Kalidas Potineni | Indian Council of Agricultural Research (original) (raw)
Papers by Kalidas Potineni
Palm Oil - Current Status and Updates [Working Title]
The edible oil of Elaeis guineensis Jacq., oil palm, is crucial in filling the demand gap and mee... more The edible oil of Elaeis guineensis Jacq., oil palm, is crucial in filling the demand gap and meet the growing need for edible oil worldwide. Although all precautions have been taken to minimize the introduction of pest populations along with seed sprouts from importing countries, some pests are still found to invade crops and cause production losses. Most of these populations have been found to come from other Arecaceae palms such as coconut, palmyrah and betel nut that may be commonly found around oil palm fields. It has been estimated that the above pests reduced oil palm yield by 20–30%, persisted for several years after attack, depending on cultivation methods, and returned to previous yield levels within a few years of attack. The minor pests of coconut, palmyrah, and maize, psychid and slug caterpillar were discovered to be very invasive on oil palm, resulting in output losses of up to 50%. The presence of favorable conditions such as low temperature and high humidity within ...
Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy, 2014
Conversion of oil palm biowaste namely Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Mesocarp Fibre (MF) into goo... more Conversion of oil palm biowaste namely Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Mesocarp Fibre (MF) into good compost by using decomposing fungus Trichoderma viride was carried out in the experimental fields of the Directorate of Oil Palm Research, India. Three applications of T. viride fungus, in the form of broth as well as powder formulation with talc powder (Hydrated magnesium silicate) as carrier material, to oil palm Empty Fruit Bunches and Mesocarp Fibre materials resulted into fast decomposition compared to normal process. The weight gain of the treated material in the initial periods of the fungus application was mainly due to absorption of water. The fungus showed its action on decomposing the material after 15 days of application resulting in the decrease of weights. Six applications of Trichoderma viride fungus (three each on Empty Fruit Bunches and on Mesocarp Fibre) at monthly intervals achieved good decomposition of the cellulose material. In the first phase of decomposition the...
Asian Journal of Environmental Science, 2010
The entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, is attracting increased attention as potential b... more The entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, is attracting increased attention as potential biological control agent against insect pests. Understanding mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis in insects will provide a rational basis for strain selection and improvement. The action of cytotoxins is suggested by cellular disruption prior to hyphae penetration. Behavioural symptoms such as partial or general paralysis, sluggishness and decreased irritability in mycosed insects are consistent with the action of neuromuscular toxins. There is strong evidence supporting the role of cuticle-degrading proteases (PR1 and PR2) as well as phospholipase B (PLB) in fungal pathogens and their correlations to virulence. Two PLB-encoding genes (plb1 and plb2, 57% identity) and PR2-encoding genes (try1 and try2, 22.4% identity) were detected in Beauveria bassiana. The structure similarity of TRY2 protease to insect enzymes might allow the fungal cells to evade host “non-self” recognition and thus might represent one important virulence determinant. PR1 is a serine protease that degrades rapidly cuticular proteins. Production of PR1 is transcriptionally modulated by carbon catabolite and nitrogen metabolite repression. The formation of PLB2 was not influenced by carbon or nitrogen sources. In poor media containing insect cuticles, the synthesis of PLB2 was prevalent. The detailed analysis of the role of putative pathogenic factors depends on the transformation-mediated site-specific disruption of the specific genes. Because of the presence of toxins, lipases and proteases released by the Beauveria bassiana, it can be exploited as an entomopathogen in the control of agricultural pests. Insecticide resistance and the demand for reduced chemical inputs in agriculture have provided an impetus to the development of alternative forms of pest control. Biological control offers an attractive alternative or supplement to the use of chemical pesticides. Microbial biological control agents are naturally occurring organisms and perceived as being less damaging to the environment. Furthermore, their generally complex mode of action makes it unlikely that resistance could be developed to a bio-pesticide. Biological pest control agents include viruses, bacteria, fungi, and nematodes. The use of microorganisms as selective pesticides had some notable successes.
