Part I OF I Tamil Nadu.pmd - National Innovation Foundation

PART I : INNOVATIONS FROM TAMIL NADU
33
Preventing crop loss caused by Paddy Earhead bugs
The plant called “peyurunjan” or “sannambu” (Cycas cercinalis) is available in the Western
Ghats as a wild plant. This plant during the time of flowering releases obnoxious odour.
Farmers of Puliangudi, Vasudevanallur and Sivagiri areas of Tirunelveli District use this
odour to keep away the earhead bugs away. They usually collect the flowers of the plant
during December – January, the panicle initiation stage in the paddy crop. These flowers
are cut into small pieces and covered and tied with wet cotton cloth. These cloth bundles
are again covered with straw and fixed on the top of the sticks (at 3 to 4 feet height),
which are placed in two or three spots of an acre of standing paddy land. Dew fall in the
early morning during winter months helps to emit obnoxious odour that repels the earhead
bugs away from the paddy field, which otherwise cause severe economic loss to paddy
farmers. Thiru Gomathinayagam, Vivasiyigal Seva Sangam (Farmers Service
Association), Puliangudi village is instrumental in practicing this knowledge and
disseminating to other farmers. He received SRISTI Samman earlier for his services.
Community
Tirunelveli
TAMIL NADU INNOVATES 45