Advice for cotton crop management issued

MULTAN: The south Punjab Agriculture Department has emphasized cotton growers to make management of the cotton crop better at the current phase of cotton bolls maturity.

Talking to reporters after paying field visits to Khanewal, Abdul Hakim, Katcha Khu and other areas, the south Punjab Agriculture Secretary Saqib Ali Ateel said the overall cotton situation is quite satisfactory.

The picking of early sown crop in May is on the cards while flowering and cotton bolls are appearing on late sowing crop. At present, the cotton crop is being attacked by Cotton Leaf Curl Virus and pink bollworm. At this stage, better management of cotton is necessary to ensure timely control of pests and diseases, he said. He added that air humidity has increased due to rains and climate change, which has led to an increase in pest pressure, especially pink bollworm and CLCV, so farmers should inspect their crops on a daily basis and do pest scouting twice a week.

Saqib Ali Ateel said in case of an early attack of pink bollworm, destroy the additional flowers. For effective control of pink bollworm, apply 4 sex traps per acre and change the sex capsules after 15 days. The growers should apply 3 kg tobacco juice for effective control of pink bollworm. Mix 100 grams of tobacco juice in 100 liters of water and spray per acre. If potash is not used at the time of cultivation, use one sack of potash per acre in the crop. Use boric acid 17pc, zinc sulphate 33p and magnesium sulphate 300 gm, 250 gm and 250 gm per acre respectively, he added.