Officials of the agriculture department have stressed the need for continuous monitoring of destructive pests affecting cotton crops. According to an official press release, Director General Pest Warning and Quality Control of Pesticides Punjab, Dr Aamir Rasool, visited Ahmadpur East and conducted a detailed inspection of cotton fields. He also reviewed activities carried out by field formations of the Agriculture Department.
Director General Supervises Pest Scouting
During the visit, Dr Aamir Rasool personally supervised pest scouting in cotton fields and assessed the presence, intensity, and overall situation of harmful insect infestations. He emphasized the importance of continuous monitoring of whitefly, thrips, jassids (green leafhoppers), and other destructive pests. Describing the overall condition of the cotton crop as satisfactory, he instructed field staff to further improve the effectiveness of surveillance activities.
Advice for Farmers
While interacting with farmers, Dr Rasool advised them to conduct regular pest scouting at least twice a week and to contact Agriculture Department field staff whenever pest populations reach the economic threshold level. He further urged farmers to focus on balanced fertilizer application, proper irrigation, timely weed control, crop canopy management, and other essential agronomic practices to achieve better cotton yields. Dr Aamir Rasool also stressed that farmers should fully implement the advisories issued by experts of the Agriculture Department Punjab to protect cotton crops from pests and diseases and ensure higher productivity.
