Cotton growers asked to remove weeds

LAHORE: Cotton growers have been asked to take special steps to remove weeds in cotton crop as it serves as debris for whitefly which is responsible for cotton leaf curl virus (CLCV) attack and Mealybug onslaught.

Spokesman of Punjab Agriculture Department in a statement on Monday said under special directives of Agriculture Department Secretary Muhammad Mahmood Extension and Pest Warning has deputed teams for check and balance of insect threshold attack in Punjab. Also through smart phones equipped with special applications, agriculture department is providing technical assistance to cotton growers, he said.

Cotton growers are advised to pay attention to crop during rainy season as cotton plant is very sensitive towards water tolerance. If rainwater stands in field more than 48 hours, cotton plant may die and this will ultimately affect total cotton yield. If water is present in large quantity then with the help of pump, it may be pushed towards neighbouring field to avoid any damage, he said.