PAU gets Rs300 cr, to focus on fertiliser application methods

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 18

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) aims to focus on new methods of fertiliser application and irrigation system with the Punjab government announcing a grant of Rs 300 crore for it in the state Budget.

Dr BS Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, said he was happy over the grant. “A sum of Rs 310 crore was announced in 2014, Rs 270 crore in 2013 and Rs 184 crore in 2012,” he said.

“We will take forward the programmes started by us during the last financial year. Sustainable development of agriculture and developing new varieties that can sustain climatic conditions and agro processing were the thrust areas last year. We will focus on new methods of fertiliser application and means of irrigation,” said Dr Dhillon.

“Fertigation is a method of fertiliser application in which fertiliser is incorporated in the drip irrigation system. In this system, fertiliser solution is distributed evenly in irrigation. The availability of nutrients is high. Both liquid and water soluble fertiliser are used. By this method, fertiliser use efficiency is increased from 80 to 90 per cent,” he said.

“Drip irrigation is the today’s need because water is not going to be unlimited and free forever. World water resources are fast diminishing. The answer lies in the drip irrigation system,” he said.

“Besides focusing on wheat and rice, the PAU would be focusing on the development of fodder crops as more farmers are adopting dairy farming. We will intensify our work on potato crop as well,” he added.

Training workshops and awareness programmes on stubble problem will be conducted from time to time. The PAU is apprising farmers of how stubble can be used for making compost and ploughed back.

Forty percent of the country’s total mushroom production comes from Punjab and stubble heaps could be used in its cultivation.