BATHINDA: The pink bollworm attack on the cotton crop in two districts of Mansa and Bathinda is turning to alarming levels with panicky farmers turning to insecticide dealers to get sprays. In this situation some unrecommended insecticides, too, are being sprayed on the recommendations of insecticide dealers.
The pest attack has been noticed in over 10% of the total area under cotton in the two districts. Cotton is sown in 56% area in these two districts out of the total crop sown in the state. The economic threshold level (ETL) has been noticed at much higher than 5% at many places with up to eight-nine adults per leaf.
In 2015, the white fly attack had caused immense damage to cotton crop, affecting over 60% crop. Facing losses, many farmers had ended lives.
“The state agriculture department has started holding camps in various villages, asking farmers to use only recommended sprays and not panic. Meetings are being held with insecticides dealers, who are being asked to provide only insecticides recommended by the Punjab Agriculture University,” department director Sukhdev Singh told TOI.
“We have used sprays but the pest is still there. Not just the leaves, even plants are dying,” said Bikar Singh, a farmer from Khiala Kalan village. Similar sentiments were expressed by Baldev Singh of Gharaghna village in Mansa. Farmers from Sangat, Jai Singh Wala in Talwandi Sabo block, said they are getting panicky.
“The department teams have visited these villages besides Dullowal, Bhikhi and Bhamme Khurd in Jhunir block. I, along with joint director (inputs) Baldev Singh, had visited various villages to check the pest attack. We have been asking farmers to approach the agriculture department officials if they detect the pest in more than 5%,” said Mansa chief agriculture officer Manjit Singh, who also has the charge of Bathinda district. He confessed that situation is alarming as at some places ETL is above permissible limits but we are doing the needful and telling farmers to check 100 flowers from different places and plants.
