Crop development: Agriculture experts call for measures to fight fruit fly

Modern practices emphasised to increase crop yield

FAISALABAD: Renowned entomologist Prof James R Carey of the University of California-Davis, US has called for measures to fight the fruit fly which is believed to be responsible for millions of dollars’ worth of agricultural losses.

He was delivering a special lecture on the invasion of fruit fly in California arranged by the Department of Entomology of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.

Prof Carey said California had a $50-billion agricultural industry which grew 200 different crops, making the state the largest food producer in the US.  He asserted that most fruit produce in the state was attacked by multiple fruit fly species. The UAF entomology department chairman, Dr Jalal Arif said the fruit fly alone was causing a $200-million annual loss to the economy in Pakistan and termed it a serious threat to exports.

He emphasised that modern practices like integrated pest management must be promoted and practised in the fields to reduce the hazardous use of pesticides, adding the UAF department of entomology was mapping out a national plan to counter the fruit fly.

The professor said the department was working on the development of hybrid courses in collaboration with the University of California, US.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2016.