Mr. Dinesh is a young farmer cultivating arecanut and paddy under rainfed conditions in the tropical forest Western Ghats region of Karnataka. He has been influenced by the organic farming experiments conducted by the late Shri Purushotham Rao in the region. Mr. Dinesh has innovated an effective bio-control measure against hoppers and other insect pests by using a decoction from a local herb Mukkadaka (Lasiosiphon eriocephalus)

Bio-control Measure Against Hoppers:

Plant brown hopper is a sucking insect pest on paddy. It attacks the leaf of the plant; it will gradually turn to brownish white colour and look as the entire area is burnt.

Mr. Dinesh had found an effective bio-control measure against these hoppers and other insect pests by using a decoction from a local herb Mukkadaka(Lasiosiphone eriocephalus - a common plant in the locality which is very bitter and found to cause burning even a small amount of the extractant falls on the skin). To one kg Mukkadaka leaves he added 10 liters water and boiled it. The solution was filtered and diluted with water in 1: 10 ratio and sprayed twice, once during nursery stage and another after transplanting of paddy. The decoction also effective against crabs which otherwise cut the plants at a very tender stage.