Focus on saving standing crops in rain-deficient areas

MONSOON WATCH

The south-west monsoon seems in for some significant developments around September 4. While it will be withdrawing from the extreme western Rajasthan, the conditions will be ripe by then for its revival in the rest of the country, barring north-western region.

The agricultural situation is by and large normal in most part of the country except Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and some pockets in Tamil Nadu where the rainfall has been highly deficient in this season so far.

Crops in some areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat were damaged from excessive rains and floods as well. Though there has been a prolonged rainless spell in the major agricultural belt of Punjab, Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh, the standing crops are generally in good shape thanks to irrigation.

The Noida-based National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) has indicated establishment of an east-west "shear zone" about three kms above the sea level around September 4, leading to a possible revival of the monsoon.

However, it will be a weak current to begin with in the southern peninsula. But as the shear zone progressively shifts northwards, it may spread rainfall up to central India in subsequent days.

At the same time, the anti-cyclonic circulation over north-west India is anticipated to endure for three to four days more, indicating unabated dry spell in this agriculturally important region.

Conditions are also described conducive for withdrawal of the monsoon from the extreme west Rajasthan. But the on-going rainfall in the north-eastern states, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim and parts of east coast and south peninsular India is likely to continue for two to three days more.

However, agriculture experts have now begun concentrating on strategies for saving the standing crops in the areas where the rainfall has been deficient since the beginning of the season or are passing through a prolonged dry spell due to the present break in the monsoon.

Among these, west Rajasthan is the worst affected as it is experiencing virtually drought-like conditions. The farmers in this region have been advised to reduce the plant population in their bajra fields by uprooting 20 to 25 per cent of the plants to cope up with drought.

The situation in the unirrigated tracts of Bihar and Jharkhand, too, is not very good. Both these states had received worthwhile rainfall only around the second half of August which is deemed too late to sow the main crop paddy.

The farmers have been suggested to sow alternative crops such as horse gram and niger. The crops in irrigated fields are, however, in fine shape and the farmers have been advised to apply fertilisers to boost yields.

In the north-east, the earlier deficiency in the rainfall has been reduced to a considerable extent thanks to good showers in the past week to ten days.

The situation is expected to improve further in coming few days. Paddy growers in this region have been advised to go in for gap-filling as early as possible to achieve optimum plant density.

Transplanting of Aman rice can be continued, especially in Assam, taking advantage of the current rainy spell. Transplanting of Aman paddy is already in progress in West Bengal.

The farmers have also been advised to keep the fields free of weeds. In case of zinc deficiency, application of about five kg of zinc sulphate or 2.5 kg of lime per hectare is advised.

In the north-western states, the cultivators have been advised to irrigate their paddy fields regularly in view of the prevailing dry weather. Maize growers in Punjab have been asked to complete the sowing as quickly as possible. They can use varieties like Paras and Jh 3459.

Emergence of crop pests and diseases have been reported from some areas though the incidence is only moderate in most places. Cotton and soybean growers in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have been advised by the scientists of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to regularly monitor the fields for red hairy caterpillar infestation.

Their egg masses can be collected and destroyed to arrest population build-up. Chemicals such as methyl parathion, malathion or carbaryl can be sprayed to kill the pests.

Stem girdle beetle can also appear in soyabean fields due to dry weather. These can be controlled by spraying quinalphos pesticide.