A farmers training-cum-field day was organized on 23rd January 2024 at the Directorate under NICRA project for Scheduled caste farmers. Dr. J.S. Mishra, Director of the Institute inaugurated the program and said that weed management is becoming more challenging under changing climate scenario due to vigorous crop-weed competition, reduction in herbicide efficacy and increasing problem of herbicide resistant weeds. Adoption of climate resilient crops and varieties along with management practices such as conservation agriculture technologies and integrated weed management are required to mitigate the ill effects of climate change, he added. Dr. Shobha Sondhia, Principal Scientist and Principal Investigator of NICRA programme emphasized the research initiatives on crop-weed competition and bio efficacy of herbicides under changing climate and to strategically plan weed management practices under such prevailing weather conditions. A lecture on weed management in Rabi crops was delivered by Dr. P.K. Mukherjee, Principal Scientist (Agronomy). He informed the farmers about suitable time of application and doses of herbicides.
Saplings of Apple ber, Jackfruit, Citrus, Guava and Jamun were also distributed to the Scheduled caste farmers of Panagar and Gohalpur localities of Jabalpur district.
A field visit was also arranged and research experiments on weed management practices in Rabi crops, weed cafeteria and FACE, OTC facilities under NICRA project were shown to the farmers. Dr Deepak Pawar, Scientist (Agriculture biotechnology) and Dr Dasari Sreekanth, Scientist (Agriculture biotechnology) coordinated the training. Vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Sreekanth.
