Farmers sow wheat on crop residue

Nitish Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Ambala, November 1

While stubble burning continues to be a major issue, nearly 2,000 hectares in Ambala will be covered under wheat crop without removing and burning the paddy residue this year.

Scientists at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tepla, have managed to persuade farmers to sow wheat in nearly 10 villages, including Kardhan, Ghelri, Samlehri, Rampur, Tepla, Rancheri, Rattanehri, Sapeda, and Khuda Kalan, without removing and burning the paddy residue. Farmers prefer to burn the residue as it interferes with tillage and seeding operations for the next crop.

Earlier trials

The first trial was done two years ago on 250 acres and after its success, the area was increased to 500 hectares last year. This year, it has been increased to 2,000 hectares.

The first trial was done two years ago on just 250 acres and after success the area was increased to 500 hectares last year and this year it has been increased to 2,000 hectares.

Guru Prem, subject specialist at KVK, said: “We have been persuading farmers to sow wheat without removing the residue as it will provide the land with adequate moisture and also a cover to the seeds. Burning it results in the loss of plant nutrients and organic carbon of the soil and thus deteriorates the soil health. Some changes were made in the happy seeder (new-generation planters) to sow the wheat in residue. During study, the scientists found that the weed density was less and crop lodging did not occur in the crop residue management plots during the last irrigation.”

He said: “About 70 per cent quantity of the fertiliser remains in the residue and by mixing the residue back into the soil would decrease the requirement of fertiliser. The paddy residue will get decomposed within one-and-a-half month. Some farmers have their own perceptions and they make different excuses and don’t want to change their conventional methods of farming.”

“Some farmers have been opposing the new techniques just to show their resentment against the three farm Bills, but we have been making efforts to persuade them. They are being told that the cost of cultivation can be reduced by adopting the new methods and it can also save water by 20-25 per cent,” he said.