Secretary Agriculture Punjab Wasif Khursheed has directed field staff of the agriculture department Punjab to send cotton hot spot report on daily basis in cotton zone for getting better production this year. A spokesman of the department disclosed here on Friday that during 2nd Fortnightly of August cotton growers are advised to eradicate weeds and use shield for protection of cotton plants during spray of weedicide. Water quantity during spray of weedicide should by 100 to 120 litres per acre. Farmers are also advised to apply water after water scouting i.e if water stress is observed in the fields of cotton then use applications of water. These visible signs may attribute bluish colouring of cotton leaves, upper nodes may feel shorten in height. Upper stem may seem reddish in colour and upper nodes of cotton may feel rough.
Spokesman warned that during 2nd Fortnightly of August, attack of white fly, green hopper, Thrips and Mealy Bug attack may be observed as per climatic and geographical location. If attack of these insects observed to exceed than Economic Threshold Level (ETL), farmers are advised to use spray against these insects as per consultation of Agricultural local expert of the department. Spokesman also disclosed that due to climatic change it has been observed that cotton crop is susceptible to attack of Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) this year. To mitigate this disease effect and for its control it is advised that farmers must eliminate weed from their cotton fields and vicinity.
Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) mainly spread due to attack of Whitefly which serves as mediator of this disease. Weeds serve as debris for Whitefly insect and also compete with cotton plants with respect to food and other essential nutrition. Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) also found on other alternative host plant such as Okra, Brinjal, Chilies, Tomatoes etc and some weeds for e.g. Itsit, Mako, Lahlee, Karund, Hazar Danni, KuthKunda, Auk, Saklaie etc. So, eradication of these alternate host is necessary to control Whitefly/ CLCV attack.
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