Pests and diseases cause great damage to crops, no survey has been conduced to estimate the damage. The loss, however, is greater than 20 percent and therefore quite substantial.
The solution to this problem is integrated pest management. This includes.
1- the planting of pest resistant varieties of crops.
2- the controlling and propagating of useful insects and predators.
3- the application of pesticides.
4 the removal of weeds and unwanted plants.
Planting pest resistant varieties is a curative measure. Even so, these varieties are not available in sufficient quantities. Only 10 percent of the cropped area in Pakistan has been planted with such varieties. Some useful insects and predators help control pest, but they can become a menace in themselves if left unchecked. This is not a problem that can be easily tackled.
The application of pesticides is the only measure in general use, However, its indiscriminate use is harmful to human health and also kills useful insects and predators. The application of substandard pesticides is a common problem and is causing more harm than good.
There are two methods of applying pesticides to crops. aerial spraying and ground spraying. Soon after the partition, the government gave subsidies to those who used fertilizers. In 1980-1, subsidies for ground spraying were withdrawn, followed by those for aerial spraying. However, the government does take special care to monitor locust attacks and ensures that aerial spraying is done to control this serious menace. Aerial spraying is negligible at only 1 percent of the toatal cropped area.
Ground spraying is a more common method of applying pesticides in Pakistan. Its use has increased from 5 percent of the total cropped area in 1980 to 34 percent in 1997-8. It is used mainly for cotton, sugar cane and rice. More than 90 percent of the cotton area, 85 percent of the sugar cane area and 70 percent of the rice area are sprayed. The entire tobacco crop of the country is sprayed, but it covers a smaller area of land. Other crops that are sprayed by pesticides include oil sees, maize , fruits and vegetables.
In 1997-8, 40 percent of the cropped area in Sindh was sprayed, 35 percent in Punjab, 24 percent in the NWFP and only 3 percent in Balochistan.
The solution to this problem is integrated pest management. This includes.
1- the planting of pest resistant varieties of crops.
2- the controlling and propagating of useful insects and predators.
3- the application of pesticides.
4 the removal of weeds and unwanted plants.
Planting pest resistant varieties is a curative measure. Even so, these varieties are not available in sufficient quantities. Only 10 percent of the cropped area in Pakistan has been planted with such varieties. Some useful insects and predators help control pest, but they can become a menace in themselves if left unchecked. This is not a problem that can be easily tackled.
The application of pesticides is the only measure in general use, However, its indiscriminate use is harmful to human health and also kills useful insects and predators. The application of substandard pesticides is a common problem and is causing more harm than good.
There are two methods of applying pesticides to crops. aerial spraying and ground spraying. Soon after the partition, the government gave subsidies to those who used fertilizers. In 1980-1, subsidies for ground spraying were withdrawn, followed by those for aerial spraying. However, the government does take special care to monitor locust attacks and ensures that aerial spraying is done to control this serious menace. Aerial spraying is negligible at only 1 percent of the toatal cropped area.
Ground spraying is a more common method of applying pesticides in Pakistan. Its use has increased from 5 percent of the total cropped area in 1980 to 34 percent in 1997-8. It is used mainly for cotton, sugar cane and rice. More than 90 percent of the cotton area, 85 percent of the sugar cane area and 70 percent of the rice area are sprayed. The entire tobacco crop of the country is sprayed, but it covers a smaller area of land. Other crops that are sprayed by pesticides include oil sees, maize , fruits and vegetables.
In 1997-8, 40 percent of the cropped area in Sindh was sprayed, 35 percent in Punjab, 24 percent in the NWFP and only 3 percent in Balochistan.
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