Punjab agri varsity releases advisory to control damage in crops due to floods
Dr Buta Singh Dhillon, a paddy expert, said that crops don’t have submergence tolerance, and as the time under water increases, the crop starts getting damaged.
In the wake of the recent floods affecting many parts of the state, the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) shared a detailed advisory to reduce the damage in various crops after the water recedes.
Dr Buta Singh Dhillon, a paddy expert, said that crops don’t have submergence tolerance, and as the time under water increases, the crop starts getting damaged.
“Usual varieties of paddy or other crops don’t have submergence tolerance. If they stay in or under stagnant water for over 4-5 days, the damage starts and the crop may rot as well,” he said.
For paddy, sown over 32.49 lakh hectares in Punjab, and basmati varieties sown over 6.81 lakh hectares, the advisory asks farmers to start draining standing water with pumps so that the roots of the crop can get fresh air at the earliest.
“If the farmers notice yellowing of the lower leaves of the crop, which is a symptom of nitrogen deficiency, the farmers are advised to spray 3% urea. To protect the top of the crop from sterility in the boot stage, the farmers can use 1.5% Potassium Nitrate. To protect the crop from the False Smut fungal disease, the farmers can spray 500 g of Kocide fungicide while the crop is in boot stage, followed by 400 ml spray of Galileo way fungicide 10-15 days later,” PAU said.
If the leaves of the crop show dusty brown blotches, it can be due to zinc deficiency, in which case the farmers can spray 0.5% zinc sulphate.
{{/usCountry}}If the leaves of the crop show dusty brown blotches, it can be due to zinc deficiency, in which case the farmers can spray 0.5% zinc sulphate.
{{/usCountry}}Maize, Sorghum and Bajra
{{/usCountry}}Maize, Sorghum and Bajra
{{/usCountry}}After draining the standing water, the farmers are advised to thoroughly check the crop for damage. If the damage is moderate, the farmer can spray 3% urea twice a week apart. If the damage appears to be severe, then the dose can be doubled.
{{/usCountry}}After draining the standing water, the farmers are advised to thoroughly check the crop for damage. If the damage is moderate, the farmer can spray 3% urea twice a week apart. If the damage appears to be severe, then the dose can be doubled.
{{/usCountry}}The advisory emphasised that staying in standing water for long can rot the stems of the crop, and it was important to uproot the affected plants.
{{/usCountry}}The advisory emphasised that staying in standing water for long can rot the stems of the crop, and it was important to uproot the affected plants.
{{/usCountry}}“For sorghum and bajra, commonly grown cattle fodder, there was no danger. But if the crop was showing signs of yellowing, a spray of 3% urea is advised,” the advisory added.
{{/usCountry}}“For sorghum and bajra, commonly grown cattle fodder, there was no danger. But if the crop was showing signs of yellowing, a spray of 3% urea is advised,” the advisory added.
{{/usCountry}}Cotton
To protect the crop from Parawilt, the farmers can use a spray of 10 mg cobalt chloride in a litre of water and four sprays of 2% Potassium Nitrate, each a week apart.
The varsity asked the farmers to regularly monitor the crop to pick up signs of pink bollworm. The advisory said that if the damage exceeds 5% the prescribed pesticides must be used.
Fruits
The varsity has asked the fruit farmers to thoroughly examine the trees for damage like uprooting, breakage of branches, bedding of stems, and collection of debris around the roots.
The advisory called for cutting damaged branches and fixing the drainage.
Floods erode the nutrition-rich layer of the soil, the advisory noted, and asked the farmers to spray nitrogen and potassium fertilizers.
