Agromet Advisory Bulletin for the State of Punjab
Bulletin No. 32/2015
issued on Tuesday
21.04.2015 To 23.04.2015
Part A: Realized and forecast weather
Summary of past weather over the State during (17th to 20th April):
Heat wave conditions prevailed at many places on 20th. Rainfall occurred at few places on 17th.
Weather remained dry during the rest period.
Maximum temperatures were between 35-37OC which were near normal. Minimum temperatures were
between 18-20OC which were 02-03OC above normal.
Chief amounts of rainfall in cms: 17th – Moga 3, Barnala and Gurdaspur 2 each, Taran Tarn(AWS),
Mukerian, Sangrur, Shahpur Kandi, Madhopur, Sunam, Jalandhar(AWS), Ludhiana, Jagraon, Tibri and
Phangota 1 each.
Highest Maximum Temperature: 27.6OC at Amritsar on 17th ; 34.1OC, 36.8OC & 40.3OC at Patiala
on 18th , 19th and 20th April respectively.
State forecast valid until 0830 hrs. of 24.04.2015: Weather would be mainly dry during the
period. Increase in maximum and minimum temperature. Heat wave conditions would develop in
some parts during the period.
Outlook for subsequent two days: Mainly 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
Summer Pulses
Barseem/Fodder
Sunflower
Stage
Harvesting
Sowing
Planting/Small fruits
Seed
sowing/vegetative
sowing
Vegetative
seedlings
Crop Advisories and Plant Protection:
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Wheat: Harvest the mature crop and dry up to recommended moisture level before storage.
Sugarcane: Complete sowing of sugarcane during this period and use recommended varieties i.e. CoJ-85,
CoJ-83, CoJ-64 (early maturing), CoPb-91, COH-119, CoJ-88, CoS-8436 for mid season and CoJ-89 for late
maturing. The seed selected for planting should be free from red rot, wilt, smut, ratoon stunting and grassy
shoot disease. Disinfect cane sets by dipping in 0.25% solution of Bagalol 6 % or Emisan 6 % or Tilt 25 EC
(250g or ml in 100 litres of water) before planting. One row of summer moong/summer mash or mentha can
be intercropped without any adverse effect on the cane crop.
Sunflower: Control of Cutworm in Sunflower: The insect is serious in the month of March-April in the
fields where sunflower is grown after potato crop. The caterpillar cut the seedlings at the ground level. To
avoid cutworm damage in the germinating seeding sow the crop on ridges. If the crop is sown on flat soil
apply two liters of Dursban/Radar 20 EC (chlorpyriphos) per acre before sowing by mixing in 10Kg fine soil
and broadcast it uniformly in the field after last ploughing but before planking.
Maize: The farmers who have sown maize in end March or April are advised to look for the attack of maize
borer. Remove and destroy the plants showing severe borer injury, while hoeing the crop. Spray the crop 2-3
weeks after sowing or as soon as borer injury is noticed with 40 ml Sumicidin 20 EC (fenvalerate) or
Ripcord 10 EC (cypermethrin) or 80 ml Decis 2.8 EC (deltamethrin) using 60 litres water per acre.
Summer Pulses: Try to complete the sowing of Sathi moong and Sathi Mash during this week.
Animal Husbandry: Summer is approaching. So take adequate steps to protect the animals from summer
heat and stress. Keep the animal and poultry sheds clean and dry. Regularly deworm the calves with
piperazine liquid (4ml kg body weight) first at 10 days of age, then 15 days of age and then monthly upto 3
months of age and then 4 monthly upto 1 year of age. Make sure that all the animals are vaccinated against
FMD. Increase protein level in the concentrate by increasing oilseed cakes by 5-7 per cent. Do not feed
excess wheat/cereal to dairy animals. This can be fatal. It is best time to replace the stock. Reduce the
thickness of litter and change the wet litter. Provide the cool and fresh water to birds. Provide sufficient
water to avoid excess movement of birds. Proper vaccination schedule must be followed. White wash the
poultry shed from outside especially roof. This will help to reflect the sun rays.
Poultry: Vaccinate the chicks of 6-8 weeks of age with Ranikhet disease vaccine followed by fowl pox
vaccine at 8-10 weeks of age. Deworm the pullets at 3 months of age and then regularly at one month
interval.
Vegetables: Irrigate the tomato crop once a week to encourage maximum fruit setting and development of
fruits. Take care of Kharif onion nursery sown in March and irrigate regularly after 5-7 days interval.
Transplant seedlings of chilli in the afternoon keeping ridges at 75 cm and plants at 60 cm distance and apply
light irrigation immediately. Onion thrips feed on foliage and produce white spots followed by curling - a
condition known as “Silver Top”. Spray 250 ml of Malathion 50 EC in 80 litres of water per acre as soon as
the pest appears. Use onion only after 7 days of spray. Cucurbits: To check downy mildew in cucurbits,
spray the crop with Indofil M-45 or Kavach @ 300-600 g in 100-200 litres of water. Repeat the spray at
weekly intervals.
Fruits/Horticulture: During this month there is a marked change in weather. The growers are advised to
adopt the measures to save their valuable fruit trees from drought, windstorm and sun injury. White wash the
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trunk, provide shelter to young trees and give light and frequent irrigation to young as well as bearing fruit
trees. As the temperature is rising, the incidence of sucking pests may increase. To control citrus psylla spray
Rogor 30 EC 1250 ml or Confidor 17.8 SL @ 200 ml or Actara 25 WG @ 160 g in 500 litre water. Apply
frequent irrigation. To check pathological fruit drop in citrus, give one spray ziram27 SC (1250 ml)+2,4-D
sodium salt horticulture grade (5 gm) or propiconazole 25 EC (500 ml)+ 2,4-D (5 gm) or Bavistin 50 WP
(500 gm)+2,4-D (5 gm).
Fodder crop: It is the optimum time to sow early summer and multicut fodder crops such as maize, bajra
and sorghum during this month to meet the fodder scarcity during summer lean period. This is also an ideal
time to sow Guinea Grass and Napier Bajra.