Traditional Knowledge in Agriculture Division of Agricultural Extension Indian Council of Agricultural Research New Delhi - 110012 Citation: Mishra, Anupam, Singh, S.R.K., Raut, A.A. (2020). Traditional Knowledge in Agriculture. Division of Agricultural Extension, ICAR, New Delhi. Pp.39 Guidance: Dr. A.K. Singh Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension) Division of Agricultural Extension ICAR, New Delhi Source: This publication is extracted from a published ITK Book "Cross Sectoral Validation of Indigenous Technical Knowledge 2004 - December-4". Mission Unit, ICAR, New Delhi. Year of publication: 2020 Published by: The Director, ICAR- Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Jabalpur, MP Design & printed at: M/s Royal Offset Printers, A-89/1, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-I, New Delhi FOREWORD The paradigm shift of Indian agriculture from traditional to sustainable agriculture have developed a concept that focuses on producing crops and livestock while having minimal effects on the environment, helping in maintaining economic stability of farms and helping farmers improve their techniques and quality of life. This in return, has evoked interest among farmers in adopting indigenous technical knowledge, that utilizes local knowledge, which people have gained through inheritance from their ancestors, to solve problems pertaining to agriculture and allied activities through natural processes. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) launched a Mission Mode Project in 2002 on "Collection, Documentation and Validation of Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK)" under National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP). At first, an effort was made to gather and arrange indigenous knowledge-based practices in agriculture, animal husbandry and other land-based ventures. Further, these ITKs were subjected to cross-sectoral validation through experimentation providing the results of experiments and its critical analysis on the efficacy of the ITKs, have been compiled in the form of this publication entitled “Traditional Knowledge in Agriculture”. The results have been very interesting and extremely important that support scientific rationality of the ITKs for promoting their further application for the benefits of the farming community. This volume contains an inventory of 38 selected promising ITKs covering six thematic areas viz, Rain water management, Soil and water conservation, Pest and disease management, Farm implements, Horticultural crops and Fishery & Animal husbandry. I hope this publication will open new chapter in agricultural research and provide the scientists a new direction for appropriate blending of ITKs with modern technologies. The innovative efforts made by scientists in bringing out this publication are commendable. Dated: 17th February, 2020 (T. Mohapatra) New Delhi iii PREFACE The advent of the concept of sustainable agriculture in late eighties in Indian agricultural scenario has evoked interest on indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) that has the element of use of natural products to solve the problems pertaining to agriculture and allied activities. ITK is local knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society transmitted from one generation to another generation. It is specifically concerned with actual application of the thinking of the local people in various operations of agriculture and allied areas. ITKs are based on experiences tested over centuries, and endowed with best adaptability to local environment. In the context of agricultural sustainability, ITK is also required to be properly documented for the benefit of researches, planners and development officials. Further, validation of ITK is a logical step to qualify and quantify effectiveness of the practices. Suitable modification of the local practices, through research and development helps to develop appropriate and acceptable technologies that are more suited to our farming situations. The Indian Council of Agricultural research (ICAR) had launched a Mission Mode Project on “Collection, Documentation and Validation of Indigenous Technical Knowledge” under the National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) in the year 2002 to identify, collect, classify and document ITK and its variant in different agro- climatic regions in respect of production systems, farming systems and situations and cross-sectoral validation was done through a quick screening method as well as through formal experimentation. The critical analysis on the efficacy of the ITKs, have been compiled to publish as “Traditional Knowledge in Agriculture”. This volume is aimed to provide easy accessibility to cross-sectoral validated 38 selected promising ITKs covering six thematic areas viz, Rain water management, Soil and water conservation, Pest