Natural pests’ management becomes popular in Aman rice farming

The natural methods of pests’ management like perching and light trap are gaining popularity among farmers while farming Transplanted Aman rice in Rangpur agriculture region.

The farmers are applying live and dead perching and light trap methods innovated by agriculture researchers and scientists to increase more hygienic Aman rice output minimising cost of insecticide.

Talking to BSS, Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad Ali said farmers are reaping benefits by adopting perching and light trap methods in preventing pests’ attacks on Aman rice plants.

Adopting perching methods, farmers have set up bamboo poles on 4.72 lakh hectares of growing Aman rice fields out of the totally cultivated land area of 5.99 lakh hectares so far in all five districts of the region.

“Of them, farmers have brought 1.86 lakh hectares of land under the live and 2.86 lakh hectares of land under dead perching methods in the region till Saturday while cultivating Aman rice this season,” Ali said.

At the same time, farmers have set up light traps on 655 hectares of Aman rice fields, including permanent light traps on 605 hectares and temporary light traps on 50 hectares of their croplands.

“The process of adopting live and dead perching and light trap methods still continues on Aman rice fields in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in the region,” he said.

The DAE is conducting motivational and training activities to inspire farmers in using these eco-friendly methods for saving growing Aman rice plants from pests’ attack at different stages to get more rice yield.

“Random application of pesticide and insecticide are threatening the ecosystems causing extinction of indigenous species of fishes, beneficial insects and birds while many other species of them are on the verge of annihilation,” Ali said.

Farmers are erecting bamboo poles on Aman rice fields so that birds could perch on those in search of food and eat harmful pests’ for rice plants to protect the crop reducing the use of pesticide.

Farmers Ariful Haque, Manik Miah and Azizul Haque of different villages here said adoption of the perching and light trap methods minimizes cost of insecticide and saves the environment and ecosystems.

Farmers Mozammel Haque, Aiyub Ali and Mohsin Ali of village Kathihara in Rangpur Sadar upazila said many birds perch on the poles on growing Aman rice fields to eat insects protecting the growing rice plants

“Now, we know how to protect growing Aman rice plants and save money using effective natural methods of perching and light traps,” Aiyub said, adding that application of these methods have really been productive and profitable.

Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said adoption of perching and light trap methods are reducing arbitrary use of pesticide while Aman rice cultivation, reports BSS.