Heavy rains and floods have affected about 0.269 million acres of cotton crop amounting to 4 percent of the total cotton cultivated area in the province. Director General Agriculture (Extension) revealed at a meeting of cotton crop Management Group (CCMG) held at Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan, according to a press release issued here on Thursday.
Fayyaz Bashir, Secretary Agriculture Punjab who presided over the meeting said the farmers should remain vigilant to protect cotton crop from insects and pest attack, as prevailing weather conditions were conducive for pest multiplication.
He urged the farmers to make efforts to improve cotton yield for better returns in view of its increasing demand in the international market.
Director Pest Warning and Quality Control of Pesticides reported that population of Jassid was increasing in cotton fields because of prevailing moist weather and this may become more serious problem in next ten days. He said population of American bollworm and spotted bollworm may also increase due to high humidity.
The experts advised the farmers to conduct regular pest scouting of cotton crop twice a week for insect/pests control and only use soft pesticides keeping in view the economic threshold level.
XEN Irrigation, DG Khan and Bahawlapur told the meeting that water discharge in all the canals was satisfactory. DG Khan Muzaffargarh and TP Link canals had also been opened and water supplies were satisfactory even up to the tails.
The pesticide availability during the current cotton season was also reviewed and representatives of the pesticide manufacturing companies apprised about the stock position. They were requested to improve their pesticide stock for sucking pests and bollworms for adequate availability during the season to protect the cotton crop from damage.
Director-General Agriculture (Research), agricultural scientists, irrigation engineers, district agriculture officers of cotton zone, representatives of pesticide companies and progressive farmers attended the meeting.
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