Farmer knowledge on insect pests of Citrus and their management in Doti district, Nepal

In Nepal, rising incidents of various insect pests among citrus grower farmers are a growing concern. This research aims to determine the knowledge of citrus farmers on insect pests of citrus and their management. The survey was conducted through semi-structured interviews with a heterogeneous group of farmers to analyze the citrus growers' knowledge of the identification of insect pests, damage symptoms, and their management. The efficacy study revealed that understanding of citrus insect pests and their management positively correlates with experiences year in citrus farming (P = 0.01%). Major insect pests of the field are green stink bugs, fruit flies, citrus psyllids, brown citrus aphids, and red ants, respectively. The average cultivation area is about 0.474 ha, and the average years of engagement are about 12 years, which gives in-depth potential for farmers adopting integrated pest management (IPM). Although 25.6% of the total respondents knew about the term “IPM technology," only 5.8% practiced IPM practices to date. The positive attitude and perception of citrus growers towards IPM technology in the study area depict great scope for profitable citrus production on a sustainable basis. This study highlighted a need to spread knowledge and management practices among the farmers by the government of Nepal.