NAOGAON: In order to kill the harmful insects in Aman farmland and boost the crop production, application of light trap method is increasing in Raninagar upazila of the district.
Agriculture officers said the method has become popular among the peasants as it is cheaper, effective, easy to use and also eco-friendly.
Sources at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said, "The field level agriculture officers meet the farmers at the evening gatherings at twenty different points of the upazila almost every day in order to practically teach the growers how to apply the light trap method in the farmland.''
"The farmers learn the light trap method with much enthusiasm. To implement the method, growers just need to place a pot filled with the mixture of water and detergent powder right under an electric light. Enticed to the light the insects fall into the water and die immediately,'' the sources added.
One Abdul Mottaleb of Kashimpur village under the upazila said, "I have been applying the method in my Aman paddy field for the last few days and getting positive results.''
"This method has cut my production cost as I am no more dependent only on chemical insecticide to prevent the pest attack in my farmland,'' he added.
Upazila agriculture officer Shahidul Islam said, "Although the light trap method is now familiar in all upazilas of the district, farmers of Raninagar are applying the method in their paddy fields extensively.''
"About 18,640 hectares of land have been brought under Aman paddy cultivation in the upazila this season. We distributed leaflets among all the peasants from beginning of the season focusing on the use of environment-friendly light trap method which has been proved effective now,'' Mr. Islam added.
