Integrated Pest Management programme held in Aonokpu village

Farmer participants during the training programme on Integrated Pest Management under RKVY held at Aonokpu village on September 2. (Photo Courtesy: Department of Agriculture, Mangkolemba)

Mokokchung, September 3 (MExN): The Department of Agriculture, Mangkolemba conducted a one-day training programme on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) under RKVY at Aonokpu village on September 2. 

Agriculture Inspector, Nungsangtemjen, said that IPM is an integration of biological, cultural, physical and chemical control of insect pest to below Economic Threshold Level (ETL). He elaborated the farmers about the various insect pest and beneficial insects that are present in jhum and lowland paddy fields. He explained to the farmers about differentiating the crop pests from the defenders. The farmers were asked to encourage the populations of spiders, wasps, bees, Trichogramma, birds like owls, lady bird beetles etc. Farmers were trained on how to control major pest like Rice Gundhi bug, plant hoppers etc.

Onglu, AO II, spoke on the topic ‘Rodent Pest Management.’ He said that rodent is an important pest of paddy both on and off the field. He said that gnawing behavior of rodents cause severe damage in agriculture especially when their population is high. The resource person said that due bamboo flowering, abnormal and rapid breeding of rodent population occurs. 

The resource person said that various indigenous traps can be used to bring down the population of rodents. Besides, he also taught them on the right application of Rodenticides, and disposing them off by burying the remaining leftovers deep into the soil alongwith the dead carcasses. The farmers were provided IPM kits and rodenticides after the programme.