The University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (Karnataka) has initiated a new concept to help chickpea and pigeonpea farmers in the districts of Vijayapur and Bagalkote regions by ensuring timely suggestions to save their crops from pests and infestations.
Named Rapid Roving Survey Team, it consists of experts who will make an extensive survey of the chickpea and pigeonpea growing areas of the districts.
TravelEvery week the team will travel to around 25 to 30 villages taking stock of pest and disease incidence on the crop.
Immediately after each survey the team is expected to prepare a status of each insect pest and disease along with the suitable management strategies to be followed by the farming community.
This information on pest status and the adoptable management strategies will be made known to the needy farmers and agriculture department officials through print media, radio, television and SMS. The team, during their visit, will also educate the farmers by giving training and distributing technical folders containing the measures to be taken to keep the pest at bay.
For example the team found that pigeonpea was susceptible to leaf webber, pod borer, infestations. The team advised the farmers on the right type of recommendations to be taken to tackle it.
SusceptibleSince the farmers in most of the areas grow the same pigeon pea crop for years the same variety becomes most susceptible to these infestations.
To reduce the incidence in the ensuing season farmers were advised to adopt crop rotation like sorghum, bajra, safflower, cotton etc based on the soil type and the moisture availability. Farmers were also suggested to go for seed treatment with trichoderma viridae before sowing.
Similarly for chickpea crop farmers have been asked to install bird perches . The rapid roving team is spearheaded by a well-known experts from the University.
(Dr. D.N. Kambrekar is Scientist, Regional Agricultural Research Station, UAS Campus, Bijapur-586 101, Karnataka, email: kambrekardn@gmail.com Phone: 08352-230568.)
