Farmers in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh are worried over the outbreak of fall armyworm pest which damages maize crop by eating its leaves and roots.
The pest which is posing threat to the crop in the district, is said to have travelled from the US to India along with hybrid seeds.
These insects feed in leaves and stem of maize plant and desroy the plant due to blotting on the leaves.
Maize is the main crop of the district and buyers from other parts of the country visit Hamirpur villages to purchase maize corns.
Deputy Director of Agriculture Jeet Singh Thakur said that the department has intensified its activities and had started giving advice to farmers on how to contain the pest attack.
Thakur advised farmers to spray mixture of azadirachtin or chlorophyrus 20 per cent with water on the crops.
He also appealed to farmers to inform the department through its field agencies about the pest attack in their respective areas.
The pest which is posing threat to the crop in the district, is said to have travelled from the US to India along with hybrid seeds.
These insects feed in leaves and stem of maize plant and desroy the plant due to blotting on the leaves.
Maize is the main crop of the district and buyers from other parts of the country visit Hamirpur villages to purchase maize corns.
Deputy Director of Agriculture Jeet Singh Thakur said that the department has intensified its activities and had started giving advice to farmers on how to contain the pest attack.
Thakur advised farmers to spray mixture of azadirachtin or chlorophyrus 20 per cent with water on the crops.
He also appealed to farmers to inform the department through its field agencies about the pest attack in their respective areas.