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Cotton is a major cash crop and grown extensively in India. However, the crop is vulnerable to sucking pests, which can damage the plant and reduce the yield. There are several sucking pests that can affect cotton such as aphids, jassids, whiteflies, and thrips. These pests suck the sap from leaves, stems, and developing cotton bolls resulting in chlorosis, stunted growth, and a decrease in the quality and quantity of cotton.
To manage sucking pests, farmers and fields must adopt an integrated pest management strategy which includes cultural, chemical, and biological control measures.
Cultural Control Measures:
Cultural control measures are the most important for the management of sucking pests in cotton. These measures include planting resistant varieties of cotton, crop rotation, timely sowing, and intercropping. Planting resistant varieties reduces the risk of pests infestations, and intercropping exposes pests to predators, which helps in reducing the populations. Also, cultural practices like removing weeds from the field, pruning and destroying infested parts of the plant can reduce the population of pests.
Chemical Control Measures:
Chemical control measures are those that involve the use of chemical pesticides to control pests. However, the indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides can lead to several problems like toxicity, developing resistance in pests, and environmental hazards. So, to minimize the use of pesticides, farmers should opt for an integrated approach to control pests.
Biological Control Measures:
Biological control measures involve the use of natural predators that feed on the sucking pests. This includes releasing parasitoids, predators like ladybird beetles, and lacewings that feed on the pests, or, introducing sterile insects into the field to control the populations of pests.
In conclusion, controlling sucking pests in cotton requires an integrated approach involving cultural, chemical, and biological control measures. The adoption of an integrated approach will help in reducing the use of chemical pesticides, enhance crop productivity and ensure a safe and healthy environment.