Apply only recommended dose of urea, say experts

A team of officials of the Agriculture Department, including Chief Agriculture Officer Baljinder Singh Bhullar and Joint Director Agriculture (Cash Crops) Tejpal Singh, on Tuesday conducted an inspection of fertiliser sales centres, warehouses and records of fertiliser wholesalers in the district.

The inspection aimed to monitor the supply of urea fertiliser by wholesalers to retail dealers in the district. During the inspection, it was noted that some videos on social media are promoting unscientific methods of applying urea fertiliser in paddy and maize crops.

Joint Director Agriculture (Cash Crops) Tejpal Singh expressed concern that some farmers might try to adopt these unscientific methods and appealed to farmers to use fertilisers only as per the recommendations of Punjab Agriculture University and the advice of agricultural experts.

Chief Agriculture Officer Baljinder Singh Bhullar advised farmers to apply 90 kg of urea fertiliser per acre in three equal instalments for paddy crops. The first instalment should be applied seven days after sowing, the second instalment 21 days after sowing, and the third instalment 42 days after sowing.

For parmal varieties like PR 126, the fertiliser instalments should be applied after 7, 21, and 35 days. For the new parmal rice variety PR 132, 25 per cent less fertiliser should be applied, he added.

Applying more urea fertiliser than the recommended amount can lead to increased plant height, lodging and reduced yield, said Bhullar, adding that excessive urea use can also increase the attack of insects and diseases, thereby increasing farming costs and reducing yields.