Pheromone trap appears as blessing for Teesta char farmers

The use of environment-friendly sex pheromone trap for killing harmful insects has become very popular among char farmers along the Teesta river basin in Sundarganj upazila of the district.

In sex pheromone trap, a capsule containing female sex hormone of insects is hung in a small plastic drum with one inch of water and two holes are created in the middle of the container for entrance of insects.

Set in the crop field with two bamboo sticks, the bottle attracts male insects that drown in the soap water. Thus, mating and spread of pests are checked, said Upazila Agriculture Officer Rashedul Islam. 

Four traps are enough for a bigha of land to check pest attack. The price of each trap is Tk 65.      

Upazila agriculture department has been conducting Farmer's Day at the crop fields in different areas to encourage farmers for using the natural method instead of random use of toxic pesticides.

They are conducting the 15-day programme since Monday, said the agriculture officer.

The growers have cultivated maize potato, wheat and different kinds of vegetables on vast tract of char lands as the riverbed is nearly dried up due to scanty water flow from upstream.

Many farmers are now growing maize as a cash crop, but insects are extensively damaging the corn fields, said char people.

According to the agriculture department, 3,200 hectares of land have been brought under maize cultivation in the upazila this year.

Farmer Faizer Rahman of Singerjani village said he cultivated maize on four bighas of land.

He is expecting a good yield this time as he used the natural method in the crop filed for killing harmful insects. Besides, the price of pheromone trap is not so high, said Faizer.

Due to the siltation, char land along the river basin is now more fertile, he said.