Ludhiana: Simultaneous paddy harvesting, wheat sowing to curb farm fire, says PAU expert
The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is piloting a project aimed at eliminating paddy straw burning by simultaneously sowing wheat during paddy harvest using a surface seeder attached to a combine harvester. This technique mulches the paddy straw and spreads it on the ground, saving time, money, and reducing equipment use. The initiative is being tested in Gurdaspur, with farmers reporting positive results. The project also aims to address pollution caused by crop residue burning.
The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is running a pilot project under which, it claims, paddy straw burning will not be required at all as wheat will be sown simultaneously at the time of paddy harvest. This includes a surface seeder attached to a combine harvester.
Dr Jasbir Gill, who is heading the project, said that after the paddy is harvested, wheat seeds are sown with the surface seeder and that paddy straw is mulched and spread over the ground, all-in-one go. This not only takes stubble burning out of the picture but also reduces the amount of equipment and input required between the two crops.
Most of the farmers who resort to burning crop residue claim that there is a short time window between paddy harvest and wheat sowing, forcing them to set the stubble in their fields on fire.
A few farmers associated with a farmers’ group in Gurdaspur are carrying out this pilot. “This is a very innovative technique. This is the first time we are using this. Harvesting and sowing are done simultaneously. This saves both time and money,” said Gurbinder Singh Bajwa, a farmer from the group.
The group, which has been active since 2015, is working on crop residue management with an aim to end straw burning. Earlier, the group, Bajwa said, used happy seeder from the PAU to sow wheat and then cover it with mulching using a cutter and spreader.
Paddy straw burning is a dreaded environmental hazard which leads to abnormally high pollution level in the time period between the two crops. This year a thick blanket of smog covered the region due to the pollution from straw burning.
This process takes tilling completely out of the picture, said Dr Gill. He also revealed that there was a hearing going on in the Supreme Court in response to a PIL seeking to make the attachment of sowing machines to all combine harvesters to do away with the problem of paddy straw burning.
“When we were asked about our thinking on the matter, we asked for conducting pilots on the technique to further perfect it before rolling out on a larger scale,” he added.
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Source Link : Hindustan Times
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