Stop burning paddy straw and adopt recommended management strategies: PAU to farmers

Ludhiana, March 15, 2018: Stop burning paddy straw and adopt recommended management strategies, urged Dr J.S. Bhalla, Professor and Head, Department of Extension Education, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), to the farmers during the farmer-scientist interface on “Paddy Straw Management,” held in the University today. A total of 35 farmers from various villages of Ludhiana district participated in the interface, organized under the project funded byNational Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

Dr PPS Pannu, Additional Director Research (Natural Resource and Plant Health Management), voiced concern over the present status of natural resources and advised the farmers to use them judiciously.

While interacting with the farmers, Dr K.B. Singh, Senior Soil Physicist, discussed the role of paddy straw management in enhancing the soil health. He also highlighted the role of soil and water testing in judicious use of fertilizers.

Dr Buta Singh Dhillon, Assistant Agronomist, stressed upon the cultivation of short duration rice varieties like PR-121, PR-126, PR-124 and PR-122 for better management of paddy straw.

Dr Jasvir Singh Gill, Assistant Agronomist, discussed the ill effects of paddy straw burning and benefits of use of paddy straw management machinery. Later, he also answered the queries of the farmers.

Dr Dharminder Singh, an extension specialist, advised the farmers to adopt custom hiring approach for use of paddy straw management machinery.

Mr Parveen Bhatia, DDM, explained various schemes of NABARD for the welfare of farmers.

A field visit of the farmers was also conducted to show the wheat crop sown with different paddy straw management techniques.