Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kapurthala, organized a district-level awareness camp focusing on in-situ crop residue management (CRM) at its campus under the guidance of the Directorate of Extension Education, PAU, Ludhiana, and ICAR ATARI Zone-I, Ludhiana, aimed to promote eco-friendly farming practices and sustainability. Over 150 farmers and farm women enthusiastically participated in the programme.
A unique feature of this event was the inclusion of a chief guest from the farming community, S Sulakhan Singh, a progressive farmer from Kapurthala district, who shared his experiences improving soil health by incorporating crop residues into the soil.
Dr Harinder Singh, Associate Director (Training), welcomed the attendees and encouraged farmers to adopt in-situ residue management methods from the outset. He emphasized the importance of close collaboration between experts and farmers in applying scientific knowledge to achieve desired agricultural outcomes, considering the evolving environmental and economic conditions.
Dr Ashok Kumar, Assistant Professor (Soil Science), enlightened the farmers about the pivotal role of bio-fertilizers and crop residues in enhancing soil health. He stressed the in-situ incorporation of paddy straw to maximize the utilization of essential nutrients, such as N, P, K, and S, by subsequent crops.
Dr Amandeep Kaur, Associate Professor (Vegetable Science), discussed cultivating vegetables in residue-managed fields. Progressive vegetable growers, namely S. Iccha Singh, S Tarlochan Singh, S Jarnail Singh, and S Mukhtiar Singh, elaborated on the use of mulchers and reversible ploughs for cultivating crops like potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower while managing paddy straw. S. Iccha Singh emphasized how he incorporated paddy straw into his crops, saving one bag of urea and one bag of potash per acre.
Dr Bindu, Associate Professor (Agricultural Engineering), highlighted the significance of custom hiring centres for CRM. Progressive farmers, including S Nirmal Singh, S Sarwan Singh, S Mohanjit Singh, and S Sukhwinder Singh, explained the benefits of using smart seeders and surface seeding methods while retaining paddy straw on the surface.
Dr Suman Kumari, Assistant Professor (Plant Protection), delivered a lecture on rodent control and management of pink stem borer in residue-managed fields. S Sarwan Singh Chandi emphasized the adoption of subsidiary occupations like beekeeping and mushroom cultivation to generate additional daily income.
Progressive farmers, including S Dalbir Singh, S Kuldeep Singh Sangra, and S Sital Singh, shared their valuable experiences with the use of Happy Seeder and Super Seeder for in-situ paddy straw management.
Representatives from various line departments, including Horticulture, Dairy Development, and SBI Kapurthala, provided insights into various schemes and subsidies related to agriculture and allied fields.
Dr Amit Salaria, Assistant Professor (Agronomy), concluded the event with a lecture on the management of Phalaris minor in fields with retained residues and proposed a vote of thanks.
Read more: https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=datae&intID=8128
