Farmers worried as pest, disease wreak havoc on aman plants

Stem borer, locally known as majra poka, and leaf folding disease have attacked recently planted aman 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.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Patuakhali office, aman plants on 2,969 hectares of land have been attacked by the insect and the disease. Of them, 1,531 hectares have been attacked by Majra insect while 1,438 hectares by 'leaf folding' disease.

Local farmers claimed that the number of fields attacked by stem borer would be 10 times more.  

"New fields are being attacked everyday and we are worried about it," said Md Delwar Hossain, a farmer of Ballovpur village under Patuakhali Sadar upazila.

"I cultivated aman on three acres of land and most of my fields have been attacked," he said, adding that he had used some pesticides but was not getting any result.

Abdul Haque, another farmer of nearby Motherbunia village, said aman is the main crop in their upazila, but the plants are attacked by stem borer and leaf folding disease.

"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 pest-attacked fields will not bring much benefits," said DAE officials.

Ashok Kumar Sharma, deputy director (DD) of DAE, said field level officers have already started working with the farmers to solve the problem.

"We plan to train local farmers on how to face the problem by using insecticides," he added.