In the Sikkim Himalaya, the Lepcha tribes practice traditional organic vegetable farming for subsistence, using mixed cropping mainly for home consumption. The difficult, hilly terrain limits market access for seasonal produce in remote villages. While organic nutrient supplements help achieve good crop yields, pest management options are scarce and often ineffective for resource-poor farmers. High rainfall and humid conditions lead to significant pest infestations, especially the brinjal shoot and fruit borer, causing major yield losses. Farmers’ reluctance to adopt modern plant protection methods, combined with the limited availability of organic solutions, adds to the challenges. The use of pest-resistant cultivars offers a promising solution to mitigate pathogen growth and improve yields in this high-altitude region.
The brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis) posed a major challenge for organic brinjal cultivation in the Sikkim Himalaya, causing up to 80% yield loss during the rainy season. Since 2022, ICAR NEH Sikkim initiated a field demonstration on organic brinjal cultivation in the tribal Lepcha villages of the Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve. A total of 136 farmers adopted open-pollinated, moderately tolerant varieties like Pusa Purple Long (for fruit and shoot borer resistance) and Pusa Purple Cluster (for bacterial wilt). Farmers applied vermicompost (0.6-0.8 tons per acre) during transplanting and used mulching to reduce weeds and labor costs, along with a seaweed extract for growth promotion. The brinjal was ready for harvesting in 75-90 days, with 4-7 pickings until mid-October, selling at Rs. 50-60 per kg.
Organic brinjal cultivation in Lower Dzongu, North Sikkim, proved highly profitable for the tribal Lepcha farmers. With minimal plant protection costs and negligible plant mortality, marketable yields ranged from 20.6 to 30.4 tons per hectare during the kharif season. The benefit-cost ratio for all growers was between 1.25 and 1.97. Both Pusa Purple Long and Pusa Purple Cluster varieties demonstrated yield advantages of 18.6%-28.9% due to their resistance to fruit and shoot borer and bacterial wilt. Farmers like Smt Mayalmit and Smt Tshering Ongkit harvested up to 446 kg and 376 kg of brinjal, respectively, from small plots, supplying produce to the Mangan market and other outlets like the Lachen Indian Army camp. This success led to the expansion of organic brinjal farming, improving livelihoods under the TSP programme.
(Source: ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Meghalaya)
