Dr Naveed Ahmed, entomologist, Central Cotton Research Institute (CRI), has suggested to the farmers to spray cotton plant's stem instead of its leaves. Talking to APP on Wednesday he said that mealy bug has not been controlled because the growers are targeting leaves while the mealy bug population inhabits on the stem of the plant.
He said insecticide "aceta micride" is very effective to control this bug. Its 150-200 milliliter per 100 litre of water can be used to check its attack. This may suffice for one acre as well, he observed. The entomologist said if the attack is severe the pesticide spray might be repeated within a week so that the growth of this pest may be efficaciously arrested.
Last year the mealy bug attack played havoc with the cotton crop in certain districts such as Vehari, Multan, Khanewal and some areas of Lodhran. The expert said it is better not to spray the cotton plant at an early stage unless the pest attack reaches the economic threshold level.
Senior Scientific Officer (SSO) Chaudhry Rehmat Ali, CCRI, Multan, told this scribe that virus attack on the cotton crop is not so far as severe it was last year. However, mealy bug is visible this year too. He said the ongoing monsoon rains are likely to lessen the mealy bug attack, however, the jassid (Sabz Taila) infestation may aggravate due to the wet spell.
The cotton expert said research work on evolving new varieties of virus-resistant cottonseed continues and it is hoped that within the next two years the scientists would achieve success.
In the year 2004-5 the national cotton output was computed at the record figure of 14.6 million bales, last year (2006-7) at 12.6 million bales and the next year's (2007-8) target has been fixed at 14.14 million bales. Growers say if the mealy bug attack is not effectively controlled the country may not achieve its production target, which seems to be too ambitious in the given milieu.
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