During the Kharif-2003 season cotton crop, which is considered as the backbone of our economy, was invaded by the insect pests, especially the armyworm both in Sindh and southern Punjab.
Farmers fought the pests with a variety of weapons, but it managed to destroy thousands of acres of cotton both in Punjab and upper Sindh.
The most shocking scenario, however, was that the much-publicized and costly venture, the National Integrated Pest Management(IPM) Programme of Parc, launched in Sindh with huge foreign funds, completely failed to contain the onslaught of armyworm even in the area like Thari Mirwah of District Khairpur.
The IPM programme for cotton pests control was in practice here, for last couple of years and is claimed as the most successful programme. The gravity of cotton crop damage in Taluka Thari Mirwah could be gauged from the fact that the Nazim of this Taluka demanded tax relief for the affected growers from the government.
As a matter of fact armyworm managed to damage many other crops also, in some other parts of the country. However, for want of proper monitoring at the official level its ravages go unreported and unattended. For example, during Kharif 2003 armyworm inflicted significant damage to sorghum, pulses, tomato seedlings, and many vegetables in the districts of Bolan, Jhal Magsi, Jaffrabad, and Nasirabad of Balochistan.
Similarly, it also caused massive damage to lotus, groundnut, young maize crop and a variety of vegetables both on left and right bank command area of Sukkur and Guddu barrage in the upper Sindh.
The irony was that no concerned official quarters bothered to attend the plight of the affected growers. On the contrary, cotton crop damage received attention both in print and electronic media. So much so that the MNAs of the ruling coalition raised a storm of protest in the National Assembly over what it called heavy damage to their cotton crop by the pest attack.
Presently vanishing larval population of armyworm on cotton plants standing in the fields has given a general impression among the farming community that the menace of armyworm has gone. Whereas, the fact is that armyworm still exists rather in millions in its advance larval stage on the ground, under the dried cotton leaves, and under the soil in pupal stage.
Survey of some armyworm affected cotton crop fields, especially adjoining wheat crop fields in districts Khairpur and Shikarpur (paddy growing belt_ during the first week of December 2003, indicated the presence of three armyworm larvae of advance stage and two pupae per square metre.
Besides, light trapping indicated the emergence of moths of armyworm. From these armyworm population it is evident that despite natural control some population of this menace may remain viable during the Rabi season and may in turn pose a serious threat to the standing wheat crop, particularly at post-milky to early-grain formation stage, almost in the entire upper Sindh region, especially desert belts of Districts Khaairpur, Sukkur, and Ghotki.
Armyworm alert for wheat crop at the national level is necessary because of the fact that after damaging cotton crop in September its next generation of moths has spread in far-flung areas of the province, particularly in upper Sindh. After egg laying its new hatching (larvae) caused severe damage to the early sown lucern (fodder crop) and some vegetables.
The gravity of the situation could be gauged from the fact that during the first week of November 2003, the manager of a prominent landlord of Taluka Kingri of Khairpur District, reported that about 40 acres of lucern crop sown during mid-October in Kachho area was completely wiped out by the armyworm larvae which were in swarming form. Moreover, this is not the first time that early sown (October) lucern crop has been damaged by the armyworm. In 2002 also, lucern and some vegetable crops in District Ghotki and Khairpur grown on area of over 2000 acres were severely damaged by this menace.
Review of literature has indicated that armyworm has been found causing intense damage to crops of major economic importance in the semi-arid and arid region of North America and said to have destroyed one million acres of winter wheat in one year in Montana (USA) alone.
Suggestions: 1. Since the standing cotton crop in the invasion areas harbour high larval and pupal population of armyworm on the ground, under dried leaves, and in the soil, respectively, growers should be advised through the field force of the agriculture extension to remove the cotton plants from the fields as soon as possible. Removal of cotton sticks should follow the burning of refuge of cotton and deep plowing and flooding of the field prior to undertaking wheat cultivation.
2. For timely detection of the insurgence of armyworm wheat crop 2003-04 should be taken under regular surveillance, particularly, from the booting stage by the provincial agriculture extension, Sindh.
3. In case of plant protection measures against the armyworm use of highly toxic and broad-spectrum pesticides should be discouraged. This is in view of protecting the long established wheat agro-ecosystem in this part of Sindh.