Detail:

Narsinhbhai Rajabhai Rabari from the Alindra village in the Mendarada taluka in Junagadh district in Gujarat controls the attack of white grub in coconut using a solution of jaggery. The white grub bores into coconut trunks and reduces the quality of the nuts. Severely infected trees die. Rabari prepares a concentrated solution of jaggery and pours in and around the grub holes to attract ants. Ants are natural predators and so reduce the population of white grub. The farmers of Saurastra report that this practice is very effective and devoid of any harmful side-effects. Alternatively farmers that grow mango use a similar practice to control bettle larvae that harm trees by boring into the trunk. They make a mixture of sugar and ghee or clarified butter and pour in the holes to attract ants. The larvae can also be pulled out using a wire loop.

Knowledge Provider / Innovator: Narsinbhai Rajabhai Rabari
Agro-Ecological Zone: South Saurashtra Zone (GJ.7)
Address: Alindra, Mendarda, Junagadh
District: Junagadh
State: Gujarat
PIN Code 362260

Crop: Coconut Trees
Crop Family: Palm
Crop Scientific Name: (Cocos nucifera)
Crop Vernacular Name: Nariyel, Nariyeli, Kopru, Topru
Formulation: Prepare a concentrated solution of jaggery and pour in and around the grub holes to attract ants.
Ingredients: Jaggery, sugar, ghee (clarified butter) and wire loop

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PAS 1:

"Impact of Four Insecticides on Japanese Beetle (
Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Egg Predators and White Grubs in Turfgrass - Field experiments were conducted to measure the effects of four commonly used turfgrass insecticides (isofenphos, diazinon, imidacloprid, halofenozide) on white grubs (
Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and ant predators of white grub eggs. Ant populations were measured over time with canned tuna, whereas predation by the ants was measured with artificially placed Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, eggs. The effectiveness of each insecticide at controlling Japanese beetle grubs, when applied at different times during the growing season, also was measured. Isofenphos and diazinon significantly reduced both ant numbers and white grub egg predation, whereas imidacloprid and one halofenozide treatment did not significantly impact either measurement. A second halofenozide treatment significantly reduced white grub egg predation. Isofenphos and diazinon were ineffective at controlling Japanese beetle grubs when applied in June but were highly efficacious when applied in August. Evidence of enhanced biodegradation was found in plots that received both June and August applications of diazinon. Both June and August applications of imidacloprid and halofenozide provided good control of white grubs."
https://academic.oup.com/jee/article-abstract/94/1/145/2217394

PAS 2:

"Red Imported Fire Ant Influences on White Grub Populations and Soil Foraging Characteristics in Managed Turfgrass - White grubs (
Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) are a significant pest of managed turfgrass throughout the United States and are difficult to monitor because of their subterranean habitat. Recent reports have stated that white grubs are becoming an increasing problem in southern turfgrass. Selective removal of common turfgrass ants using labeled insecticides can cause localized outbreaks of turfgrass pest. However, white grubs and other hypogeal insects are reported to escape predation of Solenopsis invicta (Buren) and seemingly co-exist in close proximity. After two years of field experiments examining interactions between S. invicta and white grubs, as well as examining this ant’s soil foraging characteristics, it was found that the control of S. invicta has no influence on white grub populations in turfgrass. Further investigation showed S. invicta does not forage within the soil for prey as previous research on other common turfgrass ants suggests. Experimental design flaws identified and addressed during this research highlights factors affecting previous studies on ant predation of subterranean pests that likely resulted in biased data."
http://etd.auburn.edu/handle/10415/2569

PAS 3:

"Contrary to other studies, results presented here suggest that fire ants and fire ant control products applied to turfgrass have a minimal impact on white grub populations."
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22299364/