Punjab Agriculture Research Board (PARB) Chief Executive Officer Dr Noor-ul-Islam Khan has said that offseason survey for whitefly and pinkboll worm in the cotton belt would be initiated to identify its species, seasonal occurrence and host plant ranges.

Punjab Agriculture Research Board (PARB) Chief Executive Officer Dr Noor-ul-Islam Khan has said that offseason survey for whitefly and pinkboll worm in the cotton belt would be initiated to identify its species, seasonal occurrence and host plant ranges. He chaired a meeting of whitefly and pink boll worm held at the Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Entomology Department Chairman Dr Muhammad Jalal Arif, Dr Mansoor Sahi, Dr Dildar Gogi, Dr Muhammad Arshad, Dr Rafique Shahid, Dr Waqas Wakeel, Dr Khawar Ahmad, Dr Dilbar, Dr Faisal Hafeez, Dr Shaheen Aftab, Dr Muhammad Asif and other notable attended the meeting. Dr Noor-ul-Islam said PARB had given two projects on management of whitefly and pink boll worth 75 million to the Department of Entomology UAF in which eight agricultural institutions across the province are working collectively for the noble cause. He also directed the meeting to identify plants that work as whitefly and pink boll worm deterrent for the better management in the cotton belt. He said modern practices must be promoted and practiced in the fields to fight the attack of different insect on the different crops. He added that plant protection measures help jack up per hectare yield by the protection of different crops from diseases and pests. He stressed upon the need to promote modern trend to fight the insects in the field. He lauded the Entomology Department for conducting a survey on the directives of Punjab Government in the cotton belt on pink bollworm and whitefly two year ago. He said the scientists of the Department are working round the clock on the different pests. He said that Center for Excellence on whitefly and pinkboll worm will be established at the Entomology Dept, UAF. Dr. Jalal Arif said that the projects will help yield improvement, increase in export, decrease in import, improvement in input use efficiency and etc. He said that in 2015, cotton crops faced the debacle, resulting in 44 percent reduction then. He said that with improved seed and better management of whitefly and pink boll worm will increase the agricultural production by 30 percent that will generate 4 billion dollar to the national economy. He said that every year due to poor seed, pest attack and diseases are causing the reduction of 8 million bales of cotton.