PAEC evolves technique to kill fruit fly

Published August 2, 2003

ISLAMABAD, Aug 1: Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has evolved a technique to successfully eliminate fruit fly without use of toxic chemical insecticides.

The WTO import policy requires that fruit trade in the world be subjected to the condition that no insecticide has been used in its growth. This new technique will boost productivity in agricultural sector and ensure continuity of sustainable environment practice.

An official statement said the technique involved placing a trap bottle containing a non-toxic pigment near the trees and attracting the flies towards it, which were then killed.

The cost of this method is 74 per cent less than that incurred on using the conventional methods, which apart from being expensive were environmentally hostile and injurious to consumer health.

As per survey conducted at Multan, D I Khan, Kohat and Haripur, this method has been found popular and acceptable with the farmers. The trap bottles are available with the Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Tandojam, and Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture, NIFA Peshawar.