1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Project Title:
Developing and use of ecological approaches in pest management for
enhancing sustainable potato production of resource-poor farmers in
the Hindu-Kush/Himalaya region of Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and
north-eastern India(Sikkim).
Short title:
Sustainable potato pest management in the Hindu-Kush/Himalaya
region
Project Duration:
Start Date of project:
Finish Date of project:
Length of project:
January 01, 2010
December 31, 2012
Three Years
Reporting Period:
January 01, 2010
Project Budget:
38020 $
CGIAR Center:
International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Peru
Project Leader:
Dr. Jürgen Kroschel (CIP, Head Agroecology/IPM)
January 31, 2010
Dr. Marc Sporleder (CIP-SWCA, Regional project coordinator)
Partner / Department:
Name of partner:
CABI South Asia, Rawalpindi, Pakistan;
Project Leader
Abdul Rehman
CABI South Asia, Rawalpindi, Pakistan;
Other Partners
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International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Peru
Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal
(Entomology Division (NARC) and National Potato Research Program (NPRP));
Entomology Division, Institute of Agricultural and Animal Science (IAAS); Nepal
Tribhuvan University (TU), Chitwan, Rampur, Nepal;
Bhutanese Potato Development Program (BPDP), Thimphu, Bhutan;
Mountain Agriculture Research Unit, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck,
Innsbruck, Austria;
Central Potato Research Station (CPRS), Shillong, India.
Narrative Summary
Background
World over, agricultural development is being made in order to ensure food security. Potato
is an important food source in Asian countries due to its high yield potential. Over the years,
potato has become an important crop for both farmers and consumers in Pakistan. It is the
fourth most important crop by volume of production; it is high yielding, having a high nutritive
value and gives high returns to farmers.
Potatoes are one of the most important vegetable crops of Northern Areas of Pakistan. It is a
major cash crop for many small-scale farmers in the Northern areas of Pakistan. Agriculture
in Northern areas of Pakistan is mainly at subsistence level, gradually transforming into
commercial enterprise. Vegetable production especially seed potato is one of the major
agricultural activities of this area.
The project addresses pest management issues, including agricultural production losses
caused by pests, and the impacts on the environment and human health of increasing
pesticide use in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) of Pakistan. The project builds on CIP’s
experience in agroecology and integrated pest management (IPM) research in potato
production systems. It seeks to achieve sustainable impact in pest management in the HKH
through a better understanding of potato agroecosystems and the development and
application of biological control, in collaboration with its national partners in CIP priority
countries in Southwest-Central Asia (SWCA) (CIP, 2003).
Increasing but unsustainable potato production
Although potato production in Pakistan has been increased many folds but its per acre yield
is far less than other parts of the world. (Malik, 1995). In the last decade, potato production
has increased by an average of about 3% in Pakistan.
Reliance on pesticides
But evidence shows that potato production in many Asian countries is not sustainable
because of intensive use of pesticides to control pests and diseases. These result in hazards
to human health and the environment. Adherence to FAO’s (1990) “Code of Conduct on the
Distribution and Use of Pesticides” is rarely observed, highly hazardous 1a and 1b class
pesticides (according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2002 classification) are still
widely available, the quality of protection equipment, if worn, is poor, and collection services
for used pesticide containers are absent.
The lack of market access, cold storage facilities and the non – familiarity of the growers with
modern farming methods are some of the factors discouraging the cultivation of this valuable
and nutritious vegetable on a large scale. The other major factor is that the growers are not
satisfied with the return they get from this crop. Although potato is major cash crop, the only
source of living for most of the households living in the region. But unfortunately even
government is not taking serious measures to discourage the groups/ agents who unite
themselves as a cartel to influence the price. So the product is sold at lower prices which in
turn reduce the income of the growers.
Goal:
Contribute to achieve the MDGs in the HKH region by improving food security and
lively hoods of farmers through sustainable pest management in potato.
Purpose:
Farm income of resource-poor farmers of the HKH region is enhanced by the
implementation and use of ecologically based IPM approaches in target regions of
Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and India (Sikkim).
Outputs:
1. Understanding of insect communities and pest-natural enemies’ relationships in potato-based
cropping systems in different agroecological zones.
2. The potential for classical biological control for key invasive potato insect pests (PTM, all
countries; LMF, Nepal) evaluated and host specific parasitoids introduced, mass reared and
naturalized in selected target areas.
