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Use of Tamarind and lemon for pest control
volunteer
Banidan Mavaljee Gadhvi
Kheda, Gujarat

2nd National Grassroots Innovation - 2002

 Innovator Profile

 Banidanbhai (46 years), has a small family comprising his mother and himself. There are 15 families of Gadhvi community, in the village. His nephew helps him in farming. Several years ago, Banidanbhai faced the problem of hairy caterpillar in castor crop. He developed an herbal extract to solve this problem which he still finds effective.

 
 
The idea of using tamarind and lemon juice mixed with water occurred to him when he thought that even human beings find it difficult to bear the sour taste of lemon and tamarind. Then why not test it on insects? And he succeded in his effort ! The method involves mixing 500 ml juice of tamarind with 500 ml juice of lemon in 15 litres of water. This mixture is then sprinkled over the infested crop in 0.25 ha. He and other fellow farmers report almost complete control of this pest in castor crop. Looking at his experience, other farmers also started following his method to control the pest. An individual innovation may eventually become the traditional knowledge in due course.