Farmers adopt organic methods to treat common cotton crop bugs

HYDERABAD: Abdul Ghafoor Burdi, a cotton grower, sharing his recent experiences said despite spending huge amounts on chemical input every year he failed to protect crops from disease.

Residing in village Banbhan, Tehsil Thari Mirwah in Khairpur district, the farmer cultivates cotton on 20 acres annually, testing different seeds varieties and spending at least Rs120,000-Rs130,000/acre on pesticides to save the crop. But he does not get proper yield.

After experiencing losses for many years, he learned organic farming from a Farmer Field School (FFS), which trained him regarding climate smart agriculture and cost effectiveness. He uses locally produced extracts of different plants with “virus curing qualities”.

He has been able to manage pests like whitefly through Kara tuma (Citrullus colocynthis), seed and leaves of neem (Azadirachta indica) and extract of Aak (Calotropis procera).

The methods being applied to control the pests include the use of cold water spray, detergent powders against whitefly on cotton crop, use of yellow banner (cloth) treated with sticky material and foliar spray of micro-nutrients on cotton. Chemical control as and when required was also used, that is considered the last option. “These natural remedies can save the crops from most of diseases,” Burdi said.

The FFS aims to control crop diseases and kill harmful insects through low cost natural methods, which help achieve high productivity. The school imparts training through a participatory learning approach, where farmers learn by doing things themselves. Field experimentation is one of the best tools for farmers, which enhances crop management decisions.

“After learning these methods, I have adopted natural remedies to avoid any side-effects on the crop,” Burdi said. “Results were inspiring against cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) and harmful insects like whitefly. After my success, many farmers from neighbouring villages visit my field.”

Another farmer from the same area, Ghulam Shabir Khaskheli also learned organic farming and climate smart agriculture practices. He was also happy with the results. The methods helped him save thousands on costly pesticides. He uses extracts of indigenous plants.

According to farmers, the severity of CLCuV disease can be minimised through planting times. The virus incidence was managed 20-30 percent on farmers' fields with increasing use of nitrogen and potassium through splitting or combined applications with foliar spray of boron.

Other practices like integrated pest management (IPM) techniques were also applied to control whitefly that serves as major vector of CLCuV disease.

Besides white flies, jassid and thrips, there are other issues like irrigation water shortage, extreme heat wave, which damages the crop. There is a need of collaborated efforts to minimize CLCuV, which provides source of income to farmers and a large number of cotton picking women.

Cotton is considered a major cash crop of Pakistan after wheat and occupies the largest area in the country compared to other crops. Among major crops, cotton accounts for 6.9 percent of value-added in agriculture and 1.4 percent of the GDP.

According to a survey by Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) Sakrand Sindh it was estimated that CLCuV destroyed 30 percent crop due to widespread attack of whiteflies in cotton crop disease. The disease is either managed through the development of resistant varieties or different standardised cultural practices.

FFS-led integrated pest management and best management practices are being implemented in Pakistan since 1995. It has adequately addressed the cultural management of CLCuV in fields. Under this initiative, the crop was regularly observed through cotton ecosystem analysis (CESA), an essential tool of FFS approach. Whitefly population was recorded and managed through specific techniques.

Women Agriculture Development Organisation (WADO) has taken this initiative in collaboration with International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), running FFSs to benefit local farmers.

The organisation is working on agriculture for mitigating the effects of CLCuV and supporting cotton, the major crop of the region. They arrange trainings for farmers to use natural and inexpensive methods to save crop and money.

Rasool Bakhsh Khaskhely, a researcher, associated with Sindh Agriculture Extension department, hailing from Khairpur district, said these natural methods were environment friendly, controlling cotton crop and saving expenses of farmer, which otherwise they used to spend on buying costly chemical input.

Comparing, he argues that pesticides not only cause danger to human health but kill earth friendly insects, while harming the ecosystem.

“These environment-friendly applications to save crops did not damage cattle heads rearing on the crops. The animals stay safe and healthy in case they move to the cotton crop for consuming vegetation,” he added.

Khaskhely believes that the world nations were now more conscious about using natural remedies to save agriculture products, maintain ecosystem and produce organic crops. He encouraged farmers to follow the best practices in agriculture.

He expressed the hope that ultimately small farmers would benefit from these practices, which could reduce their expenses and help achieve optimum yield. These remedies were easily available to farmers.

Asmat Rajput, chairperson, WADO, claims to have initiated different experiments through FFS for CLCuV management to save the important crop. The main objective of this component was to validate and transfer best management practices for managing cotton crop diseases, she added. “The application of urea and micro-nutrients has improved crop vigour and colour as well.”