Punjab: Wheat sown with Happy Seeder facing pest trouble
Date:12-18-2019
Some farmers, who had sown wheat with Happy Seeder without burning crop residue, are complaining of pink stem borer attack on the crop. Some affected farmers have even ploughed the crop. The pest attack has been detected in some wheat fields in Bathinda, Barnala, Sangrur, Mansa and Patiala districts.
The directorate of extension of Punjab Agricultural University(PAU), Ludhiana, has confirmed the problem in wheat sown with the crop residue in some parts of Malwa. The university has suggested spray of ‘Ekalux’ insecticide in the affected fields. PAU and state agriculture department have formed teams to inspect the attack and suggest remedies. The farm department officials said the pest issue might be due to eggs of some pests left in crop residue.
Farmers said at some places the leftover plant stalk residue was preventing the spray from reaching the crop while at others where residue had been mulched, it formed a carpet to prevent pesticide from reaching the crop.
Wheat has been sown in nearly 35 lakh hectares in Punjab and the state agriculture department is expecting a production of 170 lakh metric tonnes. “The growth of residue is becoming breeding ground for the borer, which is affecting the wheat crop. No spray is helping the farmers,” said Gurwinder Singh of Rayia village in Rampura block of Bathinda, who has ploughed his crop in four acres.
“It has happened because government stopped us from burning the stubble, but did not offer any solution to deal with the leftover eggs of insects in residue,” Karnail Singh, another farmer, added.
“The government should not overlook this problem and see it as the side-effect of not burning stubble,” farmer organisation BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri said.
When contacted, PAU director of extension Jaskaran Singh Mahal confirmed that the problem of pink stem borer incidence was reported in 200-300 acres of Malwa region. “Whenever any farmer complains about it, we send teams and suggest spray. However, at some places, farmers have ploughed the crop. They should not panic as every problem has a solution,” he said.
Punjab agriculture and farmers welfare department director Sutantar Kumar Airi said, “The department is concerned even though the problem has been reported in only a small area. We have taken up the matter with PAU to suggest remedial measures and five teams have been sent to Nabha and Sangrur areas to check the pest attack.”
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