ABSTRACT: Rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut a... more ABSTRACT: Rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut and is commonly observed in all the oil palm growing areas of the country. Studies on the use of aggregating pheromone to trap the pest population and there by the variation in the intensity of infestation were carried out in both oil palm and coconut ecosystems in three districts of Andhra Pradesh during 2012-13. The pest intensity was observed more in the coconut plantations and its surrounding areas compared to oil palm. The beetle trappings in the pheromone traps confirm the attraction of the beetle to pheromone lures. Installation of pheromone trap with regular replacement of the lures, effectively reduced the pest infestation in oil palm plants irrespective of the age of the palms. Coconut ecosystem was more attractive to the beetle compared to oil palm which is more visible with the number of beetles trapped. The present results confirm the earlier findings of the preference of rhi...
Two experiments were conducted to find out the relative efficacy of acaricides and insecticides a... more Two experiments were conducted to find out the relative efficacy of acaricides and insecticides against citrus mite Eutetranychus orientalis (Klien) feeding on mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata Blanco) in Central India during the winter seasons of 1990 and 1991. Acaricides caused greater percentage mortality of mites up to 7 days after spraying than insecticides. Tetradifon (0.025%) was most effective for controlling the mite. Phosphamidon was the cheapest and tetradifon the costliest pesticide.
Journal of Oilseeds Research, 2004
Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems, 2014
Rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut and is comm... more Rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut and is commonly observed in all the oil palm growing areas of the country. Studies on the use of aggregating pheromone to trap the pest population and there by the variation in the intensity of infestation were carried out in both oil palm and coconut ecosystems in three districts of Andhra Pradesh during 2012-13. The pest intensity was observed more in the coconut plantations and its surrounding areas compared to oil palm. The beetle trappings in the pheromone traps confirm the attraction of the beetle to pheromone lures. Installation of pheromone trap with regular replacement of the lures, effectively reduced the pest infestation in oil palm plants irrespective of the age of the palms. Coconut ecosystem was more attractive to the beetle compared to oil palm which is more visible with the number of beetles trapped. The present results confirm the earlier findings of the preference of rhinoceros be...
Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems, 2013
Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. is an important oil crop introduced to meet the vegetable oil n... more Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. is an important oil crop introduced to meet the vegetable oil needs of the country. Among the lepidopteran pests that cause defoliation of oil palm, psychid, Metisa plana, leaf web worm, Acria sp. and slug caterpillar, Darna catenatus were observed as major ones. Severe infestation of leaf eating caterpillars in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh caused 29% yield reduction during first year and 31% in second year after the pest attack. Mortality of the pests due to their natural enemies was recorded at moderate level in all the gardens of Krishna, West and East Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. Parasitoids were recorded as major and important ones on both psychid and leaf web worm while virus was predominant on slug caterpillar. Goriphous bunoh, Brachymeria spp. and Dolichogenidea metesae are the main parasitoids recorded on psychids causing 39.2% parasitism with a range of 15.83 to 65.23%. The former is a pupal parasitoid while the later were r...
Ecological factors played the major role on the survival and mortality of Citrus blackfly, Aleuro... more Ecological factors played the major role on the survival and mortality of Citrus blackfly, Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby which was studied by constructing life tables of the pest. Abiotic factors like desiccation and wind, and biotic factors namely egg infertility and molting problems were found to be the critical factors for all the stages of the pest followed by predation and parasitisation. Egg stage recorded heavy mortality followed by fourth instar nymphal stage. Serangium parcesetosum Sicard (Coccinellidae) and Mallada boninensis Okamoto (Chrysopidae) among predators and Encarsia bennetti Hayat and Eretmoceros gunturlensis Hayat among parasitoids were predominantly responsible for the mortality of the pest.
