Rs75m projects planned to thwart pest attacks
Scientists will develop strategies to improve crop yields, increase exports
PHOTO: AFP
FAISALABAD:
The Punjab Agriculture Research Board (Parb) and the Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) have inked an agreement for kicking off projects worth Rs75 million to manage the threat posed by whitefly and pink bollworm that inflict a loss of billions to the national economy.
UAF Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar and Parb Chief Executive Officer Dr Noorul Islam Khan signed the agreement on Saturday.
Pesticide fast becoming a pest for the environment
As part of the agreement, the UAF, Ayub Research Institute, Cotton Research Institute Multan, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Agriculture University Multan, Nuclear Institute for Biology, Central Cotton Research Institute and NIBGE will work together to tackle the pest and insect threat to crops. They will develop whitefly management strategies based on integrated pest management programmes and introduce insect-resistant cotton germplasm through genetic engineering.
For developing sustainable management strategies for pink bollworm, scientists will assess the spread of the insect, weather vagaries and their relationship.
They voiced hope that the projects would lead to improvement in crop yields, increase in exports, decrease in imports and better input efficiency. The UAF vice chancellor emphasised that modern practices must be promoted and adopted in agricultural fields in order to thwart attacks from different insects on the crops.
“If pink bollworm and whitefly are not controlled, they will cause a dent in our agricultural production,” he said. He praised the steps taken by the Punjab government for developing the agriculture sector and promoting modern techniques and practices.
Parb CEO said measures taken to protect plants helped increase the yield by shielding crops from diseases and controlling pests.
Dangers posed by fake pesticides
“It is the need of the hour to work in line with modern trends and tackle insects to meet demand of the growing population,” he said.
Pest Warning and Quality Assurance Director General Khalid Mehmood insisted that the farming community should be educated how to tackle the situation that would jack up their income and reduce poverty levels.
He pointed out that all stakeholders would have to play their role in the country’s development.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 10th, 2017.
The Punjab Agriculture Research Board (Parb) and the Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) have inked an agreement for kicking off projects worth Rs75 million to manage the threat posed by whitefly and pink bollworm that inflict a loss of billions to the national economy.
UAF Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar and Parb Chief Executive Officer Dr Noorul Islam Khan signed the agreement on Saturday.
Pesticide fast becoming a pest for the environment
As part of the agreement, the UAF, Ayub Research Institute, Cotton Research Institute Multan, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Agriculture University Multan, Nuclear Institute for Biology, Central Cotton Research Institute and NIBGE will work together to tackle the pest and insect threat to crops. They will develop whitefly management strategies based on integrated pest management programmes and introduce insect-resistant cotton germplasm through genetic engineering.
For developing sustainable management strategies for pink bollworm, scientists will assess the spread of the insect, weather vagaries and their relationship.
They voiced hope that the projects would lead to improvement in crop yields, increase in exports, decrease in imports and better input efficiency. The UAF vice chancellor emphasised that modern practices must be promoted and adopted in agricultural fields in order to thwart attacks from different insects on the crops.
“If pink bollworm and whitefly are not controlled, they will cause a dent in our agricultural production,” he said. He praised the steps taken by the Punjab government for developing the agriculture sector and promoting modern techniques and practices.
Parb CEO said measures taken to protect plants helped increase the yield by shielding crops from diseases and controlling pests.
Dangers posed by fake pesticides
“It is the need of the hour to work in line with modern trends and tackle insects to meet demand of the growing population,” he said.
Pest Warning and Quality Assurance Director General Khalid Mehmood insisted that the farming community should be educated how to tackle the situation that would jack up their income and reduce poverty levels.
He pointed out that all stakeholders would have to play their role in the country’s development.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 10th, 2017.