Follow recommendations, PAU experts advice farmers

Ludhiana: During the PAU live programme today, Dr KS Suri, Senior Entomologist, advised the farmers to survey the wheat