Pest problem

-- A recent seminar in Pakistan on the topic of integrated management of fruit flies, highlighted the issues of pests destroying fruit crops and the resulting indiscriminate use of pesticides for curbing the insects.

The workshop was organised by the Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA) and the Pakistan Agriculture Research council. NIA officer Qamarul Hassan updated the gathering on research activity concerning protection of fruit crops from flies. Without divulging the details, he stated that NIA experts had formulated an effective method to prevent flies and insects from preying on crops.

Hassan lamented the fact that fruit cultivation in Pakistan did not fulfill its potential due to various causes such as pests. It is estimated that about 500 types of flies are known to prey on fruit crops, including the golden fly, which has a liking for guavas.