Pest attack on aman plants worries Patuakhali farmers
Aman plants at a field of Kartikpasha village in Dumki upazila under Patuakahli district gets brownish due to attack by stem borer, locally known as majra poka. Photo: STAR
Stem borer, locally known as majra poka, has attacked recently planted aman fields in different areas of Patuakhali district, much to the worry of farmers. The pest has continued wreaking havoc on the plants, foiling farmers' attempt to prevent it by spraying insecticides. "I planted aman paddy on four acres of land in last month but leaves of the plants are turning brown due to attack by majra poka," said Abdul Halim Khan, a farmer of Gabtali village under Dumki upazila. Monirul Islam Babul, another farmer said, "I planted aman paddy on 3.50 acres of land but the leaves have dried as majra poka has affected the whole field. I sprayed insecticides but in vain." Farmers Abdul Hye Howlader and Jahangir Hossen of Dakkhin Dumki village, Kalu Howlader of Kartikpasha, Jewel Akon of Pangashia, Shahabuddin of Muradia under Dumki upazila have similar tales to tell. Motaleb Howlader, a farmer of Shreerampur village in Patuakhali Sadar upazila, also failed to prevent spread of the destructive pest to aman plants on his 12 acres of land despite spraying of insecticides. "Frustration grips the local farmers as majra poka has attacked aman fields in vast areas of the upazila," said Maulana Alamgir Hossen, chairman of Shreerampur union parishad under Dumki upazila. Dumki upazila parishad Chairman Harun or Rashid Howlader said he urged the agriculture officials in the upazila to take necessary steps to control the pest as soon as possible. "We are suggesting local farmers to make light-traps and keep branches of trees in the aman fields to control the insects. Only spraying insecticides in the attacked fields will not bring much benefit," said Lutfar Rahman, deputy assistant agriculture officer working for Shreerampur union parishad. Aman seedlings have been planted on about 5,03,467 acres of land in seven upazilas of the district while the target was 4,90,134 acres, said sources of the office of the deputy director (DD) of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Patuakhali. According to DAE, only 7,293 hectares of aman fields are attacked by majra poka in the district. Local sources, however, said the affected area would be more than double. DAE sources also claimed that they have controlled the spread of the insect on 5,913 hectares of land. When contacted, AZM Momtazul Karim, DD of Patuakhali DAE, said, "Long term rain is the main cause of attack by majra poka and the second cause is stagnant water on the aman fields. We hope we will be able to control the pest very soon."
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