Fruit fly infestation: Experts advice for farmers
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FAISALABAD: (APP) Agricultural experts at the national conference titled "Sustainable Management & Control of Fruit Fly Infestation" have recommended the usage of advanced biotechnological techniques including sterile insect technique, release of insects carrying a dominant lethal and sterile-male incompatible insect technique to engineer fruit fly for effective control.
The conference was arranged by US Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and the Department of Entomology, UAF at New Senate Hall, on Friday.
The experts also recommended creating awareness about fruit fly and beneficial insects at all levels using different media sources.
They also suggested that by involving the insect chemical ecology, the issue of fruit fly could be combated in a unique way.
They said that good agricultural practices, pruning of trees for light and aeration, collection and dumping of dropped/rotten fruit should be adopted.
Establishment of common hot water quarantine treatment facilities in major mango cluster would help control it, they added.
Speaking on the occasion, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that the university would conduct a commissioned research on fruit fly to overcome the disease.
He said that the government was taking measures in the national agricultural policy to address the issue whereas the Punjab Agri policy was also being mapped out. It would result in providing the solution to fight the pest.
USPCAS Chief of Party Dr Bashir Ahmad called for increasing the per acre production to feed the increasing population. He said the control of diseases was prerequisite to increase the productivity. He said that fruit fly affected the production by 20 to 50 percent whereas in the worst condition up to 80 percent.
