Overcoming losses: Varsities agree to counter pest attacks with mutual cooperation

UAF VC says cotton sector facing crises due to climate change

FAISALABAD: In a bid to enhance academic and research ties, the Washington State University, USA and University of Agriculture Faisalabad’s Department of Entomology will work together on pink bollworm projects, faculty- students exchange programmes and other areas of mutual concern.

It was decided at a meeting held between Washington State University Professor Dr Richard Jack and UAF Vice-Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan. On the occasion, Dr Iqrar said cotton crop was the back bone of our economy. He said, “Cotton production has been facing crises for the last two years due to climate change, pink bollworm attacks and others issues.”



He stressed upon the need to introduce new short duration variety of cotton crop to get maximum result in a short span. He said, “The current varieties of cotton are not suitable for machine picking, therefore we will have to develop varieties which are favorable for modern technologies.” The vice-chancellor maintained cotton crop of long duration were vulnerable to various pest attacks and it increases the risk of intensified pink bollworm.

Dr Iqrar pointed out, “We will have to familiarise farmers with modern technologies in agriculture sector.”  He said cooperation between the two universities would open up new avenues of research to counter challenges being faced by the sector. Meanwhile, Dr Richard said that both institutions would work jointly to tackle pink bollworm in order to overcome losses.

He called for getting benefit from experiences of each other for crop increment and for the economic prosperity of rural population.  He added that they were accumulating data on insects which would be
helpful in scientific research in future.

Entomology Department Chairperson Dr Jalal Arif, Dr Khalid Mehmood and Dr Tariq Mustafa also spoke.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2017.