Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
Farmers distressed by virus and bird attack in eggplant field in Ishwardi. Spraying various insecticides to prevent the attack of the virus is not working. Moreover, the land had to be fenced with nets at an additional cost to prevent the birds from breeding. In this situation, there has been a disaster in eggplant yield in Ishwardi. That’s why the price of other vegetables decreased in the full season, but the price of eggplant did not decrease.
Eggplant is grown more or less in all the Unions of Ishwardi which is known as a vegetable producing area. Especially in the grasslands of Lakshikunda Union, eggplant is cultivated the most. Eggplant farmer Salim Pramanik of Bakhtarpur village said that this time eggplant has been attacked by a new virus. The leaves are turning yellow and curling. Due to this, the plant is not growing, the plant is bearing less fruit and is not fully matured. Besides, the birds are coming and eating the eggplant. Eggplant fields had to be fenced with nets to prevent birds from escaping.
An additional 6-7 thousand taka has been spent on this along with the cost of cultivation. As suggested by the Agriculture Department people to prevent the invasion, many efforts are not yielding any results.
The agriculture department says that whiteflies have attacked eggplant fields in other times, but this time due to excessive rain at the beginning of eggplant cultivation, there has been a large number of whiteflies. Also, due to Jab or jassid attack of brinjal leaves, young stems, flowers, plants become weak and yellow and turn copper color. The leaves become shriveled and dry. The plant also exhibits yellow and dark green mottled mosaic leaves. Basil leaf or small leaf disease has been observed in plants where the level of attack is severe.
In this regard, Additional Agriculture Officer Mahmuda Motmainna said, generally: Cloudy and foggy weather in winter is the main time for breeding and attack of jab beetles. The number of these insects started to increase from the middle of December. He said that the farmers are being advised by the field workers from the agriculture office to prevent the attack.
