FAISALABAD- Agriculture experts have advised cotton growers to remove crop remains from fields in addition to using plough by January 31 to minimize chances of pest attacks on next crops. A spokesman for the agriculture (extension) department said on Wednesday that Gulabi Sundi (pink bollworm) was the worst enemy of cotton crops which caused colossal loss in cotton production. Therefore, farmers should adopt off-season cotton management strategy to save their next crop from the attack of pests especially Gulabi Sundi. He said, “Pink bollworm goes in winter nap during November and December and its eggs remain present on cotton seeds, branches and dried leafs in farms and ginning factories. When they get sufficient temperature after winter, they again become active”. He said farmers should cut branches of cotton crops nearer to earth up to January 31 and keep them in the sunshine so that Gulabi Sundi, its larva and eggs could die. The remains of cotton crops at growers farm and in ginning factories should be burnt besides using rota-vater plough in the cotton fields after completely harvest the crop and its remains so that next crop could be saved from the attack of pests, he added.
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Advisory for growers of gourd
The agriculture experts have advised farmers to start cultivation of gourd (Ghiya Kaddu) immediately with the advent of February and complete it by end of March to get a bumper yield. A spokesman for the agriculture department said on Wednesday that growers should cultivate approved varieties of gourd as these had better disease resistance in addition to provide the maximum production. The farmers should use 2-2.5 kilogram seed of gourd for cultivation per acre crop and contact the agriculture department if they needed any assistance or guidance, he added.