SABC and ISCI Release "Cotton Bollworm Management Strategy" for India

The South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC), New Delhi and Indian Society for Cotton Improvement (ISCI), Mumbai have released a comprehensive publication on "Cotton Pink Bollworm Management Strategy" during the program on "Management of Pink Bollworm". The event was organized by the Cotton Association of India (CAI), the apex body of cotton sector in the country on January 10, 2018 at Mumbai, Maharashtra. The cotton pink bollworm strategy is authored by Dr. CD Mayee and Bhagirath Choudhary of SABC and was released by Dr. PG Patil, Director of ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (CIRCOT), Mr. Atul Ganatra, President of CAI, and Sh Suresh Kotak of Kotak & Company.

Cotton growing season of 2017-18 saw an unusual outbreak of pink bollworm (Pectinophera gossypiella) - a monophagous pest, in most of the cotton growing districts of Maharashtra. The rough estimate of incidence varies from 20-60%, resulting in an estimated yield loss of 10-30% in quantity, but much more in quality produce in Kharif 2017-18 season and huge economic losses to farmers particularly in dryland areas of Maharashtra. Hence, effective control of pink bollworm in the ensuing cotton season becomes a topmost priority for all stakeholders engaged in cotton textile sector in India. The "Cotton Pink Bollworm Management Strategy" highlights the nature of the dreaded pest, its life cycle, reasons of resistance development in pink bollworm and nature of symptoms and damage and proposes, farmers' friendly & easy-to-implement, strategies for both pre-cultivation, post-planting and post-harvest of cotton.

Download a free copy of "Cotton Pink Bollworm Management Strategy" from the SABC or ISCI website. For printed copies, contact bhagirath@sabc.asia or shaikhaj@rediffmail.com.