The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Sangrur, under the auspices of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and ICAR-ATARI, Zone-I, Ludhiana, conducted a one-day in-service training course on May 14, 2024, aimed at extension personnel from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and focused on ‘Machinery for Kharif Crops and Establishment of Custom Hiring Centers of Agricultural Machinery’ and ‘Improved Production Practices for Kharif Crops and Cultivation of Direct Seeded Rice (DSR).’ Seventeen trainees participated in the event.
Dr. Mandeep Singh, Associate Director (Training) at KVK, Sangrur, welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of promoting short-duration paddy varieties for groundwater conservation and efficient straw management in the upcoming Kharif season. He highlighted water-saving techniques such as laser land leveling, alternate wetting and drying, and tar-water DSR in paddy. He also provided tips for achieving higher yields of PR 126 and underlined KVK’s role in enhancing the knowledge and skills of extension personnel with modern agricultural technologies.
Dr. Rukinder Preet Singh Dhaliwal, Assistant Professor (Agronomy), provided detailed insights into the cultivation practices for Kharif crops, discussing nutrient management in paddy and strategies for successful DSR cultivation and efficient weed management. He advised field functionaries to encourage farmers to adopt DSR after June 1 to conserve irrigation water.
Dr. Sunil Kumar, Assistant Professor (FMPE), shared expertise on field preparation for DSR and the proper settings for the Lucky seed drill. He also discussed the raising of mat-type nurseries for mechanical transplanting of paddy and introduced the development and functioning of tractor-operated mat-type nursery seeders and remote-controlled mechanical paddy transplants.
Read more: https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=datae&intID=9072
