Right time to harvest wheat if it does not rain: PAU experts
The temperature these days hovers around 35°C and is conducive for the maturing of the wheat crop standing in the fields. Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh, has issued a yellow alert for tomorrow and forecast light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms and gusty winds, worrying the farmers.
Rain now can prove disastrous both standing and harvested crop. It can lead to lodging, increasing the moisture content in the standing crop, and can create problems for the farmers if they do not have access to sheltered storage facilities.
Dr MS Bhullar, Director of Extension Education, Punjab Agricultural University, said the temperature currently is perfect for the standing wheat crop as it will help in reaping it properly.
“Rain or wind at this point can prove fatal for the crop as it will flatten it and will also increase the moisture,” said Dr Bhullar.
A worried farmer, Gurbachan Singh from Koom Kalan village, said he is yet to harvest the crop and is waiting for the grain to ripe. “I will harvest the crop in the coming week. God be kind and it will not rain, otherwise it will cause huge damage,” he said.
Kulwinder Singh, who has reaped his crop but the produce is yet to be lifted, is also worried because rain can dampen the wheat.
In general, the wheat crop is at the grain-filling, near-maturity stage and experts have advised the farmers to not irrigate it in order to prevent lodging.
“Apply one spray of salicylic acid by dissolving 15g salicylic acid in 450ml of ethyl alcohol using 200l of water per acre at early milk stage to mitigate the effect of high temperatures at grain filling and to enhance the yield,” said an expert from PAU.
According to experts, farmers should start sowing recommended varieties of cotton — including hybrids like Bt cotton and also irrigate tomato, brinjal, chilli, capsicum and cucurbits — at regular intervals but
avoid overwatering.
According to the Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology of Punjab Agricultural University, the maximum temperature recorded today was 35.4°C while the minimum stood at 20.2°C.
Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney on Thursday directed the district heads of the procurement agencies to expedite the process of wheat lifting from the mandis in the district.
The district has witnessed the arrival of 7,351.4 MT wheat in Ludhiana’s grain markets till date; 76.54 per cent of the produce had been purchased and payments amounting to Rs 4.7 crore had been made to the farmers.
Source Link: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/right-time-to-harvest-wheat-if-it-does-not-rain-pau-experts-612368
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