News
Puttalam farmers faced with two paddy pests
View(s):Farmers of the Puttalam District battling wild elephants destroying paddy fields, are now forced to fight two new pests affecting paddy cultivations.
A caterpillar species and a worm species have started to wreak havoc in paddy fields. Farmers say it is difficult to safeguard their crops from the swarms of caterpillars and worms which are spreading fast.
The Bathalagoda Rice Research and Development Institute and officials of the district’s Deputy Agriculture Director’s Office have identified that both the lawn army worm or paddy swarming caterpillar (Spodoptera mauritia), as well as the tobacco cutworm or cotton leaf worm (Spodoptera litura) are responsible for the damage of paddy crops following a field visit.
The farmers lamented that already both pests have spread in paddy fields in the Anamaduwa, Kilawan Eliya, Tabbowa, Iginimotiya, Neela Bamma and Mahauswewa areas.
-
- Farmers have been advised to use pesticides to fight the caterpillars (above)
-
- The pests decimate a paddy field overnight
-
- The paddy swarming caterpillar
The farmers complained that the worms and caterpillars destroy fresh shoots of paddy within the night. These pests were first recorded during the Maha Season cultivation in Anamaduwa, Kottukachchiya and Kilawan Eliya.
They said that they had seen the two pest species earlier but never to this extent.
Deputy Director of Agriculture at Puttalam, Tharangika Shyamali, said that under normal circumstances, natural pest control methods worked, but in this case the spread was high and therefore farmers are advised to use chemical pesticides under the advice and guidance of relevant Agriculture officials.
She added that they are taking action to control the spread of the pests, and have set up a series of educational programmes from June 6 to educate farmers.
Story and pix by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!