Knowledge and Perception on Rice Pests in South 24 Parganas District of West Bengal

A survey was conducted to study the perception and knowledge gap analysis of paddy pests in selected villages of Budge Budge II Block of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. Data were collected through focus group discussion, group meeting, personal interview, key informant interview from 100 respondents. Maximum respondents surveyed belonged to general caste (47%). About 42 per cent of the land under paddy cultivation was medium land and 58 per cent of the land was low land. Aman paddy shared the major rice area (45%) and 57 per cent paddy growers totally depended on local market for seed procurement while 14 per cent of the farmers used the seeds of their own. Ten numbers of rice varieties were identified as cultivated variety during boro season. 27 per cent family cultivated Lalat (medium duration variety) which is relatively resistant to stem borer and blast. Stem borer was identified as major insect of rice; 51.16 per cent respondent reported that the infestation level was up to 41–60 per cent in case of stem borer. Blast, brown spot, sheath rot, bacterial leaf blight, false smut and khaira were reported to infest the rice fields though the infestation level was generally low to moderate. Training, farmers' field schools, field days, information from progressive farmers and other sources like mobile phone/television programme etc. were identified as sources of technology diffusion method of which training was identified as the most effective tool over other methods as reported by the farmers.