Whitefly attack on pulse crops in Punjab

Ludhiana, Aug 26 (UNI) Pulse crops such as urdbean, mungbean and soybean in Punjab have come under attack of whiteflies, an insect pest.

The attack has been witnessed in all the pulse-growing areas of the state, a Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) press release today stated.

This insect has appeared in epidemic form due to the hot weather conditions coupled with dry monsoon spell prevailing in the state over the last few weeks. Such weather conditions are extremely conducive for the rapid multiplication of the pest.

According to Dr N S Buttar, Head, Department of Entomology, PAU, whitefly feeds on the leaves of the plants by sucking the cell sap and excretes honey dew on the plants, on which the growth of sooty mould takes place, resulting in the blackening of leaves and decreases in the normal photosynthesis. In case of severe attack, there is total blackening of the crop, resulting in drying of leaves and ultimately, total crop failure.

Whitefly is also a vector of serious viral disease, namely Mungbean Yellow Mosaic, which is a limiting factor in the successful cultivation of these crops.

Dr Buttar has advised the farmers not to panick and to spray the crop with the recommended insecticides--- malathion or rogor (dimethoate) or metasystox (oxydemeton methyl).

UNI