Eco-friendly management practices of insect pests in paddy | ITKs, Cultural practices, Mechanical practices

Since, rice is the staple food of Northeastern region of India and it has been attacked by many insect pests, hence specific pest management strategies need to be planned for management of insect-pest complex in paddy. For quick knock down of these pests, chemical insecticides are the best option but the uses of these insecticides are harmful for the human health as well as to the environment. Therefore, it is the high time for adoption of eco-friendly management practices (viz., ITKs, cultural and mechanical control etc.) by eliminating the indiscriminate use of chemicals for controlling insect pests.The role of these eco-friendly pest management practices in agricultural development, both in research and extension, is now well recognized. The adoption of eco-friendly management practices for plant protection has assumed greater importance in recent years all over the world due to environmental deterioration and health hazards associated with the use of synthetic pesticides. It is expected that extensive use of eco-friendly pest management practices will help in conserving environmental quality.