Farmers relieved as rain reduces whitefly attack on cotton crop

Tribune News Service

Archit Watts

Muktsar, July 8

The cotton growers have heaved a sigh of relief from whitefly in Muktsar district with yesterday’s rainfall. The average rainfall was recorded at 20.6 mm in district.

‘Plants did not reach actual height’

The sowing of cotton crop was delayed in some parts of the district due to closure of Sirhind feeder canal for a long period. Further, there has been negligible rainfall till date. Due to this, cotton plants could not achieve their actual height. — Gurjant Singh, Cotton Grower, Muktsar

“Notably, whitefly is so far spotted above the economic threshold level (ETL) in 51 fields. However, it is now above the ETL in 31 fields,” said Gurpreet Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar.

He added, “The problem of whitefly is mainly because of the stunted growth of plants and prevailing hot and dry weather. The cotton crop requires more rain for its proper growth. Besides, the rain will help in wiping out whitefly.”

Meanwhile, a team of experts from the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) visited district to assess the cotton crop for the incidence of whitefly, pink bollworm and jassid.

Dr Nirmaljit Singh Dhaliwal, Associate Director, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Muktsar, said they were regularly advising farmers to monitor their cotton fields and wherever whitefly was above the ETL, they should spray pesticides as per the PAU recommendations.

Gurjant Singh, a cotton grower, said, “The sowing of cotton crop was delayed in some parts of the district due to closure of Sirhind feeder canal for a long period. Further, there has been negligible rainfall till date. Due to this, cotton plants could not achieve their actual height.”

Meanwhile, another farmer Nirmal Singh from Jasseana village said, “Cotton plants in my field are nearly 1.5-ft tall. These should have been 2.5-tall at this stage. It happened due to prevailing hot and dry weather. The plants could not reach the required height because of lesser rainfall. Further, a dusty bug has come much earlier on growing plants.”

On this, the Chief Agriculture Officer said, “This is a crop friendly bug, but we are regularly inspecting the growing crop. The exact cause of its early arrival is however unknown.”

Bollworm wiped

out from crop

Heavy rain has proved a blessing in disguise for farmers of Muktsar as it has led to reduction in whitefly attack on the cotton crop.

A team of experts from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) visited Sri Muktsar Sahib to assess the cotton crop for the incidence of whitefly, pink bollworm and jassid. As per the report, experts did notice whitefly pest, but cotton crop was free from pink bollworm and jassid. Farmers were delighted over heavy rain, which e brought respite and wiped out pink bollworm and lessened whitefly attack on cotton.

Dr Ashok Kumar, Director, Extension Education, and Dr GPS Sodhi, Additional Director, Extension Education, PAU, visited the cotton belt of Muktsar. Dr Kumar advised cotton growers to follow the PAU recommendations for the successful cultivation of the crop.

Dr Nirmaljit Singh Dhaliwal, Associate Director, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Muktsar, said, “The KVK is regularly advising farmers to monitor their cotton fields and remain alert in case of the whitefly and pink bollworm attack. Wherever the attack is above economic threshold level, farmers must spray fields as per the Punjab Agricultural University recommendations.”

Experts also surveyed direct seeded rice (DSR) fields at Mahiraj village of Muktsar district where paddy growers expressed satisfaction and described it as a cost-cutting and farmer-friendly technology.

— with inputs from manav mander

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