Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, November 10 2021: Organic pesticides can protect paddy crops from plant hopper, locally known as Wahik, infestation, which dries up the paddy plant, resulting in crop failure.
As part of its organic rice production campaign, Green Foundation Manipur along with agricultural scientists took up Hopper Management Programme in Rice.
Under the programme, the Foundation and its team of scientists saved several farms in Kumbi area from plant hopper infestation after it got report of the infestation in September this year.
Khangembam Gojendro, a farmer from Kumbi Laishang Leikai, Ward No 7, told a media team during an inspection visit by Green Foundation on Tuesday that his farmland in Saitonmang Loukol was infested by hopper in September.
He tried using chemical pesticides but without any result and his crops were on the verge of failure.
He then consulted national awardee Khangembam Samusaba of Kumbi, who then contacted Green Foundation.
As per advice of the scientists of the Foundation, he applied Neemand Herbal extract Orum along with Agrovita and Pseudomonas Fluorescens, which cured the plant hopper infestation, he said.
Stating that he has decided to opt for organic farming from now on, Gojendro called upon fellow farmers to adopt organic farming and contribute in producing healthy foods.
Khumanthem Surchand, another farmer from Kumbi Awang Leikai, said that he also used organic pesticides to treat plant hopper infestation in his farm located in Salang Langjin area.
He is now confident that he will have a good harvest.
Green Foundation's chief executive officer Uritkhinbam Himmat said that scientists have been researching on organic ways of pest control in order to promote organic farming among the farmers.
In 2020, organic pesticides successfully controlled mass scale plant hopper infestation in Sabungkhok area in Imphal East district.
This year too, the scientist team visited Kumbi on getting report of plant hopper infestation and they advised the farmers to use the organic pesticides.
As per findings of the Foundation, there are four types of plant hoppers prevalent in the state.
Considering the destruction it causes to crops, the Foundation took up the specialised.Hopper Management Programme in Rice, he added.