An Agrarian's Personal Description of IPM on Cotton

by Muhammad Ashraf Ali
(Jampur)

I personally started a trail of botanicals, sex pheromone trap, Light trape, on cotton plot. Last year on the same plot was severely infested with whitefly & pink bollworm along with jassid & thrips. Farmers picked 8 Monds/ acre after applying 16 sprays of pesticides. This year 2021, after applying all practices on IPM plot especially botanical which is completely new techniques. I observed a lot of changes in cotton crop and insect biology and also its behaviour against botanicals. I observed the positive impact of botanicals on plant growth. I observed the following points in botanicals sprayed cotton fields:

I observed no flower shedding during high temperatures also.

It acts as a plant growth enhancer.

During the whole cotton season population of the jassid, thrips and dusky cotton bugs did not exceed the ETL.

The population of beneficial insects were observed in abundance like chrysopa, Trichogramma, Spider especially predatory mites were observed this year which was not observed during last years. Predatory mites are the best predator of eggs of sucking insects.

No negative impact of botanicals was observed on beneficial insects while the positive impact of botanicals was observed on controlling harmful insects.

I also observed that where botanicas were applied maximum fruiting and healthy fruiting at the top of the plant canopy were observed.

I personally observed that where botanicals were applied the population chain of whitefly was broken. it controlled the adult as well as nymphal populations very effectively. Ist and 2nd instar nymphal populations were also affected by its application directly because it persisted in plant leaves while the 1st and 2nd nymphal populations suck directly and continuously from the leaves. If two consecutive sprays of botanical were applied in the high populated field of whitefly then excellent control can be achieved.

I also observed a new thing that no negative impact of botanicals on farmers or spray man health while in past maximum spray labour was severely ill or through problem chest infection and so on.

The environment is free from pesticides pollution and it also decreases the cost of farmers. Output is also free from chemicals and saves our nation. it's a very effective and successful project.

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