Sure, here is an article on Control of Jassid in Mustard:
Mustard (Brassica juncea) is an important winter crop grown extensively in India. It is widely known for its use in pickles and cooking oil. Mustard is a hardy crop that can withstand extreme weather conditions, making it an ideal crop for farmers. However, like any other crop, mustard is prone to pest infestations, of which the jassid is one of the most common. Jassids are small, leafhopper insects that can chew away the leaves of mustard plants, causing significant yield losses. In this article, we will discuss the control of jassid in mustard.
Identification
Jassids are small and green, measuring about 2 mm in size. They have a pointed head, and their wings are held roof-like over their backs, with an acute angle between the thorax and the front margin of the forewing. Jassids have piercing and sucking mouthparts that allows them to feed on the plant sap by piercing the leaves’ underside.
Symptoms of jassid infestation
Jassid infestation can cause several symptoms on mustard plants, which are often confused with other pests and diseases. The common symptoms include:
• Yellowing of leaves
• Leaf curling
• Stunting
• Reduced yield
Control of jassid in mustard
Cultural control: Farmers can adopt some cultural control measures to reduce jassid infestations, which include:
• Crop rotation: Farmers can avoid the continuous monoculture of mustard and grow other crops such as wheat, barley, and peas to break the jassid’s lifecycle.
• Timely sowing: Early sowing of mustard crop can avoid the peak jassid activity periods, reducing crop damage.
• Crop sanitation: Farmers should remove volunteer mustard plants and any other host plants to reduce the jassid’s breeding sites.
Mechanical control: Farmers can adopt mechanical measures such as the use of sticky traps, sweeping nets, and light traps to catch or trap jassids.
Chemical control: Chemical control is a commonly used method for jassid control, which includes the use of both synthetic and bio-pesticides. The commonly used pesticides for jassid control include imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and acetamiprid. However, the farmers need to follow the pesticide label instructions to prevent any harmful effects on the environment and crop.
Conclusion
Jassid infestations are a severe problem in mustard crop cultivation. The farmers need to adopt an integrated pest management approach that incorporates cultural, mechanical, and chemical control measures to control the pest. It is essential to follow the recommended pesticide label instructions for effective and safe jassid control and reduce the environment’s harmful effects.