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CONSERVATION OF CROPS AND PEST MANAGEMENT
Crops being chemically protected often damage essential nutrients and farmer friendly pests while focusing on non-friendly pests that intentionally harm the plants.
Natural Farming promotes a biological control system which use methods of intercrops and homemade bio-pesticides to help farmer friendly pests and bees to control and prevent the harmful ones, thus conserving the vegetation.
Intercrops
Marigold, Cowpea, Maize, Castor, Fenugreek, Coriander, Bengal gram, Onion flowers, Holy Basil, Beans, Black gram, Radish, Pearl Millet (Bajra), Drumstick
Neemastra (Neem missile)
Neem leaves are known to enrich the soil, protect plant roots from nematodes and white ants. It is said to be so potent that it repels and disrupts the growth and reproduction of pests and insects preventing them from touching the plants.
Ingredients:
- Water – 200 Litres
- Local cow urine – 10 Litres
- Neem leaves – 10 Kilograms
- Neem powder (alternative) – 10 Kilograms
Preparation:
- In a pot, add a small quantity of water with 2 kilograms of cow dung and stir it well clockwise.
- In a cement tank or iron barrel, add 200 Litres of water along with the above mixture and stir it well clockwise.
- Add 10 Kilograms of well chopped Neem Leaves to the barrel and stir it again. If neem leaves are not available, neem powder of the same quantity can be used alternatively.
- Cover the barrel with a jute gunny bag and place it in a cool and dry place under the shadow to ferment for 2-4 days.
- Avoid sunlight and rainwater
- Stir it twice a day – morning and evening for 2 minutes maximum.
- After the fermentation process is complete, filter it with a thin cotton cloth and store it in a cool and dry place.
- This mix can last for up to 6 months and be used to spray on plants.
- Do not add extra water while spraying on plants. It may reduce its potent.
Brahmastra (Brahma Missile)
Brahmastra is a natural insecticide made of different leaves rich in specific alkaloids to repel pests that are found in pods and fruits.
Ingredients:
- Local Cow urine – 20 Litres
- Neem Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Karanj Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Custard Apple Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Datura Plant Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Castor Leaves – 2 Kilograms
Preparation:
- In an Iron Cauldron, add 20 litres of cow urine.
- Take all the 5 types of leaves and prepare a pulp using traditional stone mortar and pestle.
- Add the pulp in the cauldron and place it on a low flame. Keep stirring clockwise until it boils once.
- After boiling, take it off heat and keep it aside for cooling.
- Place it away from sunlight and rain for 48 hours. Stir it twice a day – morning and evening for 2 minutes maximum.
- After the fermentation process is complete, filter it with a thin cotton cloth and store it in a cool and dry place.
- This mix can last for up to 6 months and be used to spray on plants.
- 500 to 600 millilitres of brahmastra can be mixed with 15 litres of water to spray on crops. Alternatively, 3 to 4 litres of brahmastra can be mixed with 100 litres of water.
Agni Astra (Agni Missile)
Acting as an enriching tool for plants, it is a repellent against all insects and pests. It can be used on any vegetables, fruits, flowers and other agricultural crops.
Ingredients
- Local Cow Urine – 20 Litres
- Neem Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Tobacco powder – 500 grams
- Hot Chilli pulp – 1 kilogram
- Local Garlic crushed – 250 grams
- Turmeric Powder – 200 grams
- Add 20 litres of local cow urine in an Iron Cauldron
- Add the neem leaves, tobacco powder, hot chilli pulp and the crushed local garlic to the iron cauldron.
- Stir the solution clockwise and place it on heat with slow flame up to one boiling point.
- After its boiled, remove it off the heat and let it cool.
- Cover it with a gunny bag and place it away from sunlight and rain for 48 hours.
- Stir it twice a day – morning and evening for 2 minutes maximum.
- After the fermentation process is complete, filter it with a thin cotton cloth and store it in a cool and dry place.
- This mix can last for up to 3 months and be used to spray on plants.
- 500 to 600 millilitres of Agni Astra can be mixed with 15 litres of water to spray on crops. Alternatively, 3 to 4 litres of Agni Astra can be mixed with 100 Litres of water.
Dashaparni Kashayam
Effective in controlling all kinds of harmful pests, fungus and plant diseases, Dashaparni Kashayam has natural ingredients that strengthen and build resistance in plants.
