Tossa Jute: JRO-632, JRO-878,JRO-7835, JRO-524, JRO-3690, JRO-66, JRO-8432, JRO-128 White Jute: JRC-321, JRC-212, JRC-7447, Padma, JRC-698

JRC-321 under white jute and JRO-878 under tossa jute.

Properly retted tossa jute fibre is golden yellow in colour whereas in case of white jute it is white in colour.

Economically viable but it depends upon the place of production like less humid tract of agroecosystems.

It is available from any government registered seed merchants.

JRC-321 and Padma.

Yes

Neutral loamy soil rich in organic matter. The soil should have sufficient drainage facility.

Seed drill : Rs………, Wheel hoe : Rs…….and Extractor : Rs. 10,000/- only.

Conventional approach is cost-prohibitive consuming more than 30 percent of the total cultivation cost.

Yes

1.5 H.P Kerosene engine

Two persons are required for operation and this machine can handle 400 to 500 kg whole plants in an hour.

Its weighing 100 kg

In line sowing method plant population can be regulated conveniently, cultural operations become easier and higher yield can be achieved.

There is no problem in producing jute seeds in conventional jute fibre producing areas except some areas of Assam where rainfall is excessively high (>2000 mm). In case of seed production, farmers however, will have to forgo aman paddy and the cropping system needs to be remodeled including a pre-kharif crop, preferable sesame or green gram.

Grading of jute seed is necessary to discard the smaller seeds which exhibit poor emergence and subsequent vigour.

Post-emergence application of Quizalofop ethyl (Trade name: Targa Super) @ 1.5-2.0 ml of formulation at 15-21 days after emergence can control grassy weeds in jute. In line-sown crop use of organic mulch in between rows can also control weeds.

Use pre-soaked (4 hours) and duly dried seeds at planting, substitute fertilizers with organic sources to improve the organic matter content, use organic mulches in between rows, adopt minimal tillage and adopt foliar feeding of dilute urea solution.

For fibre crop optimum sowing time is April and for seed crop the optimum sowing time is May.

For fibre crop 30 cm between rows and 7.5 cm between plants. A closure spacing of 20 cm improves fibre quality. For seed crop 30 cm between rows and 15 cm between plants for production of more number of pod bearing branches.

One legume crop (such as pulses) should be included in the rotation to improve the soil health. In light soil, growing of green manure is advocated prior to sowing of jute.

Provision of 30 cm surface drain in fibre crop and in seed crop ridge sowing is helpful.

100 to 120 days.

No, Retting is a bio-chemical reaction. Initially few chemical reactions occurs, later on various retting microbes with the synthesis of various enzymes ret the jute plants for good quality fibre.

No, because, tannic acid of banana plants and ferrous iron content of mud impart black colour to the jute fibre, which is also known as “Shyamla” resulting deterioration of fibre quality.

Farmers should use water hyacinth, coconut leaves, dhaincha plants as jak materials and then proper immersion farmers can use plastic bags full of sand/mud/brick etc, wooden logs & cemented poles. Following this, fibres do not get black colour and quality also improved.

The required temperature for proper retting is 340C.

Retting is best carried out in slow moving clean water of canal, river etc with low salts, iron and calcium content.

Inclusion of dhaincha (Sesbania aculeate), sunnhemp (Crotelaria juncea) plants & gliricidia leaves as natural activators in 1: 10 ratio inserted in jak before steeping in water reduced the retting period by 3 to 5 days.

Semilooper Anomis sabulifera Guenee, stem-weevil Apion corchori Marshall, yellow mite Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks), hairy caterpillar Spilosoma obliqua Walker and the leaf eating caterpillar Spodoptera exigua Hübner are the major pests of jute.

Optimum time of sowing is a part of IPM. It was observed that the incidence of major pests was more on early sown crop than on late sown crop except semilooper. The optimal date of sowing is the 4th week of March for JRO 524, whereas 2nd week of April was reported to be optimum for other varieties in order to minimize the pest incidence.

There is no variety that is completely resistant to major pests of jute. However, JRO 524 and JRC 212 were reported to be least susceptible to the yellow mite.

The jute-semilooper has been reported to occur in all the jute-growing tracts and is the most important foliage pest of the crop. Top leaves with leaf-buds and shoot apex are liable to damage. Damage starts in all cases from unopened leaves or buds, which represent the most susceptible portion. It was observed that, 81 per cent damage was limited to seven fully opened leaves from top and up to 95 per cent down to the 9th leaf. The repeated damage by this pest checks crop growth and induces profuse branching, resulting in ultimate reduction in fibre yield.

Pre-monsoon rains followed by drought conditions favour the outbreaks of this pest in epidemic forms.

Bacillus thuringiensis was reported to be effective against the jute semilooper. It may be recommended @ 1Kg ha-1. Whenever the damage by semilooper reaches 15% then any contact insecticide such as endosulfan 0.075% (35%EC @ 2.0 ml/lit.) or fenvalerate 0.02% (20%EC @ 1.0 ml/lit) or cypermethrin 0.03% (25% EC @ 1.2 ml/lit) or carbaryl 0.1% (50%WP @ 2g/lit.) may be applied.

Yellow mite sucks the sap from under surface of leaves and hence, the leaves curl downward, whereas red mite infested leaves shows light green dots in the upper surface of leaves as the mite sucks from the under surface of leaves.

JRO 524 and JRC 212 may be recommended in the yellow mite endemic areas. Whenever the population crosses the ETL of 110 mites per leaf then endosulfan 0.04% (35%EC @ 1.0 ml/lit.) or dicofol 0.04% (18.7% EC @ 2.0 ml/lit.) may be applied to reduce the mite population below the ETL. Recently fenazaquin 0.02% (10%EC @ 2.0 ml/lit.) has been proved to be effective in managing the yellow mite.

The adult moth lays eggs in groups on the under surface of the leaf. Upon hatching the larvae scrap the chlorophyll content gregariously. This is the most crucial stage for the management of the hairy caterpillar. Otherwise the larvae disperse to the entire field and then very difficult to manage. Hence, it is recommended to hand pick the leaves along with the larvae (which are gregarious) and dip them in insecticidal solution (may be endosulfan/ carbaryl/ cypermethrin/quinalphos) or kerosene. It will reduce the pest population to a greater extent.

Lambda cyhalothrin 0.003% (5% EC @ 0.6ml/lit.) or indoxacarb 0.02% (14.5%SC @ 1.0 to 1.4 ml/lit.) or endosulfan 0.075% (35%EC @ 2 ml/lit.) may be sprayed to reduce the pest population to a greater extent.

The stem weevil, A. corchori affects more the quality of fibre than it does the yield. The white jute C. capsularis is more susceptible to stem-weevil infestation starting from seedling stage to harvest. Adults feed very little on the apical leaves and the rest of the life stages are passed well hidden inside the stem. This pest hence, always escapes from the contact of the insecticides. The grub tunnels inside the stem by feeding the internal tissues. Endosulfan was reported to be effective against this pest or the application of systemic insecticide carbofuran @ 1 Kg a.i. ha-1(3%G @33.33kg/ha) will take care of the pest.