Weather in Punjab adverse for locusts: PAU

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, January 28

Following reports of locust attack in Muktsar, Fazilka and Bathinda districts, the Agriculture Department has prepared a list of insecticides that can be sprayed to contain the menace.

Sutantar Kumar Airi, Director, Agriculture Department, said, “I toured the Abohar area where insecticides have been sprayed in three villages located along the Rajasthan border. The situation is under control and no loss to any farmer is reported anywhere in the state.”

“We are advising farmers to spray chlorpyrifos and lambda cyhalothrin, but only when the locusts cross the economic threshold level of five-six per plant,” he said.

Scientists from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) said weather was adverse for locusts in the state and the insect would not be able to survive or breed here. Farmers should not worry, but remain alert, they added.

Meanwhile, the department officials in Muktsar said as of now there was no need to spray any insecticide on locusts in the district.

Chief Agriculture Officer Baljinder Singh Brar had on Monday said locusts were not spotted in the district in the past 24 hours.