3. Biopesticides for key potato pests developed and tested.
4. Integration of biorationals, local botanicals and low-toxic and systemic insecticides tested in
action research with farmers.
5. Integrated disease management technologies for late blight and wart developed for major
agro climatic conditions of Nepal.
6. Research capacities of implementing partner institutions strengthened and scientists in EPM
trained.
7. Farmers in EPM trained and developed technologies introduced and scaled-out.
Previous achievements
First reporting
Achievements in current Year
Participated in A 3-day project “start-up” meeting was held in Kathmandu from 24th - 26th
November, 2009,in which an operational plan has been finalized.
Output 1:
Act 1: Research protocols for insect collections from major potato-based cropping systems in
different agro ecological zones of Pakistan (activity 1.1) were finalized; study sites for the 2010
cropping season in low, mid and high hills were selected in Pakistan. The selected sites were
given in the following table.
Table 1:
Sites selected for activity 1.1.
Replication
1
Country
Altitude
level
per area
(village)
Pakistan
High
1) Khaplu
( 2000
masl)
2) Hashupi, Shigar
valley, Skardu
GPS data
Landscape
Longitude
Latitude
Altitude
(masl)
(rich/poor)
E 076o
23.219
E 075o
40.573
E 075o
29.459
E 074o
31.058
E 074o
18.346
N 35o
08.812
N 35o
30.484
N 35o
20.514
N 35o
57.564
N 36o
14.342
2998
Moderate
2361
Moderate
2919
Moderate
2067
Moderate
1755
Moderate
E 073o
Chatorkhand,
50.525
Ishkoman Valley,
Ghizer
N 36o
21.072
2058
Moderate
E 073o
12.426
E 073o
13.248
N 34 o 14
297
N 34 o
26.082
1117
Rich
905
Rich
E 073o
14.072
N 34 o
26.440
938
Rich
3)Chunda, Skardu
Middle
1) Sinaker, Bagrote
( 1500
masl)
valley, Gilgit
2) Chalt, Nagar
valley, Hunza
Nagar
3)
Lower
mid hills
1) More Kalan,
Abbottabad
( 1000
masl)
2) Baffa, Mansehra
3) Bajna, Mansehra
Following traps were installed on the selected sites and insects tapped were collected at given
intervals according to agreed protocol and taken back to lab for further identification.
a) Malaise Trap
b) Yellow Sticky Traps
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
Window Pan Traps
Pitfall traps
Light Trap
Pheromone Traps for Potato tuber moth, Agrotis sp.
Hobo Pendants for temperature and Light Intensity
Agroecological studies (insect collections) were conducted in high, mid, and low hills (from 3
plots in each zone) in Pakistan from January to July. Fortnightly basis collection of insects were
made and processed. Last collection from high and mid hills could not be obtained due to flood
and blocking of roads. Collections from low hills compiled.
Act. 2: The questionnaire for the diagnostic survey on farmer’s constraints in potato production,
pest management strategies and yield losses due to key pests was received and modified
according to the local requirements.
Act. 3: Collection of insects from high and mid hills have been started (2nd year replication of
plots used in act. 1) and further 3 plots in these zone have been included which are pesticide free
for evaluating pesticide effects.
Act. 4: Pests and antagonist were monitored in plots selected for act. 1. Population dynamics of
PTM and Agrotis ipsilon were monitored year-round in Pakistan using pheromone traps. There
was not a single potato tuber moth captured in those traps installed at nine locations of high, mid
and low altitudes of Himalaya region of Pakistan.
Act. 5: White grubs (WG) have been collected from six different sites of low and high hills. Adult
scab beetles and larval samples were collected. All the collection have been preserved according
to the standard procedures in alcohol at Rawalpindi laboratory.
Output 2:
Act. 1-5: No work has been done on preparation of dossiers for the importation of parasitoids as
it was decided in the planning meeting that there is no authentic report for the presence of potato
tube moth from the Pakistan and for this purpose population dynamic survey will be conducted
using pheromone traps throughout the project area. Up till now not a single specimen of potato
tuber moth has been collected from the pheromone traps obtained from CIP installed at in project
area. In my opinion we have conduct survey again to confirm the presence/absence of the potato
tuber moth and as well as expand the survey for the potato tuber moth in potato growing regions
of other parts of the country.
