Farmers-led development and validation of IPM technology in cabbage

Abstract

Cabbage is cultivated in 0.26 m ha producing 6.92 MT with a 5.4% share in total vegetable production occupying fourth rank among widely grown vegetable crops in India (Ahuja and Ahuja, 1). With the development of new hybrids and varieties, it is now being grown throughout the year. As a result, the risk of damage from the pests has greatly increased and farmers need to make pesticides spray to protect the crop from the pest damage. Development of resistance by Plutella xylostella and other insect pests of cabbage to commonly used insecticides (Raju, 5) and the poor knowledge possessed by the stake holders in this regard, indiscriminate sprays are being made for reducing pest density. This practice not only contaminates the harvested produce with harmful pesticides residues causing health hazards but also destroys the beneficial fauna and pollutes the environment. To overcome the problem of over use of pesticides, development and implementation of IPM technology in farmers’ participatory mode may better address the problem.