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Effect of Insecticide and Nitrogen on Yield and Input Costs

Dr. N. Q. Kamal
CSO and Head
Entomology Division, BRRI, Gazipur-1701

Nadira Afsana
Scientific Officer
Entomology Division, BRRI, Gazipur-1701

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Eliminating insecticide applications and managing urea with Leaf Colour Charts (LCC) were more profitable than farmers’ usual insecticide and urea application practices. In Boro 2004 the “LCC/no insecticide” plots produced significantly higher yields than the “farmers’ urea & insecticide” plots. The type of neighboring crops, farmers’ insecticide applications, and urea rates had an effect on arthropod diversity. These differences in arthropod diversity did not translate into differences in crop loss.

Keywords: Effect, Insecticide, Nitrogen and Yield

Location: Rangpur and comilla

Start Date: 01-07-2003

End Date: 30-06-2004

Program Area: Pest Management

Non-commodity: Rice, Performance

Objectives:

To know the effect of insecticide and nitrogen on the yield and input costs

Methodology:

In order to determine whether farmers’ insecticide use actually prevents yield loss a total of 144 farmers were (i.e. 24 per village) invited to each refrain from applying insecticides to half of one of his or her fields in the 2003. Yields, input costs, pest damage, neighbouring crops, and arthropod diversity data were recorded from 48 fields in each village, for a total database of 144 field trials. In each village 6 Lead Farmers tested a matrix of LCC and insecticide in a selected field, producing the following treatments: The treatments were continued in T. Aman 2003 and Boro 2004. • Insecticide and LCC • Insecticide and no LCC (i.e. farmers managed N in their usual way) • No insecticide and LCC (i.e. INRM) • No insecticide and no LCC Each of the 6 Lead Farmers supervised 4 Participating Farmers who conducted the standard “insecticide vs. no-insecticide” experiment of the previous season. Data on arthropod community structure, pest damage and yields are collected by BRRI and NGO staff, while the farmers themselves record all input costs and management data in notebooks provided by LITE. The study was repeated with the same numbers of farmers in T. Aman 2003 and Boro 2004. Arthropod diversity within treatments was studied to count the abundance pattern and the richness of taxonomic categories, Simpson’s diversity index was used (Simpson 1949). In the first three seasons the split field experiments consisted of a comparison of yields of the insecticide-treated and insecticide-free halves of fields in paired t-tests. In Boro 2004, the split field experiments were a comparison of “Insecticide plus farmers’ fertilizer practice” and “No insecticide plus LCC”.

Source of Information: Proceedings of the BRRI Annual Internal Review for 2003-2004

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. World Bank

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

After 2 seasons of research in 6 villages there have no evidence of a situation where insecticides improve yields or profit margins in the T Aman (rainy) or Boro (dry) seasons. In Boro 2004 the “No insecticide plus LCC” plots had significantly higher yields in the 2-treatment and 4-treatment experiments. Even under improved nitrogen management schemes that rely on Leaf Colour Charts (LCC), insecticides conferred no benefits to the farmers in the Boro season. There were no significant differences in the yields of 4 treatment groups. In the T. Aman season, the supervising and supervised farmers of Rangpur used less insecticides and fertilizers. In the T. Aman season, INRM saves farmers an average of Tk1097.10/ha The average land holding in Rangpur is 0.52 ha for Boro rice, and 0.51 ha for T. Aman rice; for a total savings of Tk.2444.05 annually for Lead Farmers and TK.1312.15 for other farmers. The average earnings from sale of rice is Tk12,957.44, so adoption of INRM is equivalent to an 18.5% increase in income for Lead Farmers from rice sales on the average; and a 10.1% increase for other farmers. There is 1 Lead Farmer for every 4 Supervised Participating farmers, so in Rangpur adoption of LITE INRM results in the overall average annual savings per household of (=Tk 1529.50); equivalent to an 11.8% increase in income from sales of rice. In Comilla, the Lead (Supervising) Farmers and the Supervised Participating Farmers did not differ in their insecticide and fertilizer use.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings