After the Punjab government faced the wrath of farmers over the cotton crop failure, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is leaving nothing to chance ahead of the impending wheat sowing season.
In a bid to ensure that farmers get maximum profits from their produce, the PAU has asked them to go in for a varietal mosaic and diversify from the predominance of wheat variety HD 2967 as some diseases like yellow rust and ‘Karnal bunt’ were observed on this variety in several fields during the last crop season.
N.S. Bains, senior plant breeder at PAU, has advised farmers to adopt new varieties especially PBW 677, HD 3086 and WH 1105 for cultivation under irrigated timely sown conditions. “These new varieties possess higher grain yield as well as resistance to major diseases like yellow rust.” he said.
Dr. Bains suggested that to avoid risks associated with mono-culture, every farmer should grow more than one variety in his field.
The entire area on which a farmer plans to plant wheat should not be brought under just one variety. Besides, good quality certified and tested seed of these varieties should be procured from recognised agencies, he said.
In a tip to farmers who have self-saved seed available with them from the harvest of the previous season, Dr. Bains said they should not use the seeds for sowing in case more than five infected grains with ‘Karnal bunt’ disease are observed per 1,000 grains.
R.S. Sidhu, director of Extension Education, PAU, said the choice of a suitable variety was an important factor for determining crop productivity and farmers’ profitability. Hence, farmers of the State are advised to grow PAU recommended wheat varieties, he said.
Source : The Hindu
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