Insect-pest infestation in wheat sown in paddy-straw managed fields

摘要

Wheat with an area of about 35 lakh hectares is a principal rabi cereal crop of Punjab. To minimize the air pollution level, a large area of wheat has been sown this year with conservation tillage practices without burning the paddy straw. These practices include sowing of wheat after incorporation of paddy straw with disc harrow, rotavator and mould-board plough or in the standing stubbles with PAU Happy Seeder. Though such practices are being followed by some farmers for the last 6-7 years, the financial support provided by the government for paddy straw management has increased their number manifolds during the current season. The farmers well versed with this technology are aware of the associated pest problems like pink stem borer and rodents in straw managed fields. However, the farmers convinced about benefits of the recommended paddy straw management technology and shifted to these conservation practices need to be apprised of some of insect-pests problems in straw incorporated fields. Thenews appearing in local/vernacular newspapers on insect-pests issues in wheat sown with happy seeder or other resource conservation techniques, further add to the worries of these farmers. Surveys by the scientists reveal an overall good condition of wheat crop in straw managed fields. However, in few fields, minor incidence of pink stem borer in patches has been observed. The attack of armyworm has also been noticed in a few fields of districts Patiala and Kapurthala.