BSS, Rajshahi Light-trap and parching, environmentally sound method for detecting harmful insects especially Brown Plant Hopper (BPH), are helping the farmers in different areas of the district during the current Aman season. This eco-friendly ‘light-trap’ method as an alternative to pesticides control, getting popular among the farmers at different villages as they are attaining significant success in pest management on transplanted Aman paddy. The farmers set the light-traps at night with kerosene lamp, charger light or electric bulb and place a pot with detergent or kerosene mixed water under the light. The light attracts the insects that die after falling into the pot. If existence of harmful insects is found, experts advise the farmers to adopt effective pest control method. “In 30 blocks under 10 unions within my jurisdiction, farmers did not have to use any pesticide so far this year because they did not detect any harmful insects in the paddy fields through the light-trap method,” said Dr Saiful Islam, Godagari Upazila Agriculture Officer. Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said, they have introduced the programme throughout the district to detect the harmful insects in the Aman fields and use the insecticides accordingly to save the crops. The low-cost method is also helpful for maintaining ecological balance in the fields. They also said the farmers are extremely enthusiastic in using the method because they are reaping benefit from it. Normally farmers apply costly insecticides in the paddy fields indiscriminately, killing all the insects including the useful insects, and causing a definite environmental degradation. But when the harmful insects are detected through the light-trap method, they can save money by applying a cheaper insecticide to kill that particular pest as per the experts’ suggestion, said the officials. Over 74,250 hectares of land have been brought under Aman cultivation in the district this year which is 10 percent higher than that of the fixed target. Around 4,500 light-traps have already been set up in the district. Abul Kalam Azad, Deputy Director of DAE, Rajshahi, said light-trap programme has been promoted amog the farmers in the district from the past few years to manage pest effectively with low cost. This year they are giving more emphasis on the programme. Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture Syed Ali Nasim Khaliluzzaman and DAE Director General Bashir Uddin Ahmed recently visited different parts of the district to see the management of BPH through the light trap method. “During September and October every year, farmers face serious pest attack and they have to spend more money to get rid of all insects. With the light-trap and parching we can find the culprit insect and take proper pest control measure, which is much cheaper and environment-friendly,” he added. This method has reduced indiscriminate use of pesticides by 50 percent and the farmers are also learning to identify useful insects in the paddy fields. Meanwhile, the farmers have started harvesting of some early and short variety rice like BINAdhan-7, BRRIdhan 48, 56 and 57 in the district and they are happy over the initial yield. Nabibur Rahman, 43, a farmer at Kachua village in Tanore Upazila, said, “I cultivated high yielding flood tolerant Aman paddy on 68 decimals of land this year and got 25 kg of paddy in each decimal. It was only 18 kg last year.” “I received seed and technical support from the regional office of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute to cultivate the variety. I will cultivate it on more lands next time,” he said. Agriculturists said growers sowed high quality Aman seeds of the high yielding varieties and local early variety Basmati Dhan while the DAE officials provided the farmers with training and necessary instructions to get better yield. Abul Kalam Azad said favourable weather condition including timely rain helped bumper Aman yield this season and its price is good too. “Now the farmers apply scientific method for cultivation. They do not use excessive fertiliser and insecticides in their croplands”, he added.