KVK, Palem conducted a Method Demonstration cum Awareness programme on Stem Application in Cotton at Thummalsugur village on 05.08.2025

Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Palem organized a Method Demonstration cum Awareness programme on Stem Application for the management of sucking pests in cotton. The event was conducted in the cotton fields of Sri. Goverdhan Reddy, with active support from RAWEP students. The demonstration was timely, as the crop in the village was in the square to boll formation stage and experiencing a dry spell, which led to a severe infestation of sucking pests—notably aphids and mealybugs, both observed to be above Economic Threshold Level (ETL). Dr. P. Sreedevi, Programme Coordinator, KVK Palem, interacted with the farmers for the first time. She discussed the prevailing crop conditions, major challenges faced by the farmers, and assured them of her commitment to support the farming community through her extensive experience and technical knowledge. Dr. O. Shaila, SMS (Plant Protection), demonstrated the stem application technique and stressed the importance of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. These included: 1. Installation of white and blue sticky traps for monitoring thrips. 2. Yellow sticky traps for whitefly monitoring and mass trapping. 3. Use of biorationals such as Azadirachtin 1500 ppm. 4. Adoption of ETL-based application of plant protection chemicals. The RAWEP students also contributed by displaying pictorial charts showcasing the role of various traps in pest management and actively participated in the awareness activities. in this programme Dr. P. Sreedevi, Programme coordinator, Dr. O. Shaila, SMS (Plant protection), V. Pushpalatha, YPI, KVK, Palem, 6 RAWEP students and 12 farmers a Total of 23 members were participated.