Ludhiana, April 5
The weather is expected to remain dry with the possibility of isolated cloudy conditions over Punjab during the next two or three days. The daily maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to range between 28 and 30 oC and 13-15oC, respectively. Relative humidity is likely to remain around 60-70% during these days.

The wheat crop is at physiological maturity stage. Last irrigation to late sown wheat crop should be given in this week. Do not irrigate on windy or stormy day.

Sugarcane growers should complete the sowing of sugarcane. Use recommended varieties i.e. COJ-85, COJ-83, COJ-64, COJ-88, COS-8436 for midseason and COJ-89 and CO-1148 for late maturing variety.

The seed selected for planting should be free from diseases like red rot, wilt, smut, ratoon stunting and grassy shoot. Disinfect cane sets in 0.5 per cent (500 g in 100 litre of water) agallol 3% or 0.25 per cent (250 g in 100 litre of water) solution of aretan 6%/ bagallol 6% / emisan 6%.

Sugarcane may be planted after applying 65 kg urea per acre.

As far as summer pulses go, it is time for sowing summer moong (SML-668) and summer mash (sathe mash,i.e. mash-414 or mash-218). Use 15 kg seed per acre for summer moong and 20 kg per acre for summer mash. Apply 11 kg urea and 100 kg super phosphate at the time of sowing. If mash or moong follows potato, there is no need to apply any fertilisers to these crops.

It is the optimum time for sowing of summer fodder to meet the fodder scarcity during summer lean period. This is also an ideal time to sow guinea grass and napier bajra.

For vegetable and fruit cultivators it is right time to sow Bhindi.

They should use 8-10 kg seed per acre.

Sowing should be done on ridges facing southern side by maintaining 45 cm spacing between ridges and 15 cm between plants. Complete the transplanting of chilli seedlings in the field. To control diamond back moth on cauliflower/cabbage spray with 300-400 ml of ekalux 25 EC or thiodan 35 EC per acre. The same insecticides will also control the tobacco caterpillar on these crops.

To control pea leaf miner in pea, spray 400 ml Rogor 30 EC in 80 -100 litres of water at the beginning of the attack.

In ber crop, the farmers ought to check the fruit fly by spraing 500 ml rogar 30 EC in 300 litres of water at fortnightly interval. Spraying of rogar should be stopped at least two weeks before picking of ber.

To check citrus psylla, citrus leaf miner and white fly spray 1000 ml metasystox or 1250 ml of rogor 30 EC in 500 litres of water on spring flush before opening of the flowers. Spray the fruit plants on clear day.

In grapes anthracnose can be problem and to check this melody spray the crop with 100 gm Baviston in 100 litres of water. For controlling grape vine thrip spray the crop with 500 gm malathion in 500 litre of water. 

Ludhiana April 
Punjab Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor K.S. Aulakh has emphasised the need to develop appropriate engineering technologies for crop production, post-harvest operations, soil and water management and utilisation of renewable energy sources in agriculture.

He was speaking on the occasion of releasing the "Proceedings and Recommendations of 20th National Convention of Agricultural Engineers and National Seminar on Farm Mechanisation for Diversification of Agriculture" on the campus here today.

Aulakh said it was the most relevant issue in today's times as mechanisation must go in consonance with diversification in agriculture.

With the rising labour expenses, increasing input costs, lowering income growth rate and depleting national resources, agriculture had reached a saturation point in the state and mechanisation can help rejuvenate the rural economy, he remarked.

Though the PAU had helped in making Punjab a front-runner in farm mechanisation, there was a need to focus on fine-tuning machinery relevant to crops suggested for diversification.

He exhorted upon the industry to constitute a synergistic relationship with the research institutions which would, in turn, be beneficial for agriculture as well as the industry itself.

Help from the industry, on the lines of the West, would lend a new lease of life to often cash-strapped research institutions, he added.

Aulakh pointed out that farm mechanisation focused on tillage and sowing, crop husbandry, post-harvest handling and processing of these crops would augment better net returns for the farmers and growers.

Towards the end of the function, vote of thanks was proposed by S.S. Ahuja, head, Department of Farm, Power and Machinery, PAU. 

Ludhiana, April 5
The Renewable Energy Club (REC) of the Ludhiana College of Engineering and Technology (LCET) organised a guest lecture on ‘Renewable Energy and its Uses’ for the faculty and students of the college here recently. The resource person was Dr K D Mannan, vice-principal, Sant Baba Bhag Singh Engineering College, Padhiana.

The lecture was organised with the aim of acquainting the faculty and students with the importance of renewable energy and how to make effective use of it for domestic and commercial purposes in the present era of the acute shortage of power, as the rate of per capita consumption of energy in India was doubling in almost nine years.

He told the audience that the thermal usage of solar energy included water heating, cooking, air heating, refrigeration, air conditioning and power production. During the question and answer session, Dr Mannan stated that the renewable energy was used on a very large scale these days for three commercial purposes ie. biomass gasification, cooking and heating and the production of electricity through photovoltaic cells.

Dr Mannan also described the working and efficiency levels of solar cooker and solar water heater. He emphasised all present to introduce appliances, which used solar energy at least in their houses as a first step in this direction.

LCET Principal Dr J.S. Sohal appreciated the efforts of the members of the Renewable Energy Club for organising the seminar and thanked the resource person for the lecture.

Ludhiana, April 5
Under the Sarb Sikhya Abhiyan of the Punjab Government, the midday meal scheme has started in Ramgarhia Elementary School, Miller Ganj.

It was a joyous occasion for the students as they got midday meals from the school.

Ranjodh Singh, president Ramgarhia Educational Council, inaugurated the programme.

About 523 kids were served. The head teacher, Amar Pal Singh, principal Raja Singh and Kamaljit Kaur of Ramgarhia Senior Secondary School were also present on the occasion.