Punjab Agriculture Department forms teams to control pink stem borer

Muktsar, December 15

The Agriculture Department today formed pest surveillance teams to control the pink stem borer, which has affected wheat crop in Muktsar district.

A report titled “Pink stem borer hits Muktsar wheat crop” had appeared in these columns on Friday.

Some farmers claimed that their crop was turning yellow as the pink stem borer was eating the recently sown crop. They added that the problem was witnessed in those fields where paddy stubble was not burnt and mulched into the soil.

Gurpreet Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar, said, “If any farmer faces a problem due to the pink stem borer, he/she can contact officials of the Agriculture Department.”

Teams under the leadership of Surinder Singh, Joint Director, Agriculture Department, conducted a surprise check at some pesticide and fertiliser shops in the district. The teams collected seven samples of fertilisers and 10 samples of pesticides and sent them for testing.

Further, a team of scientists from the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, today visited the district to evaluate wheat crop and found that 3 to 5 per cent crop in an acre sown using a super seeder had suffered damage from the pink stem borer infestation at Ballamgarh village.

Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, advised farmers to keep a vigil and not to panic.