Prevent and Control Sucking Pests and White Fly in Cotton

India is one of the world’s largest cotton producers, ranking second after China.

The country has been producing cotton for textiles for many years.

Today, approximately 5.8 million farmers earn a living from growing cotton fields, with ten million people employed in the cotton industry.

Climate change, water scarcity, and poor soil quality pose significant challenges to cotton farming in India.

Cotton in India also faces pest pressures due to climate change.

While pink bollworm infestations decreased by 70% in 2018-19 compared to the previous season, pressure from other common pests remained similar to that of previous years.

With increased pesticide resistance in some regions, there is a knock-on effect on yields in other regions.

Farmers do everything they can to protect their crops, but lack knowledge of best practices in managing pests.

They tend to use pesticides regularly or opt for harmful chemicals.

This puts their health at risk and damages the environment.

Some of the major cotton-sucking pests that affect cotton yield are:

• Cotton Aphids
• Cotton Thrips
• Cotton Leafhoppers
• WhiteFly

Let’s understand their characteristics and how they affect cotton crops.

Cotton Aphids

Cotton aphids are mainly seen on the underside of leaves and shoots of the younger cotton plant.

The cotton aphid can be winged or wingless. Its color varies from pale yellow to black-green.

• How Does It Affect the Cotton Crop?

It affects the crop by leaving behind white skin remnants. It extracts the nutrients of the plant, thereby affecting plant growth.

Cotton Thrips

Thrips are also known as early-season pests of cotton. They have pierce-sucking mouths and are straw-colored insects.

• How Does It Affect the Cotton Crop?

They directly attack the leaves and leaf buds, causing silvering on the lower leaf surface.

Heavy infestation of cotton thrips can delay fruiting and maturity.

Cotton Leafhoppers

Leafhoppers have wings held rooflike over the abdomen. They are pale green to yellowish green in color with slender legs. They suck sap from the cotton plant.

• How Does It Affect the Cotton Plant?

Leafhopper infestations cause discoloration and leaf curl; the outer zone of the leaf turns yellow to reddish and white later on.

Heavy leafhopper infestation may retard plant growth and cause severe yield losses.

WhiteFly

Whiteflies, also known as snow flies, are tiny sap-sucking insects found on the underside of the leaves.

They resemble tiny moths and are covered in powdery white wax.

• How Do They Damage the Cotton Plants?

They suck the juice or produce a sticky substance known as honeydew, on which sooty mold develops.

This affects the plant’s photosynthetic activities and, in turn, leads to poor quality and low yields.

After understanding the characteristics of cotton-sucking pests and their effects on the cotton crop, let us learn different ways to eliminate them.

One of the most common approaches farmers use is the use of pesticides.

Farmers use pesticides to protect cotton crops from damage. However, this practice has many disadvantages.

To better understand the pros and cons, it is essential to know how pesticides affect crops and farmers, as well as how to protect them from pests.

Pesticides and Crop Protection

With many pests and weeds attracted to cotton, it is essential to protect the crop from damage.

Pesticides are the primary form of crop protection consumed worldwide.

While they control pests and safeguard yields, we must also consider the negative consequences that are present.

Around 44% of farmers are poisoned by pesticides every year.

They cause serious health issues like cancer and neurological diseases.

It also has long-lasting environmental impacts.

The chemicals present in the pesticides can pollute water sources and even contaminate food supplies.

Looking at the side effects of pesticides, how can farmers protect their crops from unwanted pests and weeds?

Cotton farmers can adopt a holistic approach to crop protection by seeking sustainable options that benefit not only the farm workers and the farming community but also the environment.

With our microbiome technology, which harnesses the power of nature, we at Organica Biotech have developed a technology that enhances nutrient uptake in cotton and improves resistance to pests and diseases.

Our plant biostimulant products contain a unique consortium of plant growth-promoting microorganisms that help farmers take that next step towards sustainable farming by reducing the need for chemical inputs in the soil and crops.

Our technology is designed to increase productivity in an ecologically and sustainably responsible manner, thereby protecting our precious natural resources for future generations.

Our range of plant biostimulant products features natural biostimulants that can be utilized in both organic and non-organic farming practices, serving as effective soil conditioners.

With this innovation, we helped many farmers across the country overcome crop damage and increase their yield.

Are you using chemical pesticides as a preventive measure to ensure disease-free cotton fields?

Contact our experts today at ex*****@*************ch.com.