Grasshoppers are a common pest in paddy crops that can cause significant damage if not controlled effectively. They are active during the warm months and cause reductions in crop yield, decrease in quality, and overall production losses. Here are some informative tips on how to control grasshoppers in paddy crops.
Cultural Control Methods
One of the most effective ways to manage grasshoppers is by using cultural control methods. Cultural control methods include practices such as crop rotation, weeding, and tilling. Crop rotation involves changing the location of the paddy crop each year, which can discourage grasshopper populations from making permanent homes in the area. Weeding helps eliminate alternate host plants that grasshoppers may feed on and tilling can also interrupt the life cycle of the grasshoppers during the egg stage.
Mechanical Control Methods
Mechanical control methods involve physically trapping, removing, or killing the grasshoppers. Some popular mechanical control methods include handpicking, sticky traps, and vacuuming. Handpicking usually involves manually removing the grasshoppers from the crop, while a sticky trap is a piece of cardboard coated with a sticky substance that captures the grasshoppers. Vacuuming involves using a vacuum machine to remove the grasshoppers from the crop.
Chemical Control Methods
Chemical control methods involve using pesticides to control grasshoppers. Pesticides used for controlling grasshoppers in paddy crops must be selective and effective. Considering environmental, health and safety issues, we recommend the use of bio-pesticides and botanical pesticides instead of synthetic chemicals as eco-friendly measures. A bio-pesticide is a chemical substance derived from a natural source. Botanical pesticides are made up of plant extracts that are harmful to pests, but not toxic to humans.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Integrated Pest Management is a method of controlling pests using a combination of cultural, mechanical and chemical control methods. IPM techniques aim to minimize the use of synthetic chemicals and encourage the use of bio-pesticides and botanical pesticides instead. With IPM, the focus is on preventing and controlling pests to minimize damage to crops, rather than on eliminating them altogether.
In conclusion, controlling grasshoppers in paddy crops is essential to maintain healthy yield. Control methods like cultural control, mechanical control and chemical control methods are some of the ways to control grasshoppers. Integrated Pest Management is often recommended as being a more eco-friendly and sustainable method of managing pests in paddy crops. By implementing these control measures, farmers can have an effective means of dealing with grasshoppers in their paddy crops.