Kill aphid, save crop: Expert

DIRECTOR GENERAL of UP Council of Agricultural Research Prof CPS Yadav said here on Monday that there was an urgent need for effective aphid (an insect) management, as it caused 35 to 70 per cent of damages to the crop.

DIRECTOR GENERAL of UP Council of Agricultural Research Prof CPS Yadav said here on Monday that there was an urgent need for effective aphid (an insect) management, as it caused 35 to 70 per cent of damages to the crop.

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He was delivering the inaugural function of a three-day national symposium on ‘Recent Advances in Aphidology’ at Swatantrata Bhawan on the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus.

Entomology and Agricultural Zoology Department of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, BHU, in collaboration with the Aphidological Society of India, has organised the three-day symposium.

Dr Yadav said some times aphids caused 100 per cent damage to mustard crop and therefore efforts should be made to mitigate the loss. He called upon the agricultural scientists to develop techniques that would benefit both the farmers and the consumers.

He also suggested the Aphidological Society to develop a park of aphids with their natural enemies. Director of IAS-BHU, Prof Shiv Raj Singh presided over the function and laid stress on the need to increase contribution of agriculture in India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Assistant director general (plant protection), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Dr TP Rajendran said there was a proposal to develop a deemed institution on plant protection. He urged the scientists to consider the toxins present in the food, seed and fibre product. Dr Rajendran said efforts should be made to manage the aphids without using pesticides. Dean of agriculture faculty, Prof Janardan Singh welcomed the guests.