Punjab News/Vegetable growers asked for minimum use of pesticides

Talwandi Sabo, July 18, 2014: Guru Kashi University is regularly organising annual Kisan Mela at Campus for farmers. Vice-Chancellor Dr.N S.Malhi an eminent agriculture scientist and team of Agricultural Scientists of Guru Kashi University gave a big message of diversification during the Kisan Mela and suggested to adopt Bee Farming, growing of horticultural crops especially vegetables, flowers, pulses and maize crop. In the surrounding areas of GKU farmers have started growing vegetables especially cucurbits like Bottle Gourd, Sponge Gourd, bitter Gourd (Varh Karela), Cowpea and Brinjal  etc. The farmers grow Maize crop as intercrop in vegetables to trap insects like Whitefly and Shoot & Fruit Borer which helps in minimising use of pesticides on vegetables.

The farmer of village Fatehgarh Naubad named Karnail Singh has adopted vegetable growing in an area of 4 Acres and earned Rs 1.25 Lac in two months by growing Brinjal and Cucurbits ( bottle guard and sponge guard,  Maize crop is also grown as companion crop with Brinjal). The Maize crop has not only potential in Malwa region but also can be used as a trap crop for white fly and shoot borer.

Dr. Daljeet Singh (Prof. of Vegetables) at GKU along with Dr.  A.L. Sharma visited farmers’ vegetables’ fields and guided the vegetable growers for minimum use of pesticides and spray the pesticides up to initiation of flowering stage.

Both the scientists’ laid emphasis on adopting Bee Keeping for increasing the productivity of vegetables as Bee acts as pollinators and produces high quality honey from vegetables’ flowers.

A survey in Maur and Rampura Phul was made where the Varh Karela (Bitter gourd) and sponge gourd was trained on grape vine training system. This technology of growing cucurbits is a profitable business because of its great demand as medicinal value for Sugar patients as Varh Karela (Small Bitter Gourd) is sold at the rate of Rs. 80-100/Kg.

Dr. A. S. Sidhu, Dean UCOA praised the farmer who has adopted vegetable cultivation in Malwa region and said the indigenous crops like Varh Karela, Cucurbits, Maize and Blueberry (Jamun) growing should be encouraged.