What are the Major Insect and Diseases of Jute

Insect control: Jute hairy caterpillar, mole cricket, jute weevil, jute semilooper, mites etc. in can infest the jute field. The names of some insects, nature of damage and control measures are described below:

A.Jute hairy caterpillar: Symptoms: This insect eats all types of young and matured leaves. The female moth lays eggs on the dorsal surface of the leaves in batch. The young larvae, after hatching, remain on the dorsal leaf surface in groups up to 6- 7 days of hatching. Thereafter, they spread all over the plant. The larvae eat the green portions of leaves when they are in groups and the leaves look like white thin membranes, which are easily observed from the far. They eat the young twigs when the infestation is severe.

Control measures:

1. The leaves with eggs should be removed and damaged whenever found.
2. At the early stage of infestation when the larvae remain in group the leaf with insects should be killed pressing by legs, in pit or by in dipping in kerosene mix water. 
3. The pupae remains under the soil come out whenever the dry land is ploughed after cutting jute and these pupae are damaged by birds.
4. A protective canal can be made surrounding the infested field and kerosene mix water can be kept in the canal to protect the spreading of jute hairy caterpillar tom the uninfected field.
5. The insecticides should be applied in accordance with the suggestion of the agriculture officer.

B.Mole cricket: Symptoms: These insects make holes in the land and live inside the holes at day. At night, they come out from the holes, cut the base of the jute seedlings and keep the cut seedlings inside the holes. Consequently, the jute sometimes becomes vacant with jute plants. The infestation becomes higher when there is no rainfall and the infestation becomes lower after rainfall. The adult insects eat the root and the base of the stem of jute plants.

Control measures:

1. The land in which the infestation is higher each year, the seed rate should be higher for that land.
2. In the infested land, when the seedlings become 8- 9 cm, densely populated plants should be thinned out. 
3. If possible, measures should be taken to supply irrigation water from the nearby water source.
4. Measures should be taken to apply insecticide in accordance with the suggestion of the agriculture officer.
5. Insecticides should be applied in the holes.
6. Should be applied poison bits of insecticides.

C. Jute Semilooper: Symptoms: The  jute semilooper infests the youngtwigs and leaves of the jute plants. Consequently the young leaves become damaged and branching occurs in the jute plants. Therefore, jute yield is reduced and fiber quality is deteriorated.

Control measures:

1. When infestation is found, kerosene mixed rope should be pulled over the jute plants. This will reduce the infestation of the insects.
2. The birds Shalik or Mayna like to eat jute semilooper. Therefore, to sit these birds, bamboo sticks or small branches of trees should be placed in the jute field.

D.Jute Weevil: Symptoms: The female insects lay eggs by boring the twigs of jute seedlings. After hatching, the nymphs go inside the plant and become adult there. Consequently, the twigs become die the plants bear branches. If the plants become matured, the insects lay eggs inside the stem by boring near the base of the leaves. Consequently, there creates a knot like structure. During jute retting, these knots do not undergo retting. The fiber bears black spots on that places and thereby the fiber quality and price become reduced.

Control measures:

1. The weeds near the jute field should be cleaned before seed sowing and after cutting of jute.
2. The infested jute plants should be removed and be destroyed. 
3. The insecticides should be applied in accordance with suggestion of the agriculture officer whenever the plants become 5- 6 cm in height.

E. Mites: There are two types of mites found in the jute field. Such as- yellow mite and red mite.

Symptoms: The yellow mites infest young leaves and suck leaf juice. Consequently leaves become rolled and leaves color become coppery. The yellow mites also attack flower buds. Consequently flower buds cannot bloom. Petals color become yellow to black and shaded. Therefore, the seed yield is reduced. The infestation of theses insects become higher when there is a continuous drought or rain less. The red mites infest comparatively the lower leaves.

Control measures:

1. Lime and sulfur should be mixed by 1:2 ratios and should be applied in the infested field with water.
2. Green leaf juice of neam mixing with water by 2: 5 ratios should be applied in field.
3. The insecticides should be sprayed in accordance with the suggestion of the agriculture officer.

Disease Control: Stem rot, black band, foot rot, dry rot, wilting etc. are the diseases found in jute. The symptoms and control measures of some of these diseases are described below:

• Stem rot disease: Symptoms: Deep brown spots are found on the leaves and stems of jute plants. The spots can be found on anywhere from the base to tipoff the jute plants. Numerous black dots are found on the spots. The pathogens fungi remain on the black spots. This disease can be found in kenaf and mesta pat.
• Black Band: The symptoms of this disease almost similar to that of stem rot disease. But a black band surrounding the stem is found. By rubbing on these spots black dusty spots are found on the hand. Consequently, plants dried and die.
• Dry Rot: This disease is found only in the deshi jute. The seedlings die when infection occurs at the seedling stage. The black spots ate found on the stem of the mature plants. The infected place is cracked and pathogens are found on the cracked place. The pathogens fly on the air and infect the fruits. The infected fruits become black and small in size. The plants do not die due to this disease but the infected place becomes hard. For that reason, the fiber of the infected place remains on the jute stick after retting. This fiber is of low quality.

Control Measures: Stem rot, black band and dry rot, all the three diseases are seed, soil and air borne. The control measures of these diseases are similar. Such as:

1. The weeds, stubbles and roots of the previous crop should be uprooted and burnt after cutting of jute.
2. Seeds should be treated before seed sowing.
3. The jute seeds should be collected from the healthy plants.
4. Measure should be taken to drain out excess water all time.
5. Measures should be taken to control diseases just after appearing of the diseases.
6. Insecticides should be sprayed.