UV trap is cheaper pest control for Ilocos farmers

Posted at 8:23 pm November 28, 2011

Tags: Agribusiness

SHARE YOUR STORIES

Got a similar Story? Share it here

See list of businesses related to Agribusiness

By Anna Valmero

NARVACAN, ILOCOS SUR—An ultraviolet (UV) ray light trap developed locally is said to be a cheaper, more effective way to help farmers control farm pests than spraying chemical fertilizers.

The light trap has a unique UV ray wavelength specifically targeted at controlling farm insect pests without harming farmers’ health and the environment, said Dr. Aida D. Solsoloy, a scientist at the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s Ilocos Region Integrated Agricultural Research Center (RIARC).

“The light trap was used on rice, corn and vegetable farms for two croppings. Field tests showed extensive insect pest collection and a marked reduction in frequency of chemical spraying by 35 to 100 percent,” Solsoloy said.

Just like popular household insect-killing lamps, the light trap also has a high voltage wire that kills insects as they pass through it.

Specifically, the UV light trap is proven to control the cecid fly that causes black sunken skin lesions on mango, leafhoppers that pester inflorescence in mango, and twig borers and tip borer in rice and corn.

“This technology is very cost-effective and it’s good for the environment because it doesn’t dispose of any harmful residue,” she added.

Chemical sprays are also blamed for environmental contamination, insect resurgence and insect resistance while productivity remains low due to chemicals’ improper use, in addition to being capital intensive that keeps farmers in high debts.

Based on field trials, the UV ray trap was successful in raising yield in corn, rice, tomato, eggplant, watermelon, bell pepper, onion, pole sitao, ampalaya, and garlic, a study from the DA’s Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) showed.

The highest revenues from the field trials was pegged at P96,713 for a yield increase of 11.9 metric tons per hectare in tomato in Piddig in Ilocos Norte, up to P61,013 added revenues for an increase of 7.5 metric tons yield per hectare for tomato in Narvacan in Ilocos Sur and about P45,313 revenues from a 6.4 metric tons per hectare increase in rice production in Bangar in La Union.

The use of the UV light trap also increased mango yield by 2.1 metric tons per hectare, up from 1.27 metric tons prior to the use of the technology. This means a net income of P33,200 for the farmer—a revenue higher by six times than P5,700 without using the trap.

The lack of proper insect pest management (IPM) is one of the major causes for the low productivity in the small farms, said BAR director Dr. Nicomedes Eleazar.

Despite killing insect pests, field trials showed that the lamp does not injure insects that are natural enemies of pests. This way, it supports biological control of insect pests.

With the light trap, farmers in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte reduced their exposure to harmful chemical spraying. After using the UV ray trap, they no longer need to spray chemical fertilizer 11 times for eggplant, Eleazar said.

To help farmers acquire the device, the national government may grant farmers a loan or a subsidy program worth P9,500 for one UV light trap.

This may not be affordable for the common farmer who only has 5,000 square meters to tend but members of farmer cooperatives with two hectares of farm could benefit from it. Local fabrication of the device is being studied to bring down costs.