The New Nation - Internet Edition

On May 30, 2008, an important TV report was telecast on 'Ittadi', the most popular magazine programme hosted by celebrated anchor Hanif Sangket. The report was about the use of non-toxic insecticides in the crop field for producing toxicity-free crops. The insect control method demonstrated was the "Sex Pheromones Trap".

Pheromone is actually a hormone which triggers a natural response in another member of the same species. It is through releasing pheromones a plant transmits alarm about any danger to another plant at a distance. In fact, plants and animals communicate by using pheromones. There are several types of pheromones,eg. alarm pheromones, sex pheromones,food trial pheromones,etc. Insect species release sex pheromones to attract a mate. Many insects can detect a potential mate from as far away as 10 km. So sex pheromones trap can effectively attract mates and kill them without using any harmful chemical insecticide. While appreciating Ittadi and Hanif Sangket for reporting on the sex pheromones trap, I would request the concerned authorities to make pheromones available to the farmers so that they can use this trap to produce toxicity-free vegetables and fruits.

Professor M Zahidul Haque

Chairman,

Department of Agricultural Extension & Information System,

Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka