The Outcome Expansion Project for Controlling Coconut Beetles and Coconut Black-Headed Caterpillars in Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province

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Research Article

Volume 8 Issue 3

The Outcome Expansion Project for Controlling Coconut Beetles and Coconut Black-Headed Caterpillars in Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province

Kanchana Daoden*, Tanachai Pankasemsuk, Arthitaya Kawee-ai and Supanat Nicrotha

March 02, 2026

DOI : 10.56831/PSEN-08-254

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Abstract

Coconut is an important cash crop in Thailand, especially in the Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. The total annual output exceeds around 600,000 tons for export consumption. Ten years ago, coconut growers suffered a decrease in both quantity and quality because coconut trees were destroyed and eventually died from insect pests, especially coconut beetles and coconut black-headed caterpillars. The obstacle to preventing and eliminating is the nature of tall coconut plants. Wind speed in coastal areas affects labor costs. The quantities of chemicals applied and the risk of chemical hazards that impact health costs. This research is the outcome of an expansion project to control coconut beetles and coconut black-headed caterpillars in Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, in 2021, which involved hand-spraying coconut shoots and expanding the area to 100 Rai. The research teams are focused on developing technology to control the treatment and reach the tops of coconuts, covering as much leaf area as possible. The methods mentioned above aimed to reduce chemical and nutrient waste, and to ensure that conventional manual labor methods could reach a critical part of the coconut shoot. In addition, the research team adjusted the spray nozzle to three levels to maximize pesticide application efficiency. The experiment showed that insecticide could be sprayed at a rate of 4.5-5.2 liters per minute, with a spray radius of 0.5-1.2 meters for continuous spraying and 6.5-8 meters for general spraying. The insect control system was effective continuously. The results indicated that this method could effectively control coconut beetles and coconut black-headed caterpillars in a demonstration plot in Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.

Keywords: Production potential; Coconut milk; Coconut beetle; Black-headed caterpillar

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