Sugarcane Crop Protection “Round Table” -26th April, 2017

Sugarcane Crop Protection “Round Table” by Sugarcane Research & Development Board
Dated: 26 April, 2017
Agenda Points:

• Welcome and key note by Dr. Shahid Afghan Acting CEO, SRDB
• Presentation on Contemporary crop protection by Muhammad Dawar & Mr. Sohail Nadeem from Farm Machinery & Chemicals (FMC)
• Presentation on Population dynamics and cost effective biological control of sugarcane whitefly by Dr Nazia Suleman Principal Scientist, Nuclear Institute of Agriculture and Biology NIAB
• Crop protection with Green revolution recommendations presentation by Mr. Ahmad Umair, CEO Green Revolution, Lahore
• Sugarcane diseases and their management by Mr. Walayat Ali Khan, Plant Virologist, Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad
• Insect pests of sugarcane and their management by Mr. Munir Ahmad, Assistant Entomologist, Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad
• Harmful impact of biotic factors on potential yield of sugarcane and their strategic management by Mr. Abdus Sattar, R & D Manager, Sayban Group
• Concluding remarks by Dr. Abid Mahmood, DG(R), AARI, Faisalabad
• Vote of thanks by Dr. Shahid Afghan
• Recommendations

Proceedings:

• A Round Table seminar entitled “Sugarcane crop protection” was organized on April 26, 2017 in Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad by Sugarcane Research and Development Board. Meeting started with the recitation of Holy Quran by Mr. Hafiz Walayat Ali Khan. Objectives of the seminar was to foresee latest research strategies, trends and to find solutions of prevailing sugarcane development complications.
• Acting Chief Executive Officer, Sugarcane research and development board welcomed all distinguished guest and addressed key note that included board’s technical support program, R & D activities, brief introduction of sugarcane in Punjab, major sugarcane producing limiting factors and role of abiotic factors hindering sugar production.
• After the key note, Mr. Khuram Iqbal requested Mr. Muhammad Dawar and Mr. Sohail Nadeem of FMC crop sciences delivered presentation on “Contemporary sugarcane plant protection technology”. Speaker started its presentation with improved features of furadan and compared it with generic chemistry. They also claimed to have developed new chemical ferterra that is tough on pest and soft on environment. Weedicides and chemicals controlling sugarcane bug, pyrilla etc were also discussed.
• Rana Maqsood Sb, GM Ramzan Sugar Mills raised the question of higher rates of FMC products, FMC representative answered that they are investing in R & D activities, furthermore product’s formulation is different and they have low residual effect that’s why their product is expensive.
• Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Wains, Ex Agronomist, Sugarcane Research Institute questioned that a weed “Deela” is not effectively controlled by FMC products, representative replied that most farmers don’t follow instructions like proper application, use of proper dose, line kera application, use at early stage and unawareness of chemical’s mode of action hinders in taking desired results.
• Dr. Nazia Suleman, Principal Scientist NIAB to presented her research work on “Population dynamics and cost effective biological control of sugarcane whitefly”. Objectives of her presentation were dynamics of white fly population on sugarcane in different ecological zones of the Punjab, Pakistan, for this reason she conducted surveys and collected whitefly bio control agents during visits of Layyah, Ramzan, Shakarganj and Indus sugar mills. She is rearing seven spotted ladybird beetle and Chrysoperla carnea as bio control agents of sugarcane whitefly.
• Dr. Khawar Jawad, Director Entomology said seven spotted ladybirds are not available in kharif season and is mostly seen in winters. Dr Nazia responded that her study was conducted in winters as seven spotted ladybirds were available at that time, she is also planning summer study to investigate insect climate tolerant stress levels.
• Dr. Hassan Munir gave example of Mauritius sugar that they launched a bio control project to eliminate the residual effect of furadan and within four years they controlled sugarcane borers and now they are not using a single pesticide and supposed this is the time to develop biological franchises initially at sugar mill level.
• Mr. Sohail Nadeem of FMC claimed that their products have very less residual effects, Dr Abid Mahmood said through trials at Sugarcane research farms and University of Agriculture, residual effects could be examined.
• Mr. Ahmad Saleem said through proper biocontrol agents/technology like introduction and augmentation biological control process could provide desired results. Mr. Khuram Shahzad of Al Moiz sugar mill commented that pesticide companies are resisting in developing biological laws. Dr. Abid Mahmood focused the increasing trends of biological control. Dr. Shahid Afghan appreciated the steps of Layyah sugar mills in developing trichogramma cards in contrasts to stagnant approach of public biocontrol labs and asks for joint ventures for public private partnership.
• Mr. Ahmad Umair of Green revolution presented “Crop protection with Green revolution recommendations”. He started with the challenges sugar industry is facing that includes Weedicides are not providing proper control (Resistance development among plants), seed treatment is not common among farmers, use of carbofuran is under check need to switch for alternate solutions, use of alkaline inputs are increasing soil pH and inhabiting soil microbial activity, multi national’s products mostly does not match Pakistan conditions and excessive use of urea reduces sugar recovery. To overcome these challenges, he showed improved chemical products of green revolution that can control pests without damaging soil health.
• Mr. Ahmad Umair said he had come here with a vision that is working for the simultaneous improvement of soil health, introduction of efficient fertilizers leading towards balanced nutrition application, introduction of potent and safe herbicides & pesticides by acting as a bridge between Internationally Renowned Farmers, Sugar mills and research bodies. He claimed that standard operating procedure (SOP) is under process between government of Punjab and Green revolution for the use of drones for survey and pesticide use. Acting CEO said business rules of SRDB is on the verge of completion and anybody with optimized research proposal are welcomed to work with us.
• Mr. Ashiq Hussain, Assistant Agronomist, Directorate of Agronomy, said he had multiple years’ research on controlling Bermuda grass in sugarcane, he supposed that common mesotrine/atrazine mixture will not control Bermuda grass whereas 2-time application of Topomezon/Atrazine in April and May is helpful in controlling Bermuda grass and field must not be irrigated before 15 days after weedicide application.
• Dr. Hassan Munir said we are not focusing sugarcane genetics, there is a need to develop genetic coding, no vision could be successful without its co-relation with genetics of that crop.
• Mr. Walayat Ali Khan, Plant Virologist, Sugarcane Research Institute, presented on “Sugarcane diseases and their management”, he discussed brief detail of every disease starting from Red Rot, Sugarcane smut, rust, Pokha boeng and Helminthosporium leaf spot. He said red rot have huge infestation in Sargodha and Mandi Bahaudin districts due to continuous uses of susceptible varieties. Question was raised that all varieties after a certain time get susceptible to red rot, answer given was that red rot pathogen develops strains over a certain period of time and a variety resistant to one strain become susceptible to other strain of that pathogen. Annual release of new varieties can minimize red rot damage. He also urged that seed treatment against seed bourne fungal diseases is not common and for the management of red rot, seed must be treated with thiophanate methyl.
• Mr. Ahmad Saleem expressed that efficient strategy must be adopted for the disease management and fertilizer requirements for such crops that do not bear true seeds like sugarcane.
• Mr. Muhammad Tayyab (progressive farmer) asked the chair to start farmer awareness campaign regarding early, mid and late maturing varieties, varietal identification, different insect pests economic threshold level (ETL) and this activity could be conducted through Sugarcane Research Institute, Sugar mill, Sugarcane Research and development board etc.
• Insect pests of sugarcane and their management was presented by Mr. Munir Ahmad, Assistant Entomologist, Sugarcane Research Institute. Key points of his address include management of borers, army worm as new emerging pest, black bug, sugarcane pyrilla etc, he focused the role biological agents in managing pests. Rana Maqsood sb, GM Ramzan Sugar Mills told about the increasing papulation of black bug, Mr. Sohail Nadeem said Talstar is effective in controlling black bug with T jet 6’inch nozzle followed by heavy irrigation.
• Mr. Abdus Sattar from Sayban group was the last presenter of the round table with title “Harmful impact of biotic factors on potential yield of sugarcane and their strategic management”.

Concluding remarks:
Dr. Abid Mahmood. He advised stakeholders to look through opportunities from public private interactions. There is a need to work hard to achieve possible advancements in biological control trends. Pesticide residual effects have been ignored in past and must be considered in future studies. Ratoon cropping is common practice in sugarcane but it lacks the necessary research it requires. Next round table must include topics of trash management, sugarcane lodging, efficient use of irrigation water etc.
Vote of thanks:
Acting CEO thanked all participants for their result oriented participation and said he learnt something from every presentation. He emphasized participants to take keen interest in implementation of findings.
Recommendations:
Recommendations formulated for the control of sugarcane weeds, insect pests and diseases are given in Table No. 1

Table No 1: Recommended active ingredients with proper dose on targeted pests and time of application