Prolonged foggy weather has adversely affected vegetable and fruit crops. Though it has also caused discolouration of wheat leaves, agriculture experts feel this is a temporary effect and the plants will recover once sunny weather resumes.
Reports from northern states, which have been in the grip of heavy fog for several days, indicate that horticultural crops, including vegetables and fruits and flowering plants, especially in the nurseries, have shown signs of stunted growth and even initiation of withering in some cases.
In the case of wheat, the main rabi crop in most parts of the fog-hit Indo-Gangetic plain, the reports indicate that the plant leaves, especially the tips of the leaves, have begun turning yellow. According to M S Gill, extension education director of the Ludhiana-based Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the analysis of these leaves in the University’s Plant Clinic has confirmed that the yellowing is due to prolonged cold and foggy weather and not any disease or nutrient deficiency as some farmers believe it to be.
He has advised the farmers against needless spraying of pesticides or nutrient solutions on the plants, as that will not cure these symptoms. The problem is more acute on the PBW-343 variety which has been used widely in Punjab and adjoining wheat-growing states. The crops in fields, which have remained moist for longer periods, have been affected the most.
PAU experts point out that discolouration of the wheat leaves would be cured automatically when the weather improves. On the whole, cold weather is deemed beneficial for wheat as it helps in improved tillering (number of shoots per plant).
Meanwhile, the latest data on rabi sowing (till January 21) collected by the agriculture ministry indicates that wheat acreage has expanded to 27.6 million hectares this year, about 100,000 hectares more from last year. The increase is accounted for mainly by higher plantings in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand.
Rabi pulses, notably gram, urad and moong, have also been planted on larger acreage, reflecting the farmers’ response to the prevailing high prices of these pulses. The total area seeded with pulse crops is estimated at 13.6 million hectares, up 0.8 million hectares from last season’s 12.8 million hectares. The standing crops are reported to be in good shape.
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The area planted under oilseed crops is, however, down by about half a million hectares to 8.7 million hectares from last year’s 9.2 million hectares. This is attributed to liberal imports and the government’s move to sell edible oils at subsidised prices to keep the prices down.
Both the major rabi oilseed crops, rapeseed-mustard and sunflower, have witnessed sharp decline in sowing. Only rabi groundnut has gained, albeit marginally, in area. The sowing season for rabi oilseed crops is over.
Coarse cereals have been the major losers, with their total plantings being only around 62.7 million hectares, down 4 million hectares from last year’s 66.6 million hectares. Only sorghum, which is now in demand from the malt industry, has been grown on larger acreage. The other major rabi coarse cereals, including jowar and maize, have been planted on lower acreage.