After 5 years, fear of whitefly attack looms large on cotton crop

Bathinda: The fear of whitefly attack on cotton crop is back to haunt the Malwa region after a gap of five years. Presence of the sucking pest has been reported in some parts of Mansa and Fazilka districts, and it might even reach other areas.

Buoyed by the reasonable hike in the minimum support price (MSP) of cotton, farmers had planted more of the fibre crop this year in Punjab.

The estimated area under cotton is 5 lakh hectares, up from 3.92 lakh hectares in 2019. However, the threat of pest attack has left the farmers worried.

After a good spell of rain in mid-July when the plants had wilted in some villages, hot and humid weather conditions have now led to pest infestation. Worried farmers are spraying on the crop to contain the pest.

The director of the state agriculture department visited various villages in Bathinda and Mansa and held a marathon meeting with agriculture officers from Bathinda, Mansa, Fazilka and Muktsar districts at Bathinda on Wednesday. The field officers were asked to be on the alert and visit farmers in their fields, check the crop and recommend sprays as per situation.

The officers were directed to set out publicity awareness vans in villages and send messages from gurdwara speaker systems, recommending spray of potassium nitrate 13045.

Whitefly grows very fast and remains under the leaf. It does not die till there is direct spray on it. The sprays recommended by agriculture department to control attack of fly too only work when the pest is in early stage, before getting adult. It sucks the leaf and causes leaf curl virus. The leaves stop preparing nutrition and develop holes too. The infection very soon spreads to next plants and takes the crop in its ambit, say agricultural experts.

In August-September 2015, nearly 60% of the cotton crop sown in 4.21 lakh hectares was damaged. Unable to bear the loss, four farmers had ended lives. And in a cruel joke, the government had provided cheques for compensation of Rs 100 and 200 to many farmers, which later were withdrawn.

Farmer Ram Singh said pests have been detected at Dasondia, Bhamme Khurd, Kot Dharmu, Jhunir and Sahnewali villages where farmers are indulging into excessive sprays to contain pests. They are fearing the repeat of 2015 if the attack is not contained in the initial stages. Farmer Kulwant Singh of Kot Dharmu said as pest attack is in initial stage, it could be contained with supervision and proper sprays, but agriculture department officials need to stand by farmers and support them.

Speaking to TOI, Punjab agriculture department director Sutantar Kumar Airy said, “The economic threshold level (ETL) is within limits across the state with very good growth of the crop barring some hotspots at cotton sown near the orchids. I have visited many villages and at every place found crop growing well. But despite that we are not taking any chances and have asked field staff to get activated and reach out to farmers. The farmers will be approached not to make excessive sprays and use only potassium nitrate 13045 that too when it’s needed.”