Influence of management practices of white grub infestation in banana in Banaba Lejos, Indang, Cavite / by Regie E. Caraan.

Thesis (BS Agriculture - - Crop Protection) Cavite State University.

Includes bibliographical references.

College of Agriculture, Forestry, Environmental and Natural Resources (CAFENR)

CARAAN, REGIE E. MAY 2005. " Influence of Management Practices on White Grub ( Leucopholis irrorata) Infestation in Banana, Banaba Lejos, Indang, Cavite". Thesis, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Crop Protection, Entomology Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture, Forestry, Environmental and Natural Resources, Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite.
Banana farmers of Banaba Lejos Indang, Cavite were surveyed to determine their management practices that may have influenced the incidence of white grub infestation in their farms; describe their socio-demographic characteristics; determine their annual cash earnings; ascertain how white grub can damage their banana and the extent of damage caused by the infestation in terms of percentage of losses in production; determine the management practices they employed to control white grub infestation that contributed to the pest status of white grubs in banana; and recommend the most appropriate cultural management practices to prevent and control white grub infestation on their banana farms. A total of 18 banana farmers were made respondents for the study. Banana farmers were 29 to 72 years old with a mean of 46 years old, male and married except for one who is a widower. The average household size of the farmers was five. All farmers attended formal school with a few having a college degree and one had vocational training. Respondents operated farms with an average area of 1.97 hectares and have been engaged in banana farming for an average of 14 years. More than half of the banana farmers were tenants and the remaining farmers were owner-operators.
Banana farming was more of an additional source of income and farmers earned an average of Php805.00 per harvest with an average of 8 harvest per year and total cash of earnings of Php31,053 per year. White grub infestation caused minimal damage to the crops. The damage was observed to affect the roots since white grub feeds on the roots. The extent of damage caused by white grub infestation constitute about 20 percent of the total losses in production. Other causes of losses from banana production include bad weather, corm weevil and thrips. The banana farmers and family members performed the following practices in land preparation: cleaning, plowing, fin-rowing, harrowing and hoeing. Majority of the farmers reported that the manner of land preparation increase the incidence of white grub infestation. Banana varieties planted by the farmers included saba (plantain) and latundan and the farmers sourced their planting materials either from own farms or from neighbors. Banana based cropping increased the incidence of white grub infestation because of the presence of more host crops. A few however claimed that cropping system helped reduce the incidence of infestation. Farmers applied fertilizer such as ammonium sulfate, complete fertilizer and urea. However, they reported that the fertilizer application does not influence while grub infestation.
Bananas are harvested at its mature stage: Saba, from 15 to 16 months and Latundan at 12 months after planting. Although white grub was observed during three of harvest, the manner of harvesting has no influence white grub infestation. White grub infestation was more prevalent during the rainy season, with the exemption of one farmer who claimed that white grub was present in their farms all year-round.
Farmers employed control measures to prevent white grub infestation. However, manual picking, burning, or drowning, application of ammonium sulfate and lime were not effective in controlling white grub infestation.

Submitted to the University Library 07/04/2005 T-3180