MULTAN:Secretary agriculture south Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel on Monday visited different parts of Multan to assess impact of rain on cotton crop and ordered field staff to intensify cotton surveillance to take timely steps and extend advice to farmers to plug chances of damage to the crop.
During visit to Jhok Vanse Warli and other cotton areas of Multan, Saqib advised farmers to drain out excess water from their cotton fields in case rains and use movable pumps for the purpose.
He said “Post-rain humidity can trigger attack of white fly, Jassid, pink bollworm, and armyworm and advised farmers to remain alert and perform pest scouting on a daily basis or at least twice a week.”
To keep the incidence of Thrips, white fly and Jassid, farmers should apply botanical extracts spray i.e a combination of Sodom Apple (Akk), tobacco, Citrullus Colocynthis (Kor Tumma), Neem, and Asafoetida. He also advised them to remove weeds from their fields.
He said that in case of application of pesticides on the crop, farmers should apply a spray of plants extracts after five days. Farmers should install eight (8) pheromone traps per acre to control pink ball worm and replace capsules every fortnight.
In case the attack of pests goes beyond the economic threshold level, farmers should consult agriculture officials for application of suitable pesticides.