ATMA Ongpangkong North Block conducts demonstration on Integrated Pest Management and Improved Cultivation

Mokokchung, 17 August (MTNews): Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Ongpangkong North Block conducted a demonstration program on “Integrated Pest Management and its Application in Paddy” at Longmisa Village on 17 August 2023. The resource person, Kirangtemla, Agriculture Field Assistant, District Agriculture Office, Mokokchung, enriched the farmers with knowledge about the biological management of rice pests, non-chemical options for pest management, the use of appropriate pesticides as a last resort at the right time and dose, and proper application techniques.

She emphasized to the farmers various pest diseases of paddy that occur in the northeast region, such as Blast Diseases, Brown spot, Leaf folder, Gundhi bug, and their management practices. She further highlighted the various pest attacks on paddy fields that occur in different ways and at different stages.

“Increased reliance on pesticides for pest control is found to be unsustainable and cost-ineffective. Therefore, IPM has been introduced as an alternative pest management method in rice. IPM in rice helps minimize the risk to the environment and human health,” said an update received here.

A total of 10 female farmers attended the demonstration program. Inputs such as pheromone traps, insect traps, neem oil, and Roban (rat killer) were distributed to each farmer.

Meanwhile, a demonstration program of farmer’s fields was also facilitated by the resource person, ATM, Nuksunginla Jamir, on the topic “Improved Cultivation Practices of Maize var. HQPM-1.” She provided a hands-on demonstration of line sowing maize with a spacing of 20-25 cm (plant-plant) and 60-75 cm (row-row) apart. She also stressed the importance of seed rate, i.e., 10 kg/hac, sowing time, which should be done in the months of Feb/March, June/July, or Sept./Oct., the method of sowing, and weed management. She also explained to the farmers the importance of irrigation, which consists of 5 critical stages of water requirements: seedling stage, knee height stage, tasseling stage, silking stage, and grain-filling stage.

She further emphasized to the farmers the advantages of Hybrid maize variety over Local variety, as it contains superior nutritional content (80% protein) compared to normal maize (less than 50%), has fewer incidences of pests and diseases, and yields higher than any other local variety of maize (i.e., 20-30 quintals/hac). A total of 10 female farmers attended the demonstration program. Inputs such as neem oil and maize seeds (variety HQPM-1) were distributed to each farmer.