Pest damages cotton crop in Punjab
A large portion of cotton crop in Punjab has been severely damaged by the whitefly insect caused by excessive irrigation and overdose of fertilizers.
By PTI |
CHANDIGARH: A large portion of cotton crop in Punjab has been severely damaged by the whitefly insect caused by excessive irrigation and overdose of fertilizers.
The major damages have been reported in cotton growing belts of Bathinda and Abohar districts.
"The whitefly has attacked the cotton crop in the state at scattered places resulting in damage in the crop," Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Entomologist, A K Dhawan said.
Excessive irrigation and overuse of fertilizers are the cause behind the pest attack, he said.
The cotton crop is at present in fruiting stage and the attack of insects and bollworms could occur again, experts warned.
The insect damages the crop by sucking the sap from the leaves as a result of which shedding of leaves takes place, a PAU scientist explained.
While sucking the sap, the whitefly excretes honeydew on which black sooty mould develops, he said, adding, "besides, these insects are responsible for the spread of cotton leaf curl virus."
It was the second time during the sowing of cotton during this season that any pest had damaged the crop. Earlier, it was the mealy bug which attacked the crop at the time of sowing.
This year, cotton has been grown at an area of 6.50 lakh hectares in the state with a likely production of 26.90 lakh bales.
Experts advocate need-based application of pesticides. "First of all, the farmers are required to examine their cotton fields for the presence of whitefly. The presence can be ascertained by shaking the plant due to which the adult whitefly fly like smoke and soon settle down on the same plant on the underside of leaves," they said.
The major damages have been reported in cotton growing belts of Bathinda and Abohar districts.
"The whitefly has attacked the cotton crop in the state at scattered places resulting in damage in the crop," Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Entomologist, A K Dhawan said.
Excessive irrigation and overuse of fertilizers are the cause behind the pest attack, he said.
The cotton crop is at present in fruiting stage and the attack of insects and bollworms could occur again, experts warned.
The insect damages the crop by sucking the sap from the leaves as a result of which shedding of leaves takes place, a PAU scientist explained.
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While sucking the sap, the whitefly excretes honeydew on which black sooty mould develops, he said, adding, "besides, these insects are responsible for the spread of cotton leaf curl virus."
It was the second time during the sowing of cotton during this season that any pest had damaged the crop. Earlier, it was the mealy bug which attacked the crop at the time of sowing.
This year, cotton has been grown at an area of 6.50 lakh hectares in the state with a likely production of 26.90 lakh bales.
Experts advocate need-based application of pesticides. "First of all, the farmers are required to examine their cotton fields for the presence of whitefly. The presence can be ascertained by shaking the plant due to which the adult whitefly fly like smoke and soon settle down on the same plant on the underside of leaves," they said.
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