and disease management, Farm implements, Horticultural crops and Fishery & Animal husbandry. I believe, this publication will be helpful for development and scaling up of appropriate modern technologies blending with validated ITKs. I thank the team of scientists who made efforts in bringing out this valuable publication. Dated: 17th February, 2020 (A.K. Singh) New Delhi v CONTENTS Sr. Code Title Page No. No. No. Foreword iii Preface v 1. Introduction 1 2. Rain water management 2 2.1 105 Rain water management for teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.), mango (Mangifera 2 indica Linn.) and neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) in arid and semi-arid regions 2.2 2024 Rain water measurement using rolu (indigenous rain gauge) 3 2.3 599 Method of rainwater management in mountainous landscape under apple orchard 4 3. Soil and water management 7 3.1 615 Cultivation of apple in Himalayan region 7 4. Pest and disease management 9 4.1 344 Management of yellow stem borer in paddy by use of parasi (Cleistanthus collinus) 9 leaf 4.2 357 Control of insect-pest in lowland rice using parasi (Cleistanthus collinus) 9 4.3 365 Planting of wild Saccharum spontaneum in paddy field for controlling leaf folder 10 4.4 1418 Control of caseworm (Nymphula depunctalis) in rice by leaves of parsa and sali 12 4.5 1422 Control of gall fly (Pachydiplosis oryzae) in rice 12 4.6 368 Management of gundhi (harmfull green algae) in paddy field by karada 13 (Cleistanthus collinus) leaves 5. Horticultural crops 14 5.1 170 Pest management in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) by using leaf extract of 14 Cynodon dactylon 5.2 366 Use of kochila (Strichnos nuvvomica) mixed cowdung compost in brinjal for 14 controlling fruit and shoot borer 5.3 1415 Control of insects in cucurbits, cowpea and lady's finger by spraying urine of 15 domestic animals mixed with tobacco soaked water 5.4 1416 Control of insect-pests by spraying of starch, animal urine and dusting of cowdung 16 ash in vegetables Traditional Knowledge in Agriculture Sr. Code Title Page No. No. No. 5.5 1417 Control of shoot and fruit borers by tobacco-soaked water with soap 17 5.6 701 Protection of cabbage from pests 17 5.7 141 Control of rhinocerous beetle in coconut by using cowdung slurry 18 5.8 370 Sprouting in yam by cowdung slurry 19 5.9 403 Off-season flowering in guava 19 6. Farm implements 21 6.1 2039 Pingali dhanti for intercultural operation in tomato 21 6.2 2132 Guddeli to uproot ginger 21 7. Fishery and Animal science 23 7.1 424 Use of banana pseudostem in fish pond to enhance productivity of fish 23 7.2 416 Treatment of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle by using harida (Terminalia 24 chebula) and behada (Terminalia bellirica) 7.3 1279 Curing lesions of FMD or wounds by applying extract of peach (Prunus persica) 24 leaves mixed with fresh milk 7.4 1288 Use of babool (Acacia nilotica) and jamun (Syzygiune cumini) bark extract to cure 25 foot-and-mouth disease in animals 7.5 1588 Control of FMD in cattle with camphor 26 7.6 1595 Use of bantulsi (Ocimum gratessimum) leaf paste for treatment of khurha (FMD) 27 in cattle and buffalo 7.7 1280 Use of stone apple (bael) to check diarrhoea in animals 28 7.8 1287 Control of diarrhoea in cattle and buffalo a paste made from leaves of shisham 29 (Dalbergia sissoo) 7.9 1585 Treatment of diarrhoea by juice of Gurhul (Hibiscus rosasinensis) flower in goats 30 7.10 1589 Treatment of diarrhoea in animals (goat and sheep) by pojo 31 7.11 1967 Curing of diarrhoea in goats by using takala (Cassia tora) flower juice 32 7.12 1968 Wound management in animal by use of leaf extract of ridge gourd (Luffa 33 accutangula)/ekdandi (Tridax procumbents) 7.13 1966 Use of bhangariya (Eclipta alba) to cure blain in animals 35 7.14 1284 Determination of efficacy of pigeon waste in showing estrus symptoms in heifers 36 7.15 1272 Treatment of swelling of shoulders in bullocks/bull 37 7.16 1285 Treatment of haemorrhagic septicaemia by kala jeera 38 7.17 1590 Technique of curing bone fracture in animals 38 Traditional Knowledge in Agriculture 1. INTRODUCTION Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) in primary sources through voluntary disclosures. These agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and other have been documented in three publications entitled land-based activities is being used since ages by the ‘Inventory of Indigenous Technical Knowledge farmers, animal owners and other practitioners. in Agriculture- Document 2’ and its supplements Advancement in scientific knowledge in agriculture has 1 and 2. questioned on rationality of ITKs and replaced these Experimental validation of 111 ITKs was carried ITK-based practices. The problems of sustainability of out during 2002-2004 by the scientists of the ICAR modern scientific technologies and their impact on Institutes and