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Time of India

3 Mizoram villages hit by leaf fodder caterpillar outbreak, say officials

1 2 Aizawl: An outbreak of leaf folder caterpillar at three villages in northeastern Mizoram's Khawzawl district has been reported by farmers, causing destruction in the jhum cultivation areas of 80 families, Khawzawl district agriculture and farmers' welfare officials said on Sunday. The district agriculture office on Saturday sent assistant district agriculture officer Lalrammuana and two other officials to Vangtlang, Chalrang and New Chalrang villages to conduct an on-spot study of the situation. Chalrang and New Chalrang villages share the same jhum area where paddy fields belonging to 210 families have been attacked by swarms of leaf folder caterpillar (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) of which paddy fields of 70 families witnessed a higher number of pests in the paddy stems. Paddy fields owned by at least 80 farmers of Vangtlang village have also been attacked by the same pests of which paddy fields owned by 10 farmers witnessed a larger number of caterpillars. It was also reported that the caterpillars have attacked maize plants in the jhum areas of Khawzawl town and Neihdawn village. Agriculture district officials distributed insecticide or pesticide to the cultivators and educated them on how to use these chemicals. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo The officials expressed hope that the leaf folder caterpillar will not result in destruction of paddy stems and decrease the expected harvest of the cultivators. Some local traditional agriculture experts opine that the caterpillar outbreak is an omen, as 'Thingtam' or gregarious flowering and deaths of a bamboo species called 'rawthing' (Bambusa tulda) is predicted to come this year. The 'Thingtam' occurs in a cycle of every 48 years and the rodents which fed on the fruits of the dying bamboo caused destruction to the paddy cultivation areas and triggered famine in earlier times. The last Thingtam occurred in 1977.