Farmers of the region including its vast Barind tract are gradually becoming encouraged to using eco-friendly pest management in their transplanted paddy field.
During the current season, many of the farmers have adopted initiative of using parching method contributes a lot towards lessening demands of chemical pesticides.
District and Upazila level offices of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) are extending technical support to the farmers so that they can derive total benefits of the method.
Monzur-E-Mawla, Upazila Agriculture Officer, said light-trap and parching, environmentally sound method for detecting harmful insects especially Brown Plant Hopper (BPH), are helping the farmers in their paddy field.
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 low-cost method is also helpful for maintaining ecological balance in the fields. He also said the farmers are extremely enthusiastic in using the method because they are reaping benefit from it.
DAE officials have introduced the programme throughout the region to detect the harmful insects in the Aman fields and use the insecticides accordingly to save the crops.
“We have set up 4,073 light traps and imparted training to more than 10,000 farmers in the region comprising Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore and Chapainawabgonj districts,” said Joynal Abedeen, Zonal Deputy Director of DAE.
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.
Normally farmers apply costly insecticides in the paddy fields, 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.
Over 3.39 lakh hectares of land have been brought under Aman cultivation in the region this year.
Joynal Abedeen said light-trap programme has been promoted among the farmers for the last couple of years to manage pest effectively with low cost. This year they are giving more emphasis on the programme.
DAE high officials 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 per cent and the farmers are also learning to identify useful insects in the paddy fields.