Journal of Oilseeds Research, 2004
Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), a native plant species of West Africa, is grown extensively i... more Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), a native plant species of West Africa, is grown extensively in 43 countries in the world. It is the highest edible oil yielding crop producing two distinct oils i.e., palm oil and palm kernel oil. , a potential source of lauric acid is obtained from the kernel of stony seed. The productivity of the crop (4-6 tonnes per ha per year) is much higher than that of other oil yielding crops (<1 tonne). Palm oil has good consumer acceptance as a cooking medium and is a good raw material for production of oleochemicals 10. It is a source of improving health and nutrition, value addition, waste utilization, eco-friendly, source of diversification, import substitution, co-generation and sustainability. Vegetable oils are critical for the nutrition security of our people in India. India occupies a prominent place in global oilseeds scenario with 12-15% of area, 6-7% of vegetable oil production, and 9-10% of the total edible oil consumption and 13.6% of vegetable oil imports. Oilseeds account for nearly 3% of the gross domestic product and 5.98% of the value of all agricultural products of the country. Despite having the largest area under oilseeds in the world (26.77 m ha), India currently imports more than 50% of total oil requirement at a huge cost of 66,000 Crores (2014-15). The proportion of import has increased from a meagre 3% in 1970-71 to almost 56% in 2012-13. The country has rich diversity of annual oilseed crops on account of diverse agro-ecological conditions 8. Nine annual oilseeds, which include seven edible oilseeds, viz., groundnut, rapeseed-mustard, soybean, sunflower, sesame, safflower and niger and two non-edible crops, viz., castor and linseed are grown in the country. The domestic demand for vegetable oils and fats has also been rising rapidly at an increasing rate due to increase in per capita income and increase in standard of living. Thus, annual demand is increasing at the rate of 6% while the domestic output has been increasing at just about 2%. The consumption levels of edible oils are increasing to alarming levels as against the recommended 30g/day to meet average physiological needs. The demand for vegetable oils is both income and price elastic. Demand for food grains is constant and stable and can suffice to meet the population growth, whereas demand for vegetable oil increases with increase in population, increase in standard of living (income) and increased use for industrial, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetics purposes.
The oil palm plantations of Andhra Pradesh in India show varied results in nutrient uptake> In th... more The oil palm plantations of Andhra Pradesh in India show varied results in nutrient uptake> In the recent analysis results that was carried out in one of the prime areas revealed high amounts of K accumulation in the soil where as its corresponding leaf analysis indicates deficit or low levels. The yield was observed at moderate to high levels. This gives clear cut deficiency of K in the plants though high to very high amounts are available in the soil. What could be the reason for such antagonistic behaviour by the palms. Can any body throw some light on this aspect.
Rhinoceros beetle is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut and is commonly observed in all the ... more Rhinoceros beetle is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut and is commonly observed in all the oil palm growing areas of the country. Studies on the use of aggregating pheromone to trap the pest population and there by the variation in the intensity of infestation were carried out in both oil palm and coconut ecosystems in three districts of Andhra Pradesh during 2012-13. The pest intensity was observed more in the coconut plantations and its surrounding areas compared to oil palm. The beetle trappings in the pheromone traps confirm the attraction of the beetle to pheromone lures. Installation of pheromone trap with regular replacement of the lures, effectively reduced the pest infestiaon in oil palm plants irrespective of the age of the palms. Coconut ecosystem was more attractive to the beetle compared to oil palm which is more visible with the number of beetles trapped. The present results confirm the earlier findings of the preference of rhinoceros beetle towards coconut compared to oil palm.
Cultivation of oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. by giving irrigation is a unique practice in the... more Cultivation of oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. by giving irrigation is a unique practice in the world and is being followed only in India. The palms that were brought for ornamental purpose later paved the way to utilize them as source of vegetable oil. The wide gap between demand and supply in vegetable oil production using the nine annual oilseed crops, the population explosion, the increased consumption of vegetable oil due to increased GDP forced to grow the crop under Indian conditions to obtain more yield. The role played by various organizations in the development of oil palm industry is worth mentioning without which it would not have been successful. The role played by AICRP on Palms (ICAR) in raising the demonstration plots to find the feasibility of the crop in different areas of the country, DAC by appointing three committees to identify the potential areas for cultivation, DBT for taking up of large scale demonstrations and initiation of mutation breeding using gamma rays irradiation of seed sprouts, UNDP by sanctioning two mega projects on training and seed production and finally the TMOP taking the overall control of the project and maintain it successfully to achieve the best results are worth mentioning. The Government policies, are however, need to be reviewed at frequent intervals as these are responsible for the setback that were observed in different periods. If these are taken care off, the oil palm industry will be a successful venture in the country.
