AMU organises Kisan Gosthi on Pest and Disease Problems in Rice
Aligarh : The Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) organized a Kisan Gosthi (farmers’ symposium) on “Major Pest and Disease Problems in Rice and Their Management”.
The aim was to sensitize the farmers on the pest and disease problems in rice, in Aligarh and adjoining districts and to offer them relevant knowledge on identification, and effective solutions for their management.
The chief guest of the inaugural session, Prof Mohammad Gulrez shared his international experiences on agriculture. He praised the department for organising such important and need-based events to offer help and consultancy to farmers for protecting the crops.
“Failure to judiciously use our natural resources could lead to dire consequences in the near future, and there is a need for a collective commitment to sustainable agriculture”, Prof. Gulrez emphasised. He also highlighted the importance of farming for human life and civilization.
The Guest of honour, Dr. Mujibullah Zuberi, the Controller of Examination, began by invoking the historic slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” coined by Lal Bahadur Shastri. He emphasized that this slogan, which celebrates the valour of soldiers and the dedication of farmers, remains pertinent today also.
Prof. Akram Ahmad Khan, Dean, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences emphasized that adequate knowledge along with technology are essential for farmers to harness the benefit of advancements in the field of agriculture as well as for achieving the goal of doubling farmers’ income.
The District Agriculture Officer, Mr. Abhinandan Singh said that overuse of fertilizers and pesticides can harm both the environment and crop quality.
Plant Protection Officer, Mr. Amit Jaiswal in his address, stressed the importance of integrated pest and disease management for crop protection.
The Block Development Officer-Jawan, Mr. Rupesh Mondal praised the efforts of the Department of Plant Protection in organizing an important Kisan Gosthi and urged the farmers to take its maximum benefit to grow healthy crops.
Earlier, Prof. Mujeebur Rahman Khan, Chairman of the Department and Organizing Secretary of the programme welcomed the Chief Guest Prof. Mohammad Gulrez, other guests, teachers, and farmers attending the session.
He explained that the diseases, root-knot, bakanae, sheath blight, bacterial blight, etc., and insects yellow stem borer, leaf folder, leaf hopper, etc. have severely attacked the rice crop in and around Aligarh and need to be properly controlled to prevent yield losses in the current rice crop.
A detailed technical bulletin highlighting the pests and diseases in rice and their management was released by the Vice Chancellor and other dignitaries, and distributed to the farmers to guide them in controlling the problem.
After the inaugural session, a lecture session was held followed by farmers’ interactive and consultancy session.
Prof. Mujeebur Rahman Khan shared his expertise on the nematode problems in rice. He provided a comprehensive overview of nematodes, their impact on rice crops, and practical management strategies.
Prof. P.Q. Rizvi talked about the insect pests affecting rice. His presentation explored the diverse range of insect pests that pose threats to rice cultivation and elucidated effective management techniques.
Dr. Ziaul Haque spoke on diseases in rice crops caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses.
The third session of the programme was a hands-on demonstration involving farmers’ interaction and consultancy service on challenges in rice and their solutions.
Farmers, including the women farmers engaged with the experts and asked questions.
Prof. M. R. Khan and Dr. Rizwan A. Ansari conducted a live demonstration on nematode infestation in rice, while Dr. Ziaul Haque demonstrated fungi/bacterial infection in rice, highlighting the destructive consequences of fungal diseases.
Dr. Syed Kamran Ahmad, entomologist, demonstrated the insect pests infesting the rice plants as well as their preserved specimens.
The farmers applauded the programme and expressed their desire for more such programmes in future.They requested to organise a programme in November for Rabi crops, with a specific focus on nematodes, insects and diseases in wheat and pulses.