Ingredients
- Water – 200 Litres
- Local Cow Urine – 20 Litres
- Local Cow Dung – 2 Kilograms
- Turmeric Powder – 500 grams
- Ginger Crushed – 500 grams
- Asafoetida – 10-20 grams
- Tobacco (Coarse) Powder – 1 Kilogram
- Green Chilli Crushed – 1 to 2 Kilograms
- Garlic Crushed – 500 grams
- Leaves & Small Branches of Neem – 2 Kilograms
- Karanj – 2 Kilograms
- Custard Apple Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Datura Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Castor Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Nirgudi Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Cut down pieces of Rui – 2 Kilograms
- Kamarmodi – 2 Kilograms
- Congress Kalai or Santa Maria Feverfew – 2 Kilograms
- Adam Poo or Pink Morning Glory – 2 Kilograms
- Ashwagandha – 2 Kilograms
- Tulsi – 2 Kilograms
- Marigold (Flowers, Stem and Roots) – 2 Kilograms
- Unnicheddi or West Indian Lantana – 2 Kilograms
- Papaya Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Mango Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Turmeric Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Ginger Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Dried Rind of Pomegranate Fruit Powder – 2 Kilograms
- Karuvelam or Babul Tree Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Drumstick Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Bitter Gourd – 2 Kilograms
- Tarota Leaves – 2 Kilograms
- Gulwel/ Giloy (Leaves & Stem) – 2 Kilogram
- Water – 5 Litres
- Local Cow Dung – 2 Kilograms
Preparation:
- To make the slurry, add 5 litres of water and local cow dung to a pot. Keep stirring until it dilutes.
- Add 200 litres of water along with 20 litres of local cow urine in a Cement tank or Iron barrel of 250 litres capacity.
- Add the prepared slurry next.
- To this mix, add turmeric, ginger and asafoetida.
- Stir clockwise thoroughly until all the ingredients are submerged under the water.
- Cover the barrel with a jute gunny bag. Keep it away from sunlight and rain.
- Uncover the barrel the next day and add tobacco powder, green chilli and garlic.
- Stir clockwise thoroughly and cover it back.
- On the third day, add any 10 types from the leaves of Neem, Karanj, Custard Apple, Datura, Castor, Nirgudi, Rui, Kamarmodi, Santa Maria Feverfew, Pink Morning Glory, Ashwagandha, Tulsi, Marigold, West Indian Lantana, Papaya, Mango, Turmeric, Ginger, Dried rinds of Pomegranate, Babul, Drumstick, Bitter gourd, Tarota and Gulwel. Initial 5 types of leaves are most important.
- Stir it clockwise, and cover it back for fermentation up to 30 to 40 days. Keep it under the shadow.
- Stir it twice a day – morning and evening for 2 minutes maximum.
- After the fermentation process is complete, filter it with a thin cotton cloth and store it in a cool and dry place.
- This mix can last for up to 6 months and be used to spray on plants and crops.
- 600 to 700 millilitres of Dashaparni Kashayam can be mixed with 15 litres of water to spray on crops. Alternatively, 3 to 4 litres of Dashaparni Kashayam can be mixed with 100 litres of water.
Sapta Dhanyankur Kashayam
This Kashayam provides a shine to the fruits and vegetables, and increases its resistance power, size, flavours, essence and reduces fruit fall.
Ingredients
- Sesame Seeds – 100 grams
- Green Gram Seeds – 100 grams
- Black Gram Seeds – 100 grams
- Cowpea Seeds – 100 grams
- Moth Seeds or Lentil Seeds – 100 grams
- Bengal Gram Seeds – 100 grams
- Wheat Seeds – 100 grams
- Local Cow Urine – 10 Litres
- Water – 200 Litres
Preparation:
- Take a small bowl and soak the sesame seeds in water overnight. The seeds and water need to be equal amounts.
- The next day, in a bigger bowl, add green gram seeds, black gram seeds, cowpea seeds, moth bean seeds, lentil seeds, Bengal gram seeds and wheat seeds. Add enough water for the seeds to be submerged. Soak it overnight.
- On the third day, remove the water from the seeds and set it aside for later use.
- Tie the seeds including the sesame in a cloth bundle until it germinates. Later, prepare the pulp of the seeds with mortar and pestle.
- In a barrel, add 200 litres of water along with local cow urine, water from the soaked seeds and the seed pulp. Mix it thoroughly.
- Cover the barrel with a gunny bag for 2 hours for the fermentation process.
- After 2 hours, filter it with a cotton cloth and use it immediately or within 24 hours.
- The plants need 4 sprays of the Sapta Dhanyankur Kashayam in 21-day intervals. The 1st spray during the fruit bearing stage, 2nd spray during the development of fruits, 3rd spray when its grown to its size and the 4th spray when it ripens.