Activities within the grant and impact:
This grant is towards a third phase of support towards refining the current cotton IPM technology, and ensuring its dissemination in Punjab. The project aims at achieving an increase in the knowledge of farmers, reduction in the cost of pesticides / inputs and consequently, increases in yields per hectare, and the net profit to IPM farmers.

Specifically, the project is covering over 6,000 hectares, and helps benefit farmers to the tune of Rs360 million. This is through:

	Use of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) for season-long training on cotton-IPM, and the establishment of model villages
	Management of insect resistance in Bt cotton through refuge deployment, and its popularisation
	Management of emergent pest problems in cotton
	Training field staff from DoA, Punjab
	Publication of material for project villages with DoA, and dissemination of information

Eight villages have been selected under the project in four districts of Punjab, and information centres have been set up in all the eight villages adopted under the project. 22 charts have been displayed in information centres on different aspects of IPM technology given by PAU. All the literature on cotton pests, the IPM kit, and insect collection boxes has been placed in the centres. Scouts (village level workers) have been appointed in each adopted village to act as a link between the university and the farmers. PAU experts imparted training on IPM of cotton to the farmers.

The seasonal, as well as off-season management strategy, has been worked out by PAU, and it is being transferred to farmers. Researchable issues like the study on the biology of the mealy bug, its relative preference to different cultivars/weeds, and its resurgence, are being taken to develop a comprehensive management strategy for this new pest.