Pink bollworm attacks on the rise in Telangana as mercury dips

With night temperatures coming down as the winter sets in, the incidence of pink bollworm attack has gone up in several Telangana districts.

Scientists have asked the farmers to keep an eye on the crop and take immediate measures to arrest the growth and spread of the worms.

A committee deputed by the Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University has received reports of farmers losing their bolls to the pest.

“Though it is still within the limits, the incidence might go up in late October and November which is considered a favourable period for the worms,” a university official said.

Cotton acreage in Telangana stands at 18 lakh hectares this kharif as against the normal acreage of 15 lakh hectares. The marketing yards and ginning mills have already started procuring the fibre from the first picking.

Meanwhile, the scientists have advised the farmers to spray a mix of chemical pesticides and natural formulations such as neem oil between 6 and 11 am or 3 and 6 pm, besides asking them to go for alternative crops such as greengram, groundnut or maize after the second picking.

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