Black hopper attacks paddy in Malwa

Khosa Pando (Moga) : Black hopper (kala tela) has attaked Moga, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Barnala, Muktsar, some parts of Ludhiana and many other districts of Malwa in Punjab — barely three weeks before the long-duration varieties of paddy crop are readying for harvest.
The black hopper attack has been witnessed in patches on PUSA-44 and other long-duration varieties of paddy. The PUSA-44 variety of paddy is sown in around 60 per cent area in these districts. Farmers fear that the average yield of PUSA-44 is likely to decrease, but the agro-scientists say that the farmers need not worry. “Keeping in view the gravity of the pest attack, the farmers may spray the recommended pesticides in diluted form by mixing its dose in at least 150 litres of water per acre,” said agro-scientists Dr Kuldip Singh and Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar.
They said the pest attack had been witnessed in patches on the boundaries of paddy plots and under the shades of trees. The farmers had recently irrigated the long-duration varieties of paddy. The temperature had also increased by a few notches in the past few days. Thus, the hot and humid conditions had become conducive to the black hopper attack, they added.