Agromet Advisory Bulletin for the State of Punjab
Bulletin No. 13/2015
issued on Friday
13.02.2015 To 16.02.2015
Part A: Realized and forecast weather
Summary of past weather over the State during (10th to 12th February):
Coldwave conditions prevailed at isolated places on 12th . Weather remained dry during the rest
period.
Maximum temperatures were between 21-23OC which were 02-03OC above normal. Minimum
temperatures were between 06-08OC which were near normal.
Chief amounts of rainfall in cms: Nil.
Lowest Minimum Temperature: 4.2OC, 4.8OC and 3.9OC at Amritsar on 10th , 11th and 12th
February respectively.
State forecast valid until 0830 hrs. of 17.02.2015: Weather would be dry during the period.
Mist/shallow fog may occur at few places during night and morning hours.
Outlook for subsequent two days: Dry weather.
Part B
Crop information and Agromet Advisories
Stages of the major kharif/Rabi crops
(Crop stages and state as collected from AMFUs and State Department of Agriculture, Punjab)
Name of crop
Wheat
Sugarcane
Fruits
Vegetables
Kharif Pulses
Barseem/Fodder
Rapeseed/Mustard
Stage
Tillering/Booting
Sowing
Planting/Small fruits
Seed
sowing/vegetative
Vegetative
Vegetative
Flowering
Crop Advisories and Plant Protection:
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Wheat: Under prolonged cloudy weather, aphids may harm by discolouration of wheat leaves. Spray 40ml
of imidacloprid 200 SL or 20g of thiamethoxam 25 WG or 12g of Dantop (clothianidin 50 WDG) or 150ml
of Rogor 30 EC (dimethoate) or Metasystox 25 EC (oxydemeton methyl) in 80-100 litres of water/acre using
knap sack sprayer or in 30 litres of water/acre with power sprayer.
Sugarcane: Farmers are advised to start sowing of recommended sugarcane varieties like CoJ-85, CoJ-83,
CoJ-64 (early maturing), COH-119, CoJ-88, CoS-8436 for and CoJ-89 (mid season). The sets selected for
planting should be free from diseases.
Animal Husbandry: Dry bedding to animals helps to save them from cold. Entry of very cold winds inside
the shed should be minimized. Keep the animals under roof in night and in the sun during the day time. Do
not apply milk for lubrication of teats after milking. To avoid cracking or fissuring of teats in cold dry
weather clean the teats with warm water and apply ghee or butter or teat dips (glycerine Providone Iodine
1:8) after every milking. Feed well chaffed berseem mixed with wheat straw to avoid Aphara. Vaccinate
animals against FMD and repeat after six months or yearly as required. Deworming should be done in calves
especially against Ascariasis/Malap with piperazine liquid 4 ml/ 10 kg body weight. New born calves need
special care in cold weather. They are susceptible to Pneumonia and large numbers of them die due to this
disease. Keep them warm by providing clean and dry bedding. Give them vitamin ‘A’ concentrate 1 ml daily
in milk for three days to be repeated after a month.
Poultry: Provide the curtains at windows in poultry sheds. The temperature should not go below 60º F
inside the poultry sheds and suitable measures like doubling of curtains should be taken. Keep the chicks
warm by giving them artificial heat according to age. For the first week internal temperature of the shed
should be 90-95º F and it should decrease 5º F per week or according to weather conditions. Poultry ration
should have more energy. Increase cereals by 5-8% in the ration by reducing the rice bran. Add coccidiostat
in the ration to prevent its occurrence. Do not store the feed for more than 15 days.
Fruits: It is the right time for planting of deciduous plants namely Peach, Palm, Pear and Gap. Apply
farmyard manure and inorganic fertilizers (Superphosphae and Murate of Potash) in Peach, Palm and Pear.
The incidence of the Powdery mildew disease may be reduced by spraying the ber plantation with karathane
40 EC @ 50 ml or Bayleton 25 WP 50 g per 100 litres of water. The South-West side should be left open to
allow sufficient light.
Vegetables: Under clear and dry weather forecast for next five days, cucurbit growers are advised to
complete the sowing of summer squash.
Rapeseed Mustard: This time weather is conducive for severe attack of mustard aphid. Monitor the crop
regularly, if pest population reaches to ETL, spray the crop with Actara 25 WG @40g /acre. If crop is raised
for vegetable (saag) purpose, use Malathion only @ 400g/acre. Wait for one week after spraying to pluck
saag. Spraying should be done in the afternoon when the pollinators are less active.
Fodder: First cutting of early sown oats may be taken during this month to meet the fodder scarcity. Avoid
taking 2 cuttings from oats where heavy infestation of the Poa is there Lucerne cutting can be adjusted to
provide fodder during the lean months.
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Honey Bee: After prolonged cloudy, foggy as well as rainy spell, the honey bee colonies may suffer from
shortage of stored honey. Under such circumstances, the colonies should be given feeding of concentrated
sugar syrup (2 parts sugar: 1 part water).