Do Luong Plant Cultivation and Plant Protection Station: A trusted address for farmers

(Baonghean) - Operating in an area with a large agricultural production land area and an asynchronous crop variety structure that creates the risk of pests and diseases on crops, with the spirit of overcoming difficulties and striving to perform well the role of detection, forecasting and consulting, Do Luong Plant Cultivation and Plant Protection Station (PPS) is a trusted address in accompanying farmers to bring successful crops.

Leaders of Do Luong Plant Protection Station guide farmers in Van Son commune to properly prune rice. Photo: Luong Mai

Do Luong Plant Protection and Cultivation Station was formerly the Plant Protection Station located in Van Son commune (established in 1993) with the goal of accompanying the agricultural development of the old Zone 4 area. During the separation and merger process, in March 2016, the Do Luong Plant Protection Station was renamed Do Luong Plant Protection and Cultivation Station by the province. In the first difficult years, the station played the role of an agricultural technical service company including plant protection and plant varieties. Later, due to the development requirements, the station was merged with the Provincial Plant Protection Sub-Department.

Currently, Do Luong Plant Protection and Cultivation Station has 7 staff members, including 1 station manager, 1 deputy station manager and 5 remaining staff members. With the main function of investigating, detecting, estimating, forecasting the situation of plant pests and diseases, transferring the application of scientific and technological advances, advising the District People's Committee to develop realistic production plans, Do Luong Plant Protection and Cultivation Station has been highly appreciated for many years with a system of timely technical measures to prevent and control pests and diseases, bringing efficiency in agriculture.

The land is characterized by a semi-mountainous area, vast, terraced fields without water control, except for localities with favorable farming conditions such as Van Son, Yen Son, Hoa Son and the town, the production of farmers in Do Luong area is based on many different ecological zones, so the structure of crop varieties is diverse and not uniform. The level of understanding of plant protection work of the people and many localities is still limited, leading to slow implementation of notifications. In particular, the team of plant protection officers is small, 1 person is in charge of 6-7 communes, so when there is an epidemic that damages crops, the implementation is not timely. Along with that, low funding for plant protection (2.1 million VND/month from the branch), the system of equipment serving professional work is not uniform... are limitations, affecting the operation of the station.

Do Luong Plant Protection and Cultivation Station organized a workshop on ICM rice model in Hoa Son (Do Luong). Photo: Luong Mai

The entire Do Luong district currently cultivates over 1,400 hectares of rice, 1,500 hectares of peanuts, 700 hectares of vegetables and 15,000 hectares of pine and acacia forests each year. Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam - Head of the Do Luong Plant Protection and Cultivation Station, said: Although there are many difficulties, the large scale of production requires increasingly complex requirements for plant protection work, however, with the attention of all levels of the industry, the station regularly coordinates closely with the district-level departments and offices. The station assigns intensive cultivation to staff in charge of each commune and each appropriate region to accurately grasp the crop structure. In particular, in 2016, the station coordinated with the Department of Agriculture to participate in developing crop production projects. Following the workshop, 12 new rice varieties and 5 corn varieties were put into production in the area, from which to select high-yield, good-quality varieties to put into main production in the following crops when recognized by competent authorities. Thanks to that, the station has achieved many outstanding results.

Investigating, detecting, predicting and forecasting the situation of pests on crops has been focused on. In all three production seasons of winter-spring, summer-autumn and winter crops, the station sent to the Plant Protection Department 52 periodic reports, 7 reports on the situation of pests and diseases, reaching 100% of the plan. Especially in 2016, the station investigated and proactively prevented leaf rollers from appearing and causing damage on early and main crop rice with a total infected area of ​​over 1,500 hectares (0 hectares in 2015), timely zoning and prevention, so the outbreak of leaf blast damage was controlled in a narrow area of ​​0.2 hectares (328 hectares in 2015). Thanks to drastic direction, pests were controlled in a short time, protecting the production safely.

The work of linking agricultural services in the form of transferring science and technology on pest control to the villages and hamlets of the communes was clearly concretized by the station. In 2016, the station deployed 80 classes with 19,700 participants. Training 3 ICM classes in Dong Xuan hamlet (Hoa Son commune), Dien Bien hamlet (Luu Son commune), hamlet 2 (Thuan Son commune) with 90 trainees. The result was that 100% of trainees grasped the 3 reductions (reducing seeds, reducing excess nitrogen, reducing pesticides), 3 increases (increasing productivity, increasing product quality, increasing economic efficiency). Hundreds of effective economic models deployed on a household scale in practice have changed the thinking and level of crop cultivation of the people.

Farmers in Dong Son commune (Do Luong) clear irrigation canals to take care of the summer-autumn rice crop. Photo: Luong Mai

In 2016, the station coordinated with the District Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Plant Quarantine Station - Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection of the province to conduct 4 inspections of paperwork for imported varieties in Do Luong district, and to check for strange pests and diseases appearing on newly imported crops. In addition, the station cooperated with the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection to open training courses on the program to prevent rice grain smut disease in 2 classes in Dong Son and Van Son communes. Well implemented the work of domestic plant quarantine for over 60 enterprises, regularly directed experts to establish inspection teams to inspect imported shipments, with 5 inspections with full reports to the department and the district People's Committee.

Despite many difficulties, the results achieved by the Do Luong District Plant Protection and Cultivation Station have contributed to increasing crop productivity and promoting the district's economic development. For many consecutive years, the station has been commended by the Provincial Plant Protection and Cultivation Department and the District People's Committee. In the coming time, to promote the achieved results, the station strives to excellently complete the work of forecasting and investigating pests on crops in a timely manner, continue to deploy and replicate the ICM and SRI models, transfer science and technology to the grassroots level in 50 classes with more than 4,000 participants, coordinate to inspect the trading of plant protection drugs in 33 communes and towns, and send data to the department.

In 2017, the station's professional work strives to achieve the title of excellent labor unit at all levels, 100% of individuals are advanced workers, of which 15% of individuals are excellent workers; the Party cell is clean and strong, the trade union is excellently strong, and the professional work is excellent in completing tasks.

Luong Mai