Now, mango growers face threat of hopper attack in Malihabad
LUCKNOW: After braving desert locust attack, now the threat of hopper attack is giving sleepless nights to mango growers here in Malihabad mango belt. Hopper is a leaping insect such as grasshopper or locust. It is also called bhunga in local dialect.
The agriculture department has sounded alert and has launched mass awareness in order to educate the mango growers of the ways to keep the pests at bay. Officials with the agriculture department said if not checked the hopper could destroy the flowers which in turn could lead to poor yield.
“Flowering time is crucial period for mango growers, and this is the only time that acts as a deciding factor for the yield. More the survival of flowers more will be the yield. Hence, it’s very important to save the flowers from hopper attack,” said CP Srivastava, deputy director agriculture, Lucknow.
Srivastava said the department was creating awareness among the mango growers by educating them about the ways to keep the pests at bay.
“We told them about pesticides, including imidacloprid and quinalphos that could save the crop from hoppers. Also, there are other pesticides that could save the crop and could result in good yield,” said Srivastava. Besides, he said that department was holding workshops in the mango belt in order to educate the farmers and to help them in all possible ways.
Vimal Kumar, village head of Birahimpur village in Mallihabad mango belt said, “By God’s grace, this year flowering in mango crop is good. But the threat of hopper attack is giving us sleepless nights. We have asked the mango farmers to ensure that pesticides are sprinkled properly to save the crop”.