Agro-chemicals use pattern of tomato growers in controlling insect-pests and diseases in hooghly district of West Bengal

During post green revolution, indiscriminate use of chemicals in agriculture and their adverse effect on soil health and environment has created an alarming situation. A situation has resulted which urgently demands an environmentally safe, sustainable and simultaneously, economically viable production system. This indeed is essential for optimizing production and the same time to minimize threat to environment. Considering the importance of the study, the objective, to portray the agro-chemicals use pattern of tomato growers in controlling insect-pests and diseases was undertaken. The study was conducted in Hooghly district of West Bengal. For the selection of area and respondents of the present investigation, multi-stage random sampling technique and universe method were adopted. The study indicates that majority of the respondents were literate (85%), majority of the respondents (58%) had 1.1 to 4.0 bigha of own cultivable land, majority of respondents (60%) had 0.6 to 2.0 bighas of vegetable cultivable land, majority of respondents (65%) were related with vegetable cultivation up to 20 years, majority of respondents (66%) had up to 20 years of experience on application of agro-chemicals on vegetable crops. Generally, leaf eating caterpillar, fruit borer, mealy bug and white fly were seen on tomato cultivation. In case of disease, the main diseases were-seedling rot, late blight, fruit rot and leaf curl. The respondents used various brands of various chemicals with several doses to control the insect-pests and diseases. Mainly infestation of insect-pests and diseases was seen on mature stage of the crop. In seedling stage the respondents applied 30-40 litres of water for spraying chemicals whereas at mature stage, it was 80-100 litre of water. Majority of the respondents (70%) applied chemicals 2-7 days interval whereas the spraying was most preferred method of application of agro-chemicals (100%). Respondents got information regarding use of agro-chemicals mainly from agricultural input retailers at the time of purchasing of chemicals. Therefore, on the basis of the present investigation, the various extension agencies those are working in the study area should reorient their extension strategies accordingly.