The
cotton is an important cash crop of Punjab and it is grown in 5.50 to 6.50 lakh ha area.
The cotton crop is attacked by number of pests
at different stages and consumes more than 50% pesticides of total pesticides
used in Indian Agriculture. The mealy bug, Phenacoccus
solenopsis caused severe damage to cotton crop in
Punjab during 2007-08 and it emerged as new threat to cotton crop in North
India.
It is a polyphagous in nature and feeds on
many host plants. The congress grass (Parthenium
hysterophorus) has been recorded as a major host of this pest which
initially multiplies on it and later migrates to cotton crop. Both crawlers and
adults suck the sap from the leaves, stem, shoot and other parts of the plant.
The severe infestation retards growth, late opening of the bolls which
ultimately affect the yield also.
ESTIMATED LOSS DUE TO MEALY BUG:
Factor
|
Yield
(Qtl./ha)
|
Total
cost (Output)
|
Increased
cost of production
|
Net
Profit
|
Non- mealy bug affected crop
|
20
@ Rs.2300/Qtl
|
Rs. 46,000
|
Nil
|
Rs. 46,000
|
Mealy bug affected crop
|
19
@ Rs.2300/Qtl
|
Rs.43,700
|
Rs.2,000/ha
|
Rs.41,700
|
Total
loss
|
01
@
Rs.2300/Qtl
|
Rs.2300
|
Rs.2,000
|
Rs.
4,300
|
The
mealy bug has caused a loss of one qtl/ha yield on an average and enhanced the
cost of cultivation by Rs. 2,000/ha (3-4 sprays extra for mealy bug control)
which has caused a loss of Rs 4,300 per hectare to the farmers. There was about
3.0 lakh ha area affected with mealy bug during 2007. The minimum estimated total loss caused by a single pest is about Rs.129
Crores to cotton growers during Kharif season of 2007 in Punjab.
IPM strategies: Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) approach is best suited for safe and sustainable agriculture. The
mealy bug was successfully controlled in Punjab during 2008-09 by adopting IPM
strategies and combined sincere efforts by CIPMC, Jalandhar, State Deptt. Of
Agriculture, Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana and NCIPM, New Delhi. The
following off season and crop season IPM strategies have considerable
contributed in the management of cotton mealy bug:
(i).
Management of alternate hosts:
1.
Weed eradication campaign on community basis was
launched during the off season of cotton i.e. January to March from field
bunds, water channels, waste land of the cotton growing areas because Congress grass and Kangi booti serve as main alternate host for primary spread of this
pest. In some places, school children were involved in mechanical control of Parthenium
from road side, vacant land and water channel etc. adjacent to cotton
field.
2.
Infested host plant/ weeds were burnt and
advised not to throw in canals and water channels to prevent the further spread
of mealy bug.
(ii). Monitoring of mealy bug population and demonstration of IPM:
Ministry
of Agriculture, Govt. of India sanctioned Rs.130 lakhs for taking up the
campaign management of mealy bug of cotton in Punjab vide letter
no.3-8/2007.PP; dated 15.02.08. The collaborative project was sanction to
different agencies to take up following activities:
i.
NCIPM, New Delhi for training and providing technical
guidance
ii.
CIPMC, Jalandhar for mealy bug
surveillance
iii.
State Deptt. Of Agriculture for
creating awareness among the cotton growers.
CIPMC,
Jalandhar employed 08 Senior Research Fellows and 40 Field scouts during
2008-09 for monitoring of mealy bug population and organized IPM demonstration
plots. One SRF and 4 to 6 Field Scouts
per district were deputed in eight districts under the control of Chief
Agriculture Officers of respective districts.
The SRF submitted weekly Surveillance Report on Mealy bug of his
district to Chief Agriculture Officer and CIPMC, Jalandhar. The compiled report
of mealy bug situation was regularly submitted on every Friday to Director of
Agriculture, DD (Cotton), Punjab and Dte of PPQS, Faridabad. The detailed Weekly data was also provided by
the SRFs to NCIPM (ICAR), New Delhi by mail on every Friday for further
analysis which was available at their website www.ncipm.org.in. When
cotton crop was over, this team was engaged in the post harvest management of
mealy bug and collection of data from the farmers.
(iii). Crop season IPM strategies: The farmers were advised to adopt
following IPM strategies during cotton growing season:
1.
The clean cultivation was encouraged to checks
the secondary spread of diseases as well as pests.
2.
Non preferred host like Jowar, Bajra and maize should be sown on boundary lines, so that
its infestation should be checked from adjoining fields/weeds.
3.
Do not grow Okra and Guar in or around the
cotton crop being most suitable hosts.
4.
Weeds like Congress
grass, Kangi Booti, Peeli Booti, Puthkanda, Gutputna, Bhakra, Itsit and Tandla should be removed to check the
multiplication of mealy bug.
5.
Initially, the mealy bug appears in patches and
concentrated on the border rows towards boundary side plants. Hence, it can be
easily controlled through strict surveillance, mechanically and spot
application of the chemical. It will also conserve the natural enemies.
6.
Fine spray should be done with triple action
nozzle for fine spray discharge.
7.
Stem, leaves and soil around the stem should be
drenched thoroughly by using sufficient quantity of water with recommended
pesticides.
8.
Use recommended pesticides if population is
above Economic Threshold Level.
9.
Do not use mixtures and unrecommended
insecticides.
10.
The second spray should be from the different
group of recommended pesticides depending upon the pest population.
11.
Monitoring and surveillance of the cotton field
is very necessary to take appropriate action at proper time.
12.
The community approach is very important to save
the cotton crop from mealy bug attack.
(iv).Biological control: It is the best
approach to manage the pest as long term control measures. The natural
parasites and predators of mealy bug were conserved and augmented to keep the
population below economic threshold level. Interestingly, Aenasius bambawalei (Chalcidodea : Encryitidae), a potential
bio-control agent control the population upto 50-60% in the field during
2008-09. The farmers were advised to augment this agent in non-available cotton
fields.
(v). Management of cotton sticks:
1.
Infested cotton sticks were made free from mealy
bugs before piling them by shredding the cotton sticks against the ground and
these destroyed by burying in the soil or use of insecticide. So that
hibernation of mealy bug was checked.
2.
Farmers were advised to consume the infested
sticks as fuel before the end of February.
3.
The movements of sticks from the infested areas
to the new areas were prevented.
(vi). Awareness programme:
1.
Farmers awareness camps were organized
in the villages by the CIPMC with the
help of SRFs, field scouts, ADOs and progressive farmers during the pre sowing
season to take up the sanitation measures to remove the weeds (mainly Parthenium sp. which is a major host)
and during the crop season.
2.
The publicity material was displayed through
hoardings at common places in the villages, town and cities.
3.
The awareness campaign was strengthened
through advertisement in News Papers (in Punjabi), local cable and Doordarshan.
4.
320 villages were adopted by SRFs
and field scouts under surveillance
programme for fixed plots survey and awareness programme of mealy bug.
Conclusion:
The
farmers became well aware about the mealy bug management and this pest was
managed very efficiently in 2009-10 through sanitation, population monitoring,
biological control and spot application of chemicals. There was the reduction
of pesticide use also in cotton due to spot application of pesticide for the
management of mealy bug. It shows that IPM strategies and sincere efforts of
CIPMC, Jalandhar along with State Govt. of Agriculture have effectively
controlled the mealy bug infestation in 2008-09 and at present it is considered
as a miner pest in Punjab.
(Courtesy
by Dr. Jasvir Singh, Dy. Director (Ent.), Dte of PPQS, Faridabad)
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