RANGPUR, Sept 21, 2019 (BSS) – The natural methods of pests’ managements like perching and light trap while farming Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) rice are expanding every year bringing huge benefits to farmers in Rangpur agriculture region.
The farmers are applying two categories of live and dead perching methods along with adoption of the light trap method innovated by agriculture researchers and scientists to increase T-Aman rice output minimizing costs of insecticide.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) at its Rangpur regional office Md. Moniruzzaman said farmers are reaping enormous benefits by adopting primitive perching and light trap methods in preventing pests’ attacks on T-Aman rice crop fields.
Adopting perching methods, farmers have set up bamboo poles on 5.15-lakh hectares of growing T-Aman rice fields out of totally cultivated land area of 6.06-lakh hectares this season in all five districts of the agriculture region.
“Of them, farmers have brought over 2.04-lakh hectares of land under the live and 3.11-lakh hectares of land under dead perching methods in the region while cultivating T-Aman rice this season,” he said.
At the same time, farmers have set up light traps on 3,261 hectares of T-Aman rice fields, including permanent light traps on 140 hectares and temporary light traps on 3,121 hectares of their croplands in the region.
The DAE is conducting motivational and training activities to inspire farmers in using these eco-friendly methods for getting benefits in saving growing T-Aman rice plants from pests’ attack at different stages to get more rice yield.
“Indiscriminate application of pesticides and insecticides are threatening the eco systems causing extinction of some indigenous species of fishes, beneficial insects and common birds while many other species of them are on the verge of annihilation,”
Moniruzzaman said, “Farmers are erecting bamboo poles on T-Aman rice fields at a particular distance so that birds could perch on the poles in search of food and eat pests’ those are harmful for rice plants to protect the crop reducing use of pesticides,” he said.
Talking to BSS, farmers Amjad Hossain, Shawkat Ali, Ariful Islam and Mohibullah of different villages here said they have understood importance of the perching and light trap methods which minimize cost of insecticides and save the environment.
Farmers Echhahaq Ali and Mohsin Ali of village Kathihara here said birds perch on the poles and eat harmful pests.
“Many farmers now know how to protect their growing T-Aman rice plants and save money using effective natural methods of perching and light trap,” Mohsin said adding that application of these methods have really been productive.
Farmers Abu Bakar, Mopfizar Rahman and Montaz Ali of Badaraganj upazila here said many birds perch on the poles on their growing T-Aman rice fields to eat insects protecting the growing tender rice plants.
Farmer Aminur Rahman of Rajarhat upazila in Kurigram and Abdus Sobhan of Syedpur upazila in Nilphamari said they did not use insecticides to kill harmful pests on their T-Aman rice fields using light trap method that enabled them to reduce production costs.
Talking to BSS, Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Muhammad Ali said adoption of natural perching and light trap methods are increasing every year reducing indiscriminate use of pesticides while T-Aman rice cultivation to get more production of rice in the region.