Growers advised off-season cotton protection
The recovery in economic activities was evident across the agriculture, industry, and services sectors. PHOTO: FILE
The agriculture department has advised farmers to adopt an off-season cotton management strategy to save the next crop from the attack of pink bollworm.
A spokesperson for the department said on Tuesday that pink bollworm goes in winter nap during November and December and its eggs remain present on cotton seeds, branches and dried leafs in farms and ginning factories.
When they get sufficient temperature after winter, they become active again.
He further said that cotton growers should act upon the off-season management measures to save next crops from the attack of pink bollworm.
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Giving further details, he added, “The farmers should cut the branches of cotton crops nearer to earth up to January 31.”
It should then be kept in the sunshine so that the larva and eggs of ‘gulabi sundi’ could die, he explained.
The remains of cotton crops in farms and in ginning factories should be burnt, besides using rotavator plough in the cotton field after completely harvesting the crop so that the next crop could be saved from the attack of the pest, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2021.