LUDHIANA: With light to moderate rain expected in the next 2-3 days, farmer have been advised not to irrigate and spray their crops.Field functionaries from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) told farmers to start transplanting of basmati varieties CSR 30, Basmati 370, Basmati 386 and Pusa Basmati 1509 during the period. They have been advised to treat seedling with bavistin for 6 hours before transplanting. Additionally, farmers have been told to apply irrigation two days after the pond water had infiltrated into the soil in paddy fields that has to be done 15 days after transplanting and proper care are should be taken of the fields so , it does not develop cracks.The PAU advisers have instructed the farmers to drain out excess water from the cotton field and apply remaining half nitrogen dose at flowering stage. They also added that 4 sprays of 2% potassium nitrate should be given at weekly interval starting from flowering.For, parawilt attack in cotton due to heavy rains, farmers have been told to spray 1 gram cobalt chloride, a chemical in 100 litres of water within 24 hours of attack and for maize. It has been advised that the farmers don’t allow water to stagnate as this crop was highly sensitive to standing water and promoted bacterial stalk rot and spray laudis to control weeds at 20-day-old maize crop.This goes same for vegetables and fruits , excess rain water has to be drained out from the vegetable and fruit orchard. The PAU scientists said, “It is optimum time to sow okra, bottle gourd, sponge gourd, bitter gourd, ash gourd, wanga and cowpea-263. Farmers can also grow nursery of early cauliflower brinjal and tomato varieties Punjab Varkha Bahar-4, Punjab Varkha-1 and Punjab Verkha-2 during this period.’Furthermore, farmers should save the animals from ticks, flies, lice during rainy season, wounds should be protected from flies to avoid maggot's infestation. Animals shed should be dry, airy and well ventilated.

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