Conversion of oil palm biowaste namely Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Mesocarp Fibre (MF) into goo... more Conversion of oil palm biowaste namely Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Mesocarp Fibre (MF) into good compost using decomposing fungus Trichoderma viride was carried out in the experimental fields of the Directorate of Oil Palm Research, India. Three applications of T. viride fungus, in the form of broth as well as powder formulation with talc powder (hydrated magnesium silicate) as carrier material, to oil palm Empty Fruit Bunches and Mesocarp Fibre materials resulted into fast decomposition compared to normal process. The weight gain of the treated material in the initial periods of the fungus application was mainly due to absorption of water. The fungus showed its action on decomposing the material after 15 days of application resulting in the decrease of weights.
Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (Arecaceae) is a rich source for vegetable oil production from ... more Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (Arecaceae) is a rich source for vegetable oil production from unit area. To mitigate the gap in the demand and supply of vegetable oil, it is cultivated in India by giving irrigation. Coconut black headed caterpillar, Opisina arenosella attacks all arecaceae palms including oil palm causing varied infestations. Variation in the infestation is attributed to the presence and position of lignin in the fibers. Presence of more lignin in the S 2 layer of secondary cell wall in oil palm caused non palatable to the pest to feed upon. Coconut and palmyra palms had more lignin in the S 3 layer which allowed the pest to feed up to S 2 layer causing heavy damage. Though lignin content is highest in coconut palms, it did not cause any impact on pest incidence and intensity as it is concentrated in S 3 layer compared to S 2 in case of oil palm.
Palm Oil - Current Status and Updates [Working Title]
The edible oil of Elaeis guineensis Jacq., oil palm, is crucial in filling the demand gap and mee... more The edible oil of Elaeis guineensis Jacq., oil palm, is crucial in filling the demand gap and meet the growing need for edible oil worldwide. Although all precautions have been taken to minimize the introduction of pest populations along with seed sprouts from importing countries, some pests are still found to invade crops and cause production losses. Most of these populations have been found to come from other Arecaceae palms such as coconut, palmyrah and betel nut that may be commonly found around oil palm fields. It has been estimated that the above pests reduced oil palm yield by 20–30%, persisted for several years after attack, depending on cultivation methods, and returned to previous yield levels within a few years of attack. The minor pests of coconut, palmyrah, and maize, psychid and slug caterpillar were discovered to be very invasive on oil palm, resulting in output losses of up to 50%. The presence of favorable conditions such as low temperature and high humidity within ...
Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy, 2014
Conversion of oil palm biowaste namely Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Mesocarp Fibre (MF) into goo... more Conversion of oil palm biowaste namely Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Mesocarp Fibre (MF) into good compost by using decomposing fungus Trichoderma viride was carried out in the experimental fields of the Directorate of Oil Palm Research, India. Three applications of T. viride fungus, in the form of broth as well as powder formulation with talc powder (Hydrated magnesium silicate) as carrier material, to oil palm Empty Fruit Bunches and Mesocarp Fibre materials resulted into fast decomposition compared to normal process. The weight gain of the treated material in the initial periods of the fungus application was mainly due to absorption of water. The fungus showed its action on decomposing the material after 15 days of application resulting in the decrease of weights. Six applications of Trichoderma viride fungus (three each on Empty Fruit Bunches and on Mesocarp Fibre) at monthly intervals achieved good decomposition of the cellulose material. In the first phase of decomposition the...
