Ramayampet agriculture officer’s low cost light trap helps farmers combat moths

A Mandal Agriculture Officer in Ramayampet has designed a ₹300 low-cost light trap to protect crops from moth infestations. Made using basic materials, the trap is helping farmers reduce crop losses and pest breeding cycles significantly.

Medak: A Mandal Agriculture Officer in Ramayampet has developed a low cost light trap to capture adult moths and curb infestation in paddy and other crops by breaking their life cycle. The light traps attract moths before breeding, reducing crop damage to a large extent.

Unlike commercial light traps sold in the open market for Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 4,000, the officer, T Rajanayarana, has developed a model that can be made at home for around Rs. 300. Rajanarayana said farmers can assemble the trap using a discarded water bubble container, a rechargeable bulb, ten metres of electrical wire and water mixed with a few drops of oil or petrol.

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The bulb is placed inside the bubble after making a small hole, and the container is filled with water at the base. When switched on at night, the light attracts the moths, which fall into the water once exhausted and die. The oil prevents them from flying out.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Rajanarayana said stem borer, paddy leaf folder, helicoverpa, spodoptera, pod borer in pulses, fruit fly in vegetables, maruca in redgram and other pests cause severe damage to crops. He said insects feed up to 80 per cent of crops at the larval stage. The light trap helps break their life cycle as an adult moth lays at least 300 eggs on crops.

At least 50 farmers in Ramayampet mandal have installed the low cost light traps and are reporting positive results. Videos of Rajanarayana demonstrating the device have gone viral on social media.