Crop Protection:Experts found solution for cotton whitefly attack Home

Agriculture scientists of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan together to find a solution to the problem of attack on cotton crop. Agriculture experts from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Chaudhary Charan Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner and from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) assembled at PAU's regional research station (RRS) on Wednesday and drew strategies to control severe infestation of the sucking pest that leads to leaf curl virus.

The main reason of whitefly attack is late sowing of cotton and mixing of un-recommended insecticides in spray tanks. Because of this attack there is loss of cotton crop in Fazilka, Muktsar and Bathinda districts. Sirsa and Fatehabad these are the two areas of Haryana that are worst-affected areas.

Sirsa director Dalip Monga of the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) said, "Mixing of insecticides in the spray tanks also rendered the chemical ineffective in checking the growth of whitefly. The farmers should have avoided mixing and need to use only recommended pesticides." P L Nehra, in-charge, RAU's cotton research centre, Sri Ganganagar stressed the need to sow recommended varieties of cotton. He said, "Area under desi cotton should be increased to avoid whitefly infestation in future."

Source: http:// timesofindia.indiatimes.com/