XN000022-1985-06-12 — Page 44

WEDN

JUNE 12, 198

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NEW CONCEPT IN CROP PEST CONTROL INTRODUCED

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THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT HAS INTRODUCED A NEW CONCEPT IN THE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF CERTAIN MAJOR INSECTS THAT ARE A PEST TO LOCAL VEGETABLES.

AFTER CONSIDERABLE INVESTIGATIONS AND FIELD EVALUATIONS BY THE DEPARTMENT, IT WAS FOUND THAT A BACTERIUM -- BACILLUS THUR INGIENSIS -- HAS PROVED EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING UNDER LOCAL CONDITIONS THE DIAMOND-BACK MOTH, A PERSISTENT PEST TO COMMONLY GROWN BRASSICA CROPS SUCH AS CHINESE KALE, CHINESE FLOWERING CABBAGE AND WHITE CABBAGE.

A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE BACTERIUM WAS HARMLESS TO HUMAN BEINGS AND ANIMALS.

AS A BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENT IT PROVIDED LONG-TERM CONTROL OF THE PEST WHICH HAS ALREADY DEVELOPED A RESISTANCE TO MOST CHEMICAL PESTICIDES AVAILABLE LOCALLY.

THE NEW IDEA IN AGRICULTURAL PEST CONTROL WAS INTRODUCED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR CROP DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, MR C.W. FONG, TO 20 REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCAL FARMER GROUPS WHEN THEY VISITED TAI LUNG FARM AT SHEUNG SHUI,

THE VISIT IS PART OF REGULAR EVENTS ORGANISED BY THE FARM FOR LOCAL FARMERS TO ENABLE THEM TO LOOK AT EFFECTIVE MEASURES INTRODUCED TO PROTECT CROPS FROM BEING DAMAGED BY DISEASES, INSECTS AND OTHER PESTS.

FARMERS WERE ALSO SHOWN VARIOUS NON-CHEMICAL METHODS THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS EXPERIMENTING IN TO REDUCE THE ATTACK OF THRIPS ON HAIRY GOURD, INCLUDING THE USE OF REFLECTIVE MATERIALS AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF MULCH. THESE HAVE YIELDED SIGNIFICANT RESULTS IN REDUCING THE PROBLEM.

THE VISIT STARTED WITH A BRIEFING BY AFD OFFICERS ON CURRENT CROP RESEARCH AND PLANT PROPAGATION WORK UNDERTAKEN BY THE DEPARTMENT.

THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A TOUR OF THE AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY AND AGRICULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT PATHOLOGY LABORATORIES WHERE EXAMINATIONS AND IDENTIFICATIONS OF INSECT PESTS AND DISEASE PATHOGENS ARE BEING CONDUCTED.

VISITORS THEN SAW FIELD EXPERIMENTS ON WEED CONTROL ON LEAFY VEGETABLES AND VARIOUS DESIGNS OF PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES FOR VEGETABLE GROWTH, AND ALSO TOURED THE FARM'S MUSHROOM LABORATORY.

TAI LUNG FARM IS THE DEPARTMENT'S CENTRE FOR CROP EXPERIMENTAL WORK AND IS ALSO USED FOR MULTIPLICATION OF GOOD-QUALITY SEEDS AND PLANT MATERIALS. AT PRESENT, MANY LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM STUDIES OF CROP PRODUCTION AND PROTECTION ARE IN PROGRESS.

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