Field Day On Moisture Conservation Practices

Ludhiana, March 28, 2017: Regional Research Station (PAU), Ballowal Saunkhri organized a field day onin-situ moisture conservation practices for rainfed crop production. The field day which was attended by the progressive farmers of Kandi region primarily focused on raising wheat and other rabi crops under rainfed conditions by adopting moisture conservation technologies. Dr. Manmohanjit Singh, Director, RRS Ballowal Saunkhri disclosed that the station has developed techniques for efficient use of limited available water in Kandi region of Punjab. He appealed the farmers to adopt crops and crop varieties having low water requirement as total annual rainfall is declining in the region. He advised the farmers to adopt the location specific rainfed technologies developed at RRS Ballowal Saunkhri in order to obtain sustainable crop production. He emphasised on the need to shift towards integrated farming by adopting subsidiary enterprises like dairy farming, mushroom, beekeeping, goatery etc to meet their household requirement. Dr.Vivek Sharma welcomed the participating farmers from the adjoining villages of the Kandi area. Dr. Vijay Kumar, Assistant Plant Breeder, emphasised on growing improved varieties of rainfed crops. He told that wheat variety PBW 660 not only gives higher yield under rainfed conditions but its chapatti making quality is also very good. Dr Anil Khokhar, Assistant Agronomist, highlighted the various in-situ and ex-situ moisture conservation techniques for assured rainfed crop production. He motivated the farmers to adopt in-situ moisture conservation practices like laser land levelling, summer ploughing, ridge planting, bed planting, earthing up (haloding), post monsoon moisture conservation after the harvest of kharif crops. The farmers were taken around the experimental area and demonstration plots showing the promosing results of rainfed technologies involving rainfed varieties of wheat (PBW 660), Chickpea (PBG 7), taramira (TMLC-2) etc. In the end, Dr. D.S. Rana, Economist presented a vote of thanks to all the invitees.

Dr. Yogesh Khokhar, Assistant Horticulturist, Dr. K. K. Sharma, Assistant Plant Pathologist, Dr Balakrishna Sopan Bhople, Assistant Soil Chemist, Dr. Saresh N.V.,Assistant Silviculturist, Er. Abrar Yousuf, Assistant Agricultural Engineer and Dr. Parminder Singh Sandhu, Assistant Agronomist also participated in the discussion with the farmers.