Output 6:
Act.1: Scientists and field assistant from local government institutions were trained on different
EPM research methodologies on the job.
Act. 2: Still no specific training courses and intra-country visits for project stakeholders were
performed.
Output 7:
Act.1: Farmers were involved in participatory research activities (action research) as described
above.
Act. 2: No specific farmers’ field days has been performed at this stage (except that farmers in
selected sites were briefed about the project activities and data collection procedures, all farmers
agreed to participate in this experiment).
Act. 3-5: Still no field guides on pests and natural enemies and EPM in local languages have
been published, extension officers trained, and country specific guidelines for EPM in potato
production develop at this stage.
Planned activities for the next year
Output 1:
Act. 1: Samples collections will be made after the new selection of sites (2nd year replication)
as some of previous sites are now difficult to access due to bad road conditions and weather
after the disastrous flood in Pakistan. Survey for the potato tuber moth will conducted again and
expanded to other potato growing areas of Pakistan.
Act. 2: Six major districts (Major districts involved are: Abbottabad, Mansehra, Gilgit, Skardu,
Ghanche and Hunza Nagar) will be surveyed in 2011 to finalize the diagnostic survey with
baseline components. Data will be organized in an Access database and analyzed.
Act. 5: The random selection of WGs from 6 districts resulted unexpectedly in low numbers of
species collected. The collection of WG will be continued focusing more on areas/zones from
where farmers reported increasing WG incidence. Sequencing and barcoding will be start.
Output 2:
Act. 1: Diagnostic survey area for the PTM will be conducted again in the project area and
expanded to other potato growing locations in Pakistan.
Output 7:
Act.1: Action research will be extended during the 2011/2012 project phase.
Act. 2: Organize field days and farmer-to-farmer visits.
Act. 3: Publish field guides on pests and natural enemies and EPM in local languages.
Act. 4: Train extension staff on EPM in potato
Act. 5: Develop country specific guidelines for EPM in potato production.
2. Management Issues
Update on Personnel Changes
No change
Financial Resources
Funds available
Research sites
All activities have conducted according to the planed schedule. During the July 2010 a
devastating flood hit the mountainous and plain areas of Pakistan resulting damage of field
crops, houses and infrastructure. After flood in August 2010 practically it would not be possible to
move in the field area for the project activities. Accessibility to the project selected sites was not
possible. Many relief and rehabilitation activities are started by many organizations in flood
affected areas of Pakistan. Now it is hoped that we can revive our activities as many of the
bridges and alternative ways has been made.
3. Passed research process
Potato tuber moth was not captured in pheromone traps form the selected sites. It has been
decided to increase the PTM pheromone sites during the next year survey plan.
4. Dissemination of Out puts
All project activities were shared with government agricultural extension staff and farmers. They
were also involved in insect collection process.
5. Project implementation
No changes have been made to the work plan presented in the project proposal. The operational
plan as presented last year (Excel file: “Operational Plan-Start-up planning workshop 11-09”) will
be followed-up as described above in section 1.
6. Financial Statement
Received:
38,020.00 US$
Total expenditure:
34,710.00 US$ (Dec. 2010)
Balance:
3,310.00 US$
(for details see attaché Excel file: “Financial Report Jan 2010_CABI Asia.xls”)
7. Other comments
None
Annex A
Site 1. Low Hills.
More Kalan (Abbottabad)
Pheromone trap for Agrotis ipsilon
Selected Potato Field
Temperature / Light Pendant
Agrotis ipsilon captured in pheromone
traps
Yellow Sticky Trap
Agrotis ipsilon moth at pheromone capsule
in Trap
Unidentified Moth
Helicoverpa armigera larvae on Potato
leaves
Potato Tuber Moth pheromone traps
Pitfall trap
Window Pan trap
Site 2. Low Hills.
Inayatabad Baffa Mansehra
Spodoptera litura in Pheromone trap
Temperature / Light Pendant
Collection of insects from Pitfall Trap
Malaise Trap
Spodoptera litura in Pheromone trap
Pitfall Trap
Site 1. Low Hills.
Bajna, Mansehra
Lady Bird Beetles on Potato leaves
Temperature / Light Pendant
Potato exposed to light and regenerated
Malaise Trap
Malaise Trap