Inspect fields for leaf folder, farmers told

Tribune News Services

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Amritsar, September 2

The Agriculture Department has advised the farmers to inspect their crops daily for leaf folder and stem borer infestation on regular basis. The field officials of the department revealed that the infestation of leaf folder and stem borers had been seen but it was below the economic threshold level.

The leaf folder larva folds the leaves longitudinally by gluing the leaf margins together with silken threads and then feed on leaf tissues inside the folded leaves. The stem borers larva damages the rice plant by boring into the central shoot near the base of the plant, which result in ‘dead heart’ that can be pulled out easily.

The economic threshold level is assessed at 10 per cent of the crop. The department has advised that if infestation is less than the threshold level, farmers should avoid spray of insecticides and go for mechanical control.

The mechanical control of leaf folder is done by passing a 20-30 m long coir or jute rope, forwards and then backwards, both ways while touching the crop canopy.