Pest Risk Analysis and Management Practices for Increasing Profitability of Lemon Production
Shahriar Hasan
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh.
Md. Enamul Haque
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh.
Md. Safiul Islam Afrad
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh.
M. Zinnatul Alam
Department of Entomology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh.
Muhammad Ziaul Hoque *
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh.
Md. Riazul Islam
Pathology Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The study aimed at assessing the pest risk and management practices of lemon production and its profitability in Tangail district of Bangladesh. Household survey was conducted by an interview schedule from 120 lemon growers who were selected as sample respondents following a proportionate random sampling technique. Lemon butterfly and dieback disease were identified as important problems in lemon cultivation. Lemon butterfly was found with the highest infestation in Elachi lemon (70.0%) and Kagozi lemon (57.0%). Dieback disease was found with the highest infestation rate of 49.3% in Elachi lemon, 38.0% in Kagozi lemon, and 33.3% in Sakara-2 variety. Almost 82.5 percent of the respondents had medium to high adoption of pest management practices. The adoption of pest management practices was positively related to the profitability of lemon cultivation. However, there is further scope to make pest management practices sustainable by enhancing the adoption of biological, cultural, and mechanical approaches.
Keywords: Lemon, Pest risk analysis, Profitability, Management practices, Bangladesh