Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) experts have laid emphasis on the judicious use of fertilisers, harmful effects of paddy straw burning, saving environment and use of ‘Leaf Colour Chart LCC for maize, rice and wheat crops. This was stated in an interactive meet of the farmers from different parts of the state and the PAU experts on resource conservation agricultural technologies namely LCC, Laser Land Leveler, Happy Seeder (HS) and Tensiometer.
Director of Extension Education, Dr M.S. Gill said that the PAU has evolved several agri-technologies and new innovations for the benefit of the farming community. “The farmers should adopt these technologies for profit and efficient resource use,” he said. “This will enhance need-based application, reduce the cost of production and make the technology eco-friendly,”he added.
Referring to the PAU recommended LCC technology, Dr Varinderpal Singh, PAU Soil Scientist, stated, “Unmindful of the consequences, the state farmers are making excessive use of fertilizers to get more yield.The injudicious use of fertilizer nitrogen (N) leads to escalated cost of production, enhanced insect-pest attack, lodging of the crop and increased nitrate in the sub-soil water. “”Dr Singh said that the use of LCC, recommended by the university for maize, rice and wheat crops, can result in saving of Rs 170 crore annually as well as the environment. He also advised the farmers to adopt LCC technology and make judicious use of urea.
Speaking on the ‘Tensiometer-based irrigation scheduling to rice’, Dr S.S. Kukal, Senior Soil Scientist, referred to implications of falling water table which include more requirement of power, replacement of centrifugal pumps with submersible pumps, poor quality of deep water and disappearance of ground water resources in the future. Dr Kukal told that under PAU-Columbia Programme 2011, 5000 tensiometers were installed in various parts of the state. Suggesting the popularisation of this technique for rice irrigation by creating awareness among the farmers at grass root level, he added that the instrument is manufactured in the PAU itself and is made available to farmers.
Presenting the ‘Status of Happy Seeder in Punjab’, Dr J.S. Mahal, Head, Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, PAU, highlighted that the technology is becoming popular among the farmers and its number is increasing day-by-day. Minor modifications have been made in the machine such as arrangement of flails on the rotor and the shifting of ground wheel to the front for better traction. Dwelling upon the social, educational and technical issues of the technology, he shed light on wheat straw quality, energy requirement, urea application, bund making and paddy straw burning.
News Source: Economic Times
