MULTAN, Sept 16: The directorate of pest warning and quality control of pesticides has urged the cotton growers to remain vigilant against the pressure of American and Army bollworms , as the crop is undergoing a final and crucial stage of maturity.

In a press note, PWQCP Director Dr Ijaz Pervez said during the recent visit of the cotton fields it was observed that the population of American and Army bollworms was increasing in the adjoining fields of fodder and herbs.

Therefore, he said, at some places in the Sahiwal and Khanewal districts the pests were observed shifting increasingly towards the cotton fields. He directed the growers to erase the crop of jantar (a fodder also used as green fertilizer) wherever they found proliferation of the two bollworms.

He also directed them to conduct regular pest scouting of the cotton fields so that preventive measures could be adopted in case of the threat of a particular pest. He also warned against the reuse of abandoned empty drums and bottles of pesticides, especially for the storage of drinking water.