|
By GK Bhandari
In this era of looking for sustainable and eco-friendly solutions
to agriculture in general and crop protection in particular, the
agricultural community needs to be aware of options to the large
scale use of chemicals in plant protection. Integrated pest management
involves the use of alternative techniques and options that are
available and help keep the pest population below economic threshold
level (ETL); this approach recommends use of chemicals as a last
option for pest control.
The broad strategy for Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPM)
consists of the following :
|
|
Use of seed varieties that are resistant/tolerant to pests
and diseases. |
|
|
Cultural practices like summer ploughing and destruction of
stubbles/crop residues; trimming of bunds; proper preparation
and levelling of fields; timely sowing; proper crop geometry;
seed treatment; proper soil, water and weed management; rotation
with non-host crops; harvesting of crop at right stage and under
right conditions; raising trap crops as border/intercrop, etc.
|
|
|
Regular monitoring of pest situation vis-à-vis their
natural enemies (insects, spiders, predators, pathogens). Weather,
culture and field conditions all play a part in pests build
up. The use of yellow sticky traps, pheromone traps, light traps
can be used to monitor pest population. |
|
|
Mechanical control through collection and destruction of egg
masses, larvae and adults; use of light traps for trapping adults
of insects which are attracted towards light; digging trenches
around the fields during severe outbreak; vegetative traps placed
at field-border and between plant rows, etc have been found
effective in trapping certain pests. |
|
|
Biological control by conserving naturally occurring parasites,
predators and pathogens. For attracting predator birds that
feed on insects, bird-perch stands can be set in fields. Some
bio-agents are now available for control of some major pests
that are pest specific and not injurious to other flora and
fauna. |
|
|
Use of pesticides has to be need based and on the basis of
ETL as a last resort. A number of neem based chemical formulations
are now available in the market which have been found effective
against certain pests in these crops. But their quality, effective
concentration, shelf life and efficacy has to be checked. |
Source: DAC note on National Pulses Development Project (NPDP)
and Integrated Scheme Of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oilpalm & Maize (ISOPOM)
|
