The Punjab Agricultural University’s Farm Advisory Service Centre (PAU-FASC) in Sangrur organized an awareness camp at 11.07.2024 the remote village of Jakhepal Hambalwas Patti in Sangrur District to educate farmers on efficient water use in kharif crops. Over sixty farmers actively participated in the camp.
Dr. Ashok Kumar, District Extension Scientist (Soil Science), detailed the sparing use of chemical fertilizers and water conservation techniques for paddy and basmati crops. He emphasized the use of a leaf color chart for real-time nitrogen regulation and highlighted the importance of laser leveling for improving water use efficiency. Dr. Kumar advised irrigating paddy fields with standing water for a maximum of two weeks after transplanting and then again for two days once the ponded water had subsided. He also underscored the importance of micronutrients, particularly zinc, noting that most farmers only use 5–6 kg of zinc sulfate (21%) per acre, while the recommended dose is 25 kg per acre. He provided recent recommendations for managing pests and diseases, including foot rot in basmati and sheath and blast in paddy, and explained the role of the biofertilizer Azospirillum in improving soil health.
The camp featured a display of PAU literature, mineral mixtures, bypass fat, UMMB, fruit fly traps, biofertilizers, and water testing kits for human use. Various questions from farmers were effectively addressed, including whether to drill urea before transplanting, the benefits and drawbacks of nano-urea, and how to sample soil and water.
Progressive farmer Sh. Jograj Singh assisted in setting up the camp. Dr. Ashok Kumar visited the Punjab Basmati-7 nursery fields of Jograj Singh and observed patches of iron deficiency. Ferrous sulfate was provided immediately for spray demonstration purposes. The farmers expressed their gratitude for the camp and expressed hope for more such events in the future.
Read more: https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=datae&intID=9283
