Dinas Pertanian DIY Kewalahan Tangani Ulat Bulu Jumbo

GUNUNGKIDUL - Ulat bulu yang menyerang lima hektar lahan perkebunan jambu monyet di Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta sebagian besar berubah menjadi kepompong. Dikhawatirkan populasi ulat bulu akan menyebar semakin luas ke lahan perkebunan yang lain.

Dinas perkebunan dan Pertanian kesulitan menangani perkembangan ulat bulu, dan menunggu hasil penelitian dari UGM untuk menangani kasus langka ini. Ribuan ulat bulu yg menyerang 3 hektar perkebunan jambu di desa Semuluh, kecamatan Semanu sejak dua pekan terakhir kini telah berubah menjadi kepompong.

Ribuan kepompong ini sebagian besar menempel pada batang pohon dan sebagian lagi menempel di daun bahkan banyak yang tersebar di lahan pertanian dibawah pohon jambu.
"sebagian besar tanaman rusak, karena daunnya habis dimakan ulat," kata Kaniyem petani setempat, Senin (30/5/2011).

Kini kondisi perkebunan jambu yang diserang ulat bulu telah habis daunnya dan petani memastikan jambu mete tidak bisa dipanen tahun ini, padahal sebenarnya saat ini adalah musim buah jambu sedang berbunga sebelum berbuah. "Seharusnya minggu ini sudah berbuah, namun sampai sekarang serangan ulat belum berhenti," keluhnya.

Kaniyem dan petani lainnya khawatir apabila tidak segera ditangani, kepompong tersebut akan menjadi kupu-kupu dan akhirnya bertelur dan menjadi ulat kembali yang dipastikan akan lebih banyak jumlahnya. Bahkan upaya petani untuk membakar ulat tidak efektif karena jumlahnya yang terlalu banyak .

"Sudah berbagai cara kami upayakan, namun sampai sekarang belum berkurang," sambung Kaniyem.

Sementara dihubungi terpisah, Kepala dinas kehutanan dan perkebunan Gunungkidul, Anik Indarwati, mengatakan, pihaknya telah melakukan pengendalian dengan dua cara yakni mekanis dan kimiawi. Upaya mekanis dilakukan dengan cara merontokkan ulat bulu kemudian membakarnya, dan memperbaiki sanitasi lingkungan. Sementara kimiawi dengan cara perontokan.

"Pengendalian ini bertujuan untuk melokalisir penyebaran ulat bulu agar tidak menyebar ke sentra produksi mete yang lain," imbuhnya.

Saat ini sudah empat sentra produksi mete yang terserang ulat bulu jumbo, yang berada di dua kecamatan yakni Semanu dan Ngawen, dengan luas lahan 5 hektar. "Ngawen hanya beberapa pohon yang terkena, karena dekat dengan pemukiman maka sebagian ulat bulu masuk ke rumah warga," ujarnya.

Lebih lanjut, Anik menjelaskan, saat ini sudah meminta bantuan kepada Universitas Gajah Mada, untuk mengirim bantuan karena sudah kesulitan dalam menghadapi serangan ulat bulu.
"Kita akan menunggu hasil penelitian dari UGM, baru kita akan tentukan langkah dalam penanganan ulat bulu," pungkasnya,
(Yuwono/Koran SI/fer)

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Agriculture Department Overwhelmed DIY Worm Feather Jumbo Handle

GUNUNGKIDUL - caterpillar hairs that attacked five hectares of cashew plantation in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta largely turned into a chrysalis. It is feared that the population of caterpillars will spread more widely to other estates.

Department of Agriculture farm and difficulty dealing with the development of caterpillars, and awaiting the results of research from UGM to handle this rare case. Thousands of caterpillars who attack 3 hectares of cashew plantation in the village Semuluh, sub Semanu since the last two weeks has now turned into a cocoon.

Thousands of cocoons are mostly attached to the tree trunk and some stuck to the leaves and many were scattered on farms under the guava tree.
"Most of the crop damaged, because the leaves are eaten caterpillars," said local farmer Kaniyem on Monday (5/30/2011).

Now the condition of cashew plantations which have been attacked by caterpillars leaves and cashew farmers ensures not be harvested this year, when in fact today is the flowering guava fruit season before fruiting. "This week should have been fruitful, but until now not been stop worm attacks," he complained.

Kaniyem and other farmers worry if not immediately addressed, the chrysalis will become a butterfly and eventually lay eggs and become caterpillars again confirmed would be more numerous. Even the efforts of farmers to burn the caterpillars are not effective because there were too many.

"It is in many ways we are trying to do, but until now has not been reduced," continued Kaniyem.

While contacted separately, head of the forestry and plantation office Gunungkidul, Anik Indarwati, said it has some controls in two ways namely mechanical and chemical. Mechanical efforts made by eroding the caterpillars then burn it, and improving environmental sanitation. While chemically with threshing methods.

"Control is aimed to localize the spread of caterpillars in order not to spread to other centers of cashew production," he added.

We have had four affected cashew production centers jumbo caterpillars, which are in two districts namely Semanu and Ngawen, with an area of ​​5 hectares of land. "Ngawen only a few trees are affected, because it close to the settlement then some caterpillars into the house residents," he said.

Furthermore, Anik explains, are now requesting assistance to the University of Gajah Mada, to deliver aid because it has difficulty in facing the attacks caterpillars.
"We'll wait for the results of research from UGM, and then we will specify the steps in the handling of caterpillars," he concluded,