धानबालीमा रोग–कीराको समस्या
NARAYANGADH (CHITWAN), October 3.
With the increasing prevalence of pests and diseases affecting paddy crops in Chitwan, experts have emphasized the need to strengthen coordination among research, extension, and education sectors to deliver scientific technologies, research-backed insights, and effective management strategies directly to farmers.
Speaking at a tripartite coordination workshop on agricultural technology and pest and disease management organized by the Agriculture Development Office, Chitwan, on Friday, scientists, professors, agricultural technicians, and heads of local government agriculture sections highlighted the necessity of regular collaboration among federal, provincial, and local government bodies, research institutions, and academia. Discussions focused on building functional ties across these sectors to identify farmers’ challenges, improve technical services, and establish participatory mechanisms for two-way information exchange between farmers, technicians, and researchers.
During the event, Senior Scientist Arjun Prakash Poudel from the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) presented a paper on new NARC-developed technologies, paddy coverage, productivity, and nutrient management. He underscored the balanced use of essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, noting that green manures like Dhaincha (Sesbania) and Azolla can reduce urea consumption by up to 50 percent. Given the risks posed by climate change, Poudel recommended adopting drought-tolerant and pest- and disease-resistant rice varieties. He added that ineffective management often stems from improper pesticide dosages, application errors, poor water management, incorrect sprayer nozzle selection, wrong timing of application, and uncleaned equipment.
Similarly, Senior Plant Pathologist Shuk Bahadur Gurung stressed the importance of early identification and control of major diseases such as blast, brown spot, sheath blight, and bacterial blight. He advocated for healthy seeds, seed treatment, proper field management, and integrated biological and chemical measures as needed.
Senior Entomologist Dr. Saraswati Neupane briefed participants on outbreaks of various pests—including yellow stem borer, pink borer, white borer, striped borer, planthoppers, leaf folders, thrips, and whiteflies—and urged the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). She recommended plowing fields immediately after harvest to destroy stubble, submerging fields briefly to kill larvae, and utilizing light and pheromone traps to monitor adult stem borer moths. Neupane advised against sole reliance on chemical pesticides, encouraging cultural, biological, and mechanical controls, alongside weed removal, field leveling for uniform water distribution, certified seed usage, and timely transplanting.
Paddy expert Prof. Dr. Bishnu Vilas Adhikari pointed out that excessive and unnecessary pesticide use exacerbates pest and disease issues while harming soil, the environment, and human health. Highlighting the need to adapt agricultural systems to climate change, he urged the use of eco-friendly, resilient crop varieties and the gradual digitization of agricultural practices.
Jhalak Nath Kandel, Chief of the Agriculture Development Office, Chitwan, mentioned that farmers visit the office daily with crop-related issues, making such platforms essential for bridging technical knowledge with ground-level problems. Agriculture section chiefs from all seven local units across the district concurred that regular trilateral coordination is vital to effectively transfer research advancements into farmers’ fields.
The workshop also saw participation from Senior Agriculture Officer Dr. Devraj Adhikari, Entomologist Ananta Mani Bhattarai from Agriculture and Forestry University, Mahesh Regmi, Chief of the National Agriculture Modernization Program Implementation Unit Chitwan, and Sujan Amgain, Chief of the Beekeeping Development Center Bhandara, alongside other local agricultural technicians.
(RSS)
