Sawinder kaur, S. A. S. Nagar, May 29:
The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana has issued an advisory for the farmers of the State.
The farmers are advised not to spray any crop as there is possibility of gusty winds during coming days and also advised to do regular monitoring, preparedness and control
measures as a preventive effort need to be accelerated to combat the upcoming swarm incidence.
Regarding the field crop such as Cotton, it has been advised to eradicate the weeds like kanghi buti, peeli buti, puth kanda etc. growing on field bunds, waste lands, road side and irrigation
channels/canals to avoid further spread of whitefly to cotton fields, which also attacks other alternate host crops like brinjal, potato, tomato, okra, moong, mash and guar.
Regular surveillance should be
done for timely management of whitefly on these crops. Regular surveillance of whitefly on cotton should also be done.
Rice Farmers are advised to complete the nursery sowing of recommended paddy varieties i.e. PR 129, PR 128, PR 127, PR 126, PR 127, PR
124, PR 123, PR 122, PR 121, PR 114, PR 113 etc.
Farmers are advised to do seed treatment of rice before sowing ensures healthy, disease free nursery and subsequently higher grain yield.
Regarding Sugarcane, it has been advised that as Due to prevailing hot weather conditions, sugarcane crop require frequent irrigations at 8 to 10 days interval. Apply paddy straw or
rice husk or sugarcane trash @ 20-25 q/acre between the rows of sugarcane to reduce soil temperature and moisture loss.
Control weeds in the planted as well as ratoon crop. For checking attack of black bug, spray 350 ml of
Dursban/Lethal/Massban/Goldban 20 EC in 400 Iitres of water per acre. Direct the spray material into the leaf whorl for better results.
To control weeds in summer moong, give first hoeing 4 weeks after sowing of the crop and second hoeing, if needed, about
two weeks thereafter. Due to prevailing hot weather conditions, sunflower would require irrigation at 8-10 days interval during this period.
Regarding Fodder, the farmers have been advised to grow mixture of non-leguminous and leguminous crops i.e. maize + cowpea to get more nutrients.
Vegetables: Irrigate vegetable crops at weekly intervals depending upon soil and climate conditions.
Harvest fruits of okra, bottle gourd, cucumber, bittergourd, spongegourd, tinda, and summer squash etc when green and tender.
Chilli can be harvested green or red depending upon requirement. Harvest in incurring to avoid disruption in pollution. Fruit and shoot borer of brinjal should be controlled by spraying Proclaim 5 SG @ 80g or Coragen 18.5 SC @ 80ml in 100-125 litres of
water per acre.
To avoid the adverse effect of hot weather on fruit trees apply white-wash on the trunks of the trees if it is not done earlier. The young
plants may need irrigation twice a week.
For management of physiological fruit drop in mango, spray of 2,4-D sodium salt of horticulture grade can be done @ 10 g in 500 litres
of water and To manage fruit fly in peach and plum fruits, fix PAU fruit fly traps @ 16 traps.