LONGHUA, 10 Mar: A training programme on ‘Integrated organic management of diseases and pests in French bean cultivation’ was conducted by the Longding Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Longhua village on Monday, with the aim of equipping the farmers with sustainable and eco-friendly pest and disease management techniques.
An expert team, comprising Agronomy CTO A Kiran Singh and plant protection scientist Dr Deep Narayan Mishra provided in-depth technical guidance on organic farming practices. Singh emphasised the importance of soil health management, crop rotation, mulching, and organic nutrient application, highlighting the use of vermicompost, farmyard manure, green manure, and biofertilisers such as rhizobium and phosphate-solubilising bacteria to enhance soil fertility.
He also recommended adopting intercropping, trap cropping, and organic mulching to conserve moisture and suppress weed growth.
Dr Mishra elaborated major insect pests and diseases affecting French bean crops and their organic management strategies. He addressed key pests such as aphids, thrips, pod borers, whiteflies, and red spider mites, and provided organic diseases management strategies.
Dr Mishra also encouraged the farmers to adopt integrated organic pest and disease management strategies, such as crop rotation, biological control agents, field sanitation, and companion planting to reduce pest and disease incidence naturally.