Asian Journal of Environmental Science, 2010
The entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, is attracting increased attention as potential b... more The entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, is attracting increased attention as potential biological control agent against insect pests. Understanding mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis in insects will provide a rational basis for strain selection and improvement. The action of cytotoxins is suggested by cellular disruption prior to hyphae penetration. Behavioural symptoms such as partial or general paralysis, sluggishness and decreased irritability in mycosed insects are consistent with the action of neuromuscular toxins. There is strong evidence supporting the role of cuticle-degrading proteases (PR1 and PR2) as well as phospholipase B (PLB) in fungal pathogens and their correlations to virulence. Two PLB-encoding genes (plb1 and plb2, 57% identity) and PR2-encoding genes (try1 and try2, 22.4% identity) were detected in Beauveria bassiana. The structure similarity of TRY2 protease to insect enzymes might allow the fungal cells to evade host “non-self” recognition and thus might represent one important virulence determinant. PR1 is a serine protease that degrades rapidly cuticular proteins. Production of PR1 is transcriptionally modulated by carbon catabolite and nitrogen metabolite repression. The formation of PLB2 was not influenced by carbon or nitrogen sources. In poor media containing insect cuticles, the synthesis of PLB2 was prevalent. The detailed analysis of the role of putative pathogenic factors depends on the transformation-mediated site-specific disruption of the specific genes. Because of the presence of toxins, lipases and proteases released by the Beauveria bassiana, it can be exploited as an entomopathogen in the control of agricultural pests. Insecticide resistance and the demand for reduced chemical inputs in agriculture have provided an impetus to the development of alternative forms of pest control. Biological control offers an attractive alternative or supplement to the use of chemical pesticides. Microbial biological control agents are naturally occurring organisms and perceived as being less damaging to the environment. Furthermore, their generally complex mode of action makes it unlikely that resistance could be developed to a bio-pesticide. Biological pest control agents include viruses, bacteria, fungi, and nematodes. The use of microorganisms as selective pesticides had some notable successes.
ABSTRACT: Rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut a... more ABSTRACT: Rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut and is commonly observed in all the oil palm growing areas of the country. Studies on the use of aggregating pheromone to trap the pest population and there by the variation in the intensity of infestation were carried out in both oil palm and coconut ecosystems in three districts of Andhra Pradesh during 2012-13. The pest intensity was observed more in the coconut plantations and its surrounding areas compared to oil palm. The beetle trappings in the pheromone traps confirm the attraction of the beetle to pheromone lures. Installation of pheromone trap with regular replacement of the lures, effectively reduced the pest infestation in oil palm plants irrespective of the age of the palms. Coconut ecosystem was more attractive to the beetle compared to oil palm which is more visible with the number of beetles trapped. The present results confirm the earlier findings of the preference of rhi...
Two experiments were conducted to find out the relative efficacy of acaricides and insecticides a... more Two experiments were conducted to find out the relative efficacy of acaricides and insecticides against citrus mite Eutetranychus orientalis (Klien) feeding on mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata Blanco) in Central India during the winter seasons of 1990 and 1991. Acaricides caused greater percentage mortality of mites up to 7 days after spraying than insecticides. Tetradifon (0.025%) was most effective for controlling the mite. Phosphamidon was the cheapest and tetradifon the costliest pesticide.
Journal of Oilseeds Research, 2004
Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems, 2014
Rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut and is comm... more Rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut and is commonly observed in all the oil palm growing areas of the country. Studies on the use of aggregating pheromone to trap the pest population and there by the variation in the intensity of infestation were carried out in both oil palm and coconut ecosystems in three districts of Andhra Pradesh during 2012-13. The pest intensity was observed more in the coconut plantations and its surrounding areas compared to oil palm. The beetle trappings in the pheromone traps confirm the attraction of the beetle to pheromone lures. Installation of pheromone trap with regular replacement of the lures, effectively reduced the pest infestation in oil palm plants irrespective of the age of the palms. Coconut ecosystem was more attractive to the beetle compared to oil palm which is more visible with the number of beetles trapped. The present results confirm the earlier findings of the preference of rhinoceros be...
Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems, 2013
Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. is an important oil crop introduced to meet the vegetable oil n... more Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. is an important oil crop introduced to meet the vegetable oil needs of the country. Among the lepidopteran pests that cause defoliation of oil palm, psychid, Metisa plana, leaf web worm, Acria sp. and slug caterpillar, Darna catenatus were observed as major ones. Severe infestation of leaf eating caterpillars in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh caused 29% yield reduction during first year and 31% in second year after the pest attack. Mortality of the pests due to their natural enemies was recorded at moderate level in all the gardens of Krishna, West and East Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. Parasitoids were recorded as major and important ones on both psychid and leaf web worm while virus was predominant on slug caterpillar. Goriphous bunoh, Brachymeria spp. and Dolichogenidea metesae are the main parasitoids recorded on psychids causing 39.2% parasitism with a range of 15.83 to 65.23%. The former is a pupal parasitoid while the later were r...
Ecological factors played the major role on the survival and mortality of Citrus blackfly, Aleuro... more Ecological factors played the major role on the survival and mortality of Citrus blackfly, Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby which was studied by constructing life tables of the pest. Abiotic factors like desiccation and wind, and biotic factors namely egg infertility and molting problems were found to be the critical factors for all the stages of the pest followed by predation and parasitisation. Egg stage recorded heavy mortality followed by fourth instar nymphal stage. Serangium parcesetosum Sicard (Coccinellidae) and Mallada boninensis Okamoto (Chrysopidae) among predators and Encarsia bennetti Hayat and Eretmoceros gunturlensis Hayat among parasitoids were predominantly responsible for the mortality of the pest.
Journal of Oilseeds Research, 2004
Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), a native plant species of West Africa, is grown extensively i... more Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), a native plant species of West Africa, is grown extensively in 43 countries in the world. It is the highest edible oil yielding crop producing two distinct oils i.e., palm oil and palm kernel oil. , a potential source of lauric acid is obtained from the kernel of stony seed. The productivity of the crop (4-6 tonnes per ha per year) is much higher than that of other oil yielding crops (<1 tonne). Palm oil has good consumer acceptance as a cooking medium and is a good raw material for production of oleochemicals 10. It is a source of improving health and nutrition, value addition, waste utilization, eco-friendly, source of diversification, import substitution, co-generation and sustainability. Vegetable oils are critical for the nutrition security of our people in India. India occupies a prominent place in global oilseeds scenario with 12-15% of area, 6-7% of vegetable oil production, and 9-10% of the total edible oil consumption and 13.6% of vegetable oil imports. Oilseeds account for nearly 3% of the gross domestic product and 5.98% of the value of all agricultural products of the country. Despite having the largest area under oilseeds in the world (26.77 m ha), India currently imports more than 50% of total oil requirement at a huge cost of 66,000 Crores (2014-15). The proportion of import has increased from a meagre 3% in 1970-71 to almost 56% in 2012-13. The country has rich diversity of annual oilseed crops on account of diverse agro-ecological conditions 8. Nine annual oilseeds, which include seven edible oilseeds, viz., groundnut, rapeseed-mustard, soybean, sunflower, sesame, safflower and niger and two non-edible crops, viz., castor and linseed are grown in the country. The domestic demand for vegetable oils and fats has also been rising rapidly at an increasing rate due to increase in per capita income and increase in standard of living. Thus, annual demand is increasing at the rate of 6% while the domestic output has been increasing at just about 2%. The consumption levels of edible oils are increasing to alarming levels as against the recommended 30g/day to meet average physiological needs. The demand for vegetable oils is both income and price elastic. Demand for food grains is constant and stable and can suffice to meet the population growth, whereas demand for vegetable oil increases with increase in population, increase in standard of living (income) and increased use for industrial, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetics purposes.
The oil palm plantations of Andhra Pradesh in India show varied results in nutrient uptake> In th... more The oil palm plantations of Andhra Pradesh in India show varied results in nutrient uptake> In the recent analysis results that was carried out in one of the prime areas revealed high amounts of K accumulation in the soil where as its corresponding leaf analysis indicates deficit or low levels. The yield was observed at moderate to high levels. This gives clear cut deficiency of K in the plants though high to very high amounts are available in the soil. What could be the reason for such antagonistic behaviour by the palms. Can any body throw some light on this aspect.
Rhinoceros beetle is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut and is commonly observed in all the ... more Rhinoceros beetle is a migrant pest on oil palm from coconut and is commonly observed in all the oil palm growing areas of the country. Studies on the use of aggregating pheromone to trap the pest population and there by the variation in the intensity of infestation were carried out in both oil palm and coconut ecosystems in three districts of Andhra Pradesh during 2012-13. The pest intensity was observed more in the coconut plantations and its surrounding areas compared to oil palm. The beetle trappings in the pheromone traps confirm the attraction of the beetle to pheromone lures. Installation of pheromone trap with regular replacement of the lures, effectively reduced the pest infestiaon in oil palm plants irrespective of the age of the palms. Coconut ecosystem was more attractive to the beetle compared to oil palm which is more visible with the number of beetles trapped. The present results confirm the earlier findings of the preference of rhinoceros beetle towards coconut compared to oil palm.
