Chickpea Pest Control: Use of Feromone Traps with Biological and Chemical Methods!

Currently, chickpea crops are in the 25 to 50-day growth stage. Due to prolonged cold and foggy weather, pod borers and sap-sucking pests are increasingly affecting crops like chickpea, lentils, onions, and garlic. According to agricultural experts, pheromone traps (sex attractant traps) are effective for monitoring these pests. If 4-5 male pests are observed per trap per night or if 1-1.5 larvae are found in a one-meter crop row, immediate pest control measures are required.

Cultural Practices for Pest Control:

• Timely Plowing and Sowing: Perform regular summer plowing each year and deep plowing every third year. Ensure timely sowing of chickpeas.
• Intercropping: Grow linseed, mustard, or coriander as intercrops with chickpeas.
• Balanced Fertilization and Irrigation: Apply balanced irrigation and fertilizers. Use 20-25 kg of potash per hectare during sowing.

Mechanical Methods:

• Encouraging Predatory Birds: Install 40-50 T-shaped bird perches per hectare to attract predatory birds like mynas, sparrows, crows, and black drongos, which feed on larvae.
•  Pheromone Traps: Set up 12-15 pheromone traps per hectare for pod borer control.

Biological Control:

• Use neem kernel extract as an effective natural solution.
•  Apply Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (NPV) at 250 LE per hectare.
•  Use fungal-based Beauveria bassiana at 1 kg per hectare and bacterial-based Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) at 1 liter per hectare.

Chemical Control:
For Small Larvae: 

•  Chlorpyrifos 50 EC: 1.5 liters per hectare.
•  Profenofos 50 EC: 1.25 liters per hectare.

For Large Larvae: 

• Indoxacarb 15.8 EC: 335 grams per hectare.
•  Emamectin Benzoate 5 SG: 200 grams per hectare.
•  Chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC: 150 ml per hectare.

Conclusion: By implementing these measures promptly, farmers can protect chickpea crops from pests and enhance productivity. Priority should be given to biological and mechanical methods, with chemical pesticides used only when absolutely necessary.

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