Pink Bollworm infestation in parts of Haryana and Punjab, government releases advisory
05 September 2021, Chandigarh: Pink Bollworm is considered the most destructive pest for the cotton crop. Farmers in state of Punjab and Haryana have spotted the presence of the pest in their field. A farmer from Mandi Dabwali reported loss upto 40% due to the pest.
Districts reporting presence of Pink Bollworm are Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Mahendragarh and Jind in Haryana and Bhatinda of Punjab. The news of infestation of Pink Bollworm has left the farmers worried as the pest can’t be seen until the damage has been done.
The eggs are inside the flower which in turn make the cotton boll. The larvae from the eggs eat through the cotton lint and the seeds inside the cotton boll. The farmers get to know the real damage only once the cotton boll starts to open up. Experts from the local universities suggests to adopt Integrated Pest Management from the start of the season right from field preparation to avoid Pink Bollworm infestation. There is no one single solution to control this pest. Organic, chemical, biological control are all equally important in controlling this pest.