Cultivation of oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. by giving irrigation is a unique practice in the... more Cultivation of oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. by giving irrigation is a unique practice in the world and is being followed only in India. The palms that were brought for ornamental purpose later paved the way to utilize them as source of vegetable oil. The wide gap between demand and supply in vegetable oil production using the nine annual oilseed crops, the population explosion, the increased consumption of vegetable oil due to increased GDP forced to grow the crop under Indian conditions to obtain more yield. The role played by various organizations in the development of oil palm industry is worth mentioning without which it would not have been successful. The role played by AICRP on Palms (ICAR) in raising the demonstration plots to find the feasibility of the crop in different areas of the country, DAC by appointing three committees to identify the potential areas for cultivation, DBT for taking up of large scale demonstrations and initiation of mutation breeding using gamma rays irradiation of seed sprouts, UNDP by sanctioning two mega projects on training and seed production and finally the TMOP taking the overall control of the project and maintain it successfully to achieve the best results are worth mentioning. The Government policies, are however, need to be reviewed at frequent intervals as these are responsible for the setback that were observed in different periods. If these are taken care off, the oil palm industry will be a successful venture in the country.
Conversion of oil palm biowaste namely Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Mesocarp Fibre (MF) into goo... more Conversion of oil palm biowaste namely Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Mesocarp Fibre (MF) into good compost using decomposing fungus Trichoderma viride was carried out in the experimental fields of the Directorate of Oil Palm Research, India. Three applications of T. viride fungus, in the form of broth as well as powder formulation with talc powder (hydrated magnesium silicate) as carrier material, to oil palm Empty Fruit Bunches and Mesocarp Fibre materials resulted into fast decomposition compared to normal process. The weight gain of the treated material in the initial periods of the fungus application was mainly due to absorption of water. The fungus showed its action on decomposing the material after 15 days of application resulting in the decrease of weights.
Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (Arecaceae) is a rich source for vegetable oil production from ... more Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (Arecaceae) is a rich source for vegetable oil production from unit area. To mitigate the gap in the demand and supply of vegetable oil, it is cultivated in India by giving irrigation. Coconut black headed caterpillar, Opisina arenosella attacks all arecaceae palms including oil palm causing varied infestations. Variation in the infestation is attributed to the presence and position of lignin in the fibers. Presence of more lignin in the S 2 layer of secondary cell wall in oil palm caused non palatable to the pest to feed upon. Coconut and palmyra palms had more lignin in the S 3 layer which allowed the pest to feed up to S 2 layer causing heavy damage. Though lignin content is highest in coconut palms, it did not cause any impact on pest incidence and intensity as it is concentrated in S 3 layer compared to S 2 in case of oil palm.
India the second largest palm oil importing country is planning to go for oil palm plantations in... more India the second largest palm oil importing country is planning to go for oil palm plantations in a big way to reduce its vegetable oil imports in the future years. An estimated 12000 crores of rupees are going to be spent in the next five years on oil palm development in both main land and North Eastern Hill region of the country. Since the local production of vegetable oil with the nine traditional oil seeds crops is sufficient only for 1/3 rd of the requirement, the government has come out with a big plant to bring out more area under oil palm cultivation as the crop's productivity is very high as compared to other oil seeds crops. A review was carried out on the problems faced during the first cycle of oil palm cultivation under irrigated conditions, measure to be taken to overcome them, over all prospects and constraints for oil palm cultivation in the country.
Leaf breaking in oil palm is a regular phenomenon in Indian conditions. Leaves in the lower whorl... more Leaf breaking in oil palm is a regular phenomenon in Indian conditions. Leaves in the lower whorls break in the beginning followed by top ones based on the severity. Symptoms of breaking occurs with
