajpet and Madikeri taluks as well.
Jayaram said: “The borer-ridden arabica plants in more than 40 per cent area are being uprooted. Loads of WSB affected stems are being transported to be used as firewood. This severity is unseen in the last 40 years.”
Commenting on the WSB incident, Bose Mandana, former Vice-Chairman, Coffee Board and a coffee grower at Suntikoppa in Kodagu, said: “The borer attack is very severe this year. We were losing 50-100 plants an acre whenever WSB attack took place. But this time around, we are losing at a faster pace of 200-300 plants an acre. It looks like in one shot, we may lose the entire Arabica crop this year.”
Doubts over ArabicaThe plantation fraternity is feeling helpless as nobody is able to help them out this year not even horticulture experts or agriculture scientists of Central Coffee Research Institute.
“The future of Arabica is also in question for this year young plants – one-year-old promising Chandragiri variety has been affected,” said Mandanna.
“This time during the crisis when we approached scientists and extension officers, they had no response or solution. All we got as reply was grow more trees and protect shade,” he said.
“If we follow it, then there will be no coffee. The plants need some amount of sun for photosynthesis,” he said.
Acknowledging the WSB menace in the State, Jawaid Akhtar, Chairman, Coffee Board, said: “WSB this year is very high. This is due to delayed blossom showers and high temperatures in coffee growing regions. To initiate remedial measures, we have taken up survey to assess the quantum of damage.”
Coffee Board aid“Meanwhile, the Board has prescribed methods such as tracing, pruning and uprooting the infested plants in the affected areas,” he added.
Mandanna said, “Normally three round of weeding takes place for WSB - to trace, remove and repeated the same after rains. Now only one round has taken place. The current loss is estimated at 30 per cent. The full extent of damage will be known after the monsoon rains that is in August-September when more rounds of tracing are done.”
“This time around the pheromone traps prescribed are not effective and have not helped in trapping the borer beetles,” said Jayaram.
The KPA has written to the Coffee Board to take up fresh survey of the affected areas and take stock of the situation.
The Association has requested the Board to write to the State Government to declare and publish the areas affected by WSB in Chikmagalur, Hassan and Kodagu districts as White Stem Borer affected areas.