RANGPUR, March 29, 2021 (BSS) – Adoption of eco-friendly natural pests’
management methods like perching and light trap continues expanding while
farming Boro rice in Rangpur agriculture region this season.
Being motivated by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), farmers
are applying natural perching and light trap methods for pests’ management to
increase hygienic Boro rice output minimising cost of insecticide.
Additional Director of the DAE at its Rangpur regional office
Agriculturalist Khandker Abdul Wahed told BSS that farmers are reaping
enormous benefits by adopting perching and light trap methods in preventing
pests’ attacks on Boro rice plants.
Adopting perching method, farmers have set up bamboo poles or horizontal
stems or branches of trees at regular intervals in a crop field so that pest-
eating birds can easily alight or roost on those.
“Till Sunday, farmers have brought over 4.46 lakh hectares of growing Boro
rice fields out of a totally cultivated land area of 5.03 lakh hectares under
perching method in all five districts of the region,” Wahed said.
Many birds are sitting on bamboo poles, stems or tree branches and flying
and eating harmful insects on tender rice plants helping farmers combating
pests’ attacks naturally without applying pesticides.
Meanwhile, the DAE has set up a target for farmers of setting up 10,240
light traps on their growing Boro rice fields and the process continues
across the region.
The light trap method is cheap, easy to apply, very effective and also
environment-friendly to kill harmful pests in growing Boro rice fields to
increase production of more hygienic rice.
“To trap harmful pests, farmers have to place a pot filled with a mixture
of water and detergent under a source of light. Drawn towards the reflection
of the light in the pot at night, harmful insects fall into the water and
consequently die,” he said.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh
Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said light trap is one of the very effective
tools for pests’ management in organic agriculture as it traps insects and
minimises their population.
“We’re encouraging farmers to use the low-cost light trap device to control
pests in crop fields as it contributes to integrated pest control management
reducing indiscriminate use of pesticides alongside increasing crop
production,” he said.
Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Agriculturist Dr. Md. Sarwarul Haque
said the process of adopting perching and light trap methods still continues
on Boro rice fields in Rangpur agriculture region.
“The DAE has been conducting motivational and training activities to
inspire farmers in using these eco-friendly methods for saving the growing
Boro rice plants from pests’ attack at different stages to get more rice
yield,” he added.
Talking to BSS, farmers Lokman Hossain, Ariful Haque and Echhahaq Ali of
different villages here said that adoption of perching and light trap methods
are helping them in pests’ management without using insecticides saving the
environment and ecosystems.