Light-trap gaining popularity as effective pest control method

BOGURA, Nov 05: Use of light-trap method in T-Aman paddy fields for pest detection has started gaining popularity among the farmers of Bogura district due to its effective result in the past few years.

An environmentally sound device for detecting harmful insects, light-trap is coming to the help of hundreds of farmers in different areas of the district during the ongoing Aman season.

With the help of the upazila agriculture offices of all twelve upazilas of the district, farmers are using light-trap technology to monitor and detect the presence of farm insects after getting inspired by this in the past few years.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), because of the overall cooperation of the upazila agriculture offices, light-trap technology has been used in 240 agriculture blocks of the district since October 15 this season under a programme.

Light-trap technology is an arrangement of lights in the middle of night by burying three poles on the side of the land.

Farmers put water mixed with detergent or soap in a bowl under the light and insects are lured into the place by the light and fall into the bowl.

Farmers are instructed to detect the presence of beneficial and harmful insects in the region during the current season by looking at the quantity of potted insects and decide on which pesticide application will be beneficial for eradicating them.

Attack of these insects completely destroys sheaves of paddy, reducing the yield of the crop, said Sub-assistant Agriculture Officer Azizur Rahman.

He also said farmers are being encouraged to use light-traps to detect harmful insects and spiders to protect their fields from pest infestation in advance.

Abul Hossain, a farmer of Hapunia area of Gunahar union of Dupchanchia upazila, said, "Use of light-trap technology in our area has aroused response among the farmers."

Sajedul Alam, an agronomist and upazila agriculture officer of Dupchanchia, said light trap for exact detection of farm insects has already aroused a huge response among the farmers.

The farmers are expecting to get a better output of T-Aman paddy this season using light-trap.

Deputy Director of DAE, Bogura Md Dulal Hossain said they have encouraged the marginalised farmers to use light-trap in their T-Aman paddy fields to reduce production cost as well as to achieve bumper yield.

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