Revolutionary solar-powered light traps saving Siddipet farmers from pesticide use

Farmers in the district growing Yasangi paddy were facing challenges in controlling the stem borer. To tackle the issue, farmer Koka Sudhakar Reddy installed solar-powered light traps on his six-acre paddy field in Bandarupally village, Thoguta mandal, with guidance from agriculture extension officer T Nagarjuna.

Siddipet: Solar-powered light traps are proving effective in combating the stem borer menace at the moth stage without using a pesticide.

Farmers in the district, who cultivated Yasangi paddy, were struggling to control the stem borer. Farmer Koka Sudhakar Reddy then installed the solar-powered light traps in his six-acre paddy field at Bandarupally village in Thoguta mandal under the guidance of agriculture extension officer T Nagarjuna.

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During the first night, these lights trapped a good number of stem borer moths. The traps would also help to assess the intensity of the stem borer presence in the field.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Nagarjuna said the farmers could also use solar-powered traps to combat pal army worms in maize and other pests in all agriculture and horticulture fields. Since each moth of stem borer can lay 200 to 300 eggs in its lifetime, the AEO said the light traps would be useful in restricting the impact. He suggested the farmers use cartap hydrochloride insecticide to control the stemborer if the infestation was very high.

Farmer Sudhakar Reddy said the paddy fields in isolated locations were attracting more stem borers than those in other areas. He said that the traps were useful in combating the menace.