Siddapur: Pentatomid insects are responsible for the excessive shedding of immature nuts from the arecanut trees at various villages of the taluk, informed entomologist Raghunath.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the affected arecanut plantations in the taluk on Friday, he said at some plantations the shortage of boran and other nutrition also caused falling of immature nuts.

Inspect condition

When the team of Horticulture Department officers and scientists visited the plantations and inspected the condition on Friday, it was noticed that 6% to 8% of shedding was due to insect attack. Around 30% of the immature nuts fell in the plantation of a farmer at Shiralagi, he informed.

Horticulture scientist V M Hegde said it was not a new insect and during June or July is the months in which these insects are bred in large numbers. Insecticides should be sprayed carefully to control the problem, he added.

Guided farmers

Horticulture Department Deputy Director Shashikanth Kotamani, Assistant Director Mahabaleshwar B S and others visited the affected plantations and guided the farmers.

Shashikanth Kotamani informed the farmers about the facilities available from the department.

He asked the arecanut growers to enroll their names in the department to avail the benefits.