Success Stories

Introduction:

In Una district of Himachal Pradesh, farmers are diversifying from traditional maize-wheat system to vegetable crops. The area under vegetable crops, other than potato, had shown more than three-fold increase i.e. from mere 346 ha in 2007-08 to 1140 ha in 2010-11. During rainy season, cucurbits are cultivated in majority of area under vegetables crops. The major cucurbits grown by farmers are cucumber, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, sponge gourd, etc. The farmers sold the cucurbits in local as well as distant mandis/markets like Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jullandhar, Amritsar, Jammu, delhi, etc. During rainy season fruit fly is a major insect-pest that adversely affects the yield as well as quality of cucurbits. Farmers of the district use various insecticides to control this insect, which is not only harmful to the human health but also affect the environment adversely. The CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur developed pheromone traps called ‘Palam trap’ for the management of fruit fly in cucurbits. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Una has assessed this technology during the year 2010 by conducting On-Farm testing for its efficacy in Una conditions. Based on the results of these trials and subsequent demonstrations at farmers field, the farmers of the district has started demanding this technology on payment basis from KVK, Una.  Now, the farmers are purchasing it through KVK, Una, and/or directly from the CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur as well as from private dealers.

KVK Intervention:

KVK, Una has conducted On-farm Testing (OFTs) of pheromone traps during the year 2010 and 2011, and 2012 at 66 farmers’ fields in cucumber, bitter gourd, sponge gourd, etc. Subsequently, for up-scaling the technology in the district, 171 demonstrations covering all five development blocks of Una district were laid out during 2012-14. The farmers were also educated about the technology during on and off-campus training programmes conducted on production and protection of vegetable crops.

Output:

Due to intervention of KVK, Una, the farmers have adopted this innovation especially by those who are cultivating cucurbits during rainy season.  The adoption of this innovation resulted in reduction of losses by about 50 per cent and the yields of the different crops increased from 20-25 percent. Further, the quality of produce has also improved. The net returns of the farmers have also increased as they are not spraying expensive insecticides frequently.

Outcome and Impact:

The results of OFTs and FLDs conducted on pheromone traps in different villages of  all five blocks of Una district were encouraging and  farmers has started demanding these pheromone traps from KVK, Una on payment basis. The other farmers are also purchasing pheromone traps from various sources including private dealers. This technology has reduced 76.23% pesticide and saved money of farmers to the tune of Rs 15993/- per ha. Therefore, this technology was adopted by about 80 percent cucurbit growers of the district for the management of fruit fly due to its obvious monitory benefit.