PAU promoting short duration rice varieties in water-deficit six Punjab districts

Ludhiana, July 3, 2024: Keeping in view the availability of limited resources, especially, irrigation water and fertilizers, more thrust was being laid on the promotion of recommended short duration rice varieties in Moga, Ludhiana, Mansa, Sangrur, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Barnala districts. This was divulged during the monthly review meeting of the Research and Extension Council of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), held under the chairmanship of Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, today.

Expressing satisfaction over the maximum sale of paddy seed by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Samrala (Ludhiana) followed by the KVK, Hoshiarpur, Dr Gosal called it a positive sign and hailed the ongoing efforts of the extension scientists in this direction. Promotion of short duration rice varieties in water-deficit districts was need of the hour, he observed, while lauding the adoption of water saving 'PR' rice varieties across the state. Further, Dr Gosal stressed upon conducting regular surveillance and issuing time to time agro-advisories for the proper management of fall army worm in maize, limiting the cultivation of spring maize and summer maize, popularizing the cultivation of spring groundnut instead of spring maize, demonstrating biofertilizers for soil health maintenance, and advocating French bean cultivation in view of its good results in Amritsar district. He added, every KVK should plant traditional trees on their campus and make it clean and green and also motivate the farmers to plant trees.

Dr MS Bhullar, Director of Extension Education, informed that several issues relating to whitefly management in summer moong and fruit borer management in tomato, soil sampling from surface seeded wheat field, sale of nutri-products to dairy farmers and performance of weedicides were discussed in the meeting. Besides, deliberations focused on sowing method for summer moong, direct sowing of cucumber in September only under poly net house, cultivation of gobhi sarson under Surface Seeding technology and cultivation of kulth (horsegram) and mothbean, he added. Earlier, Dr Bhullar also presented the report of the previous review meeting.

Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research, welcomed the senior officials, faculty and the scientists from Regional Research Stations, KVKs and Farm Advisory Service Centres of PAU.

Later, Dr Gursahib Singh Manes, Additional Director of Extension Education, proposed a vote of thanks.