Pest warning staff of the Agriculture Department Punjab will be available in the offices to protect cotton crop while to ensure availability of pesticides against harmful insects, shops of all dealers will also remained open during Eid-ul-Azha holidays. A spokesman of the department said here on Monday that the step has been taken under the direction of the Punjab government keeping in view the importance of cotton crop in the economy. He also disclosed that during 2nd fortnightly of August cotton growers are advised to eradicate obnoxious weeds and use shield for protection of cotton plants during spray of weedicide.
Water quantity during spray of weedicide should be 100 to 120 liters 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 further 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 e.g. Mako, Lahlee, Karund, Hazar Danni, KuthKunda, Auk, Saklaie etc.
Spokesman also advised farmers to start picking of cotton bolls after 9am and it should be end at 4pm. If there's chances of rainfall then farmers are advised to postpone picking of cotton and labour involved in picking should use cotton clothes for this purpose and avoid to mix hair and other type of contamination to mix in cotton bolls so price of cotton in market may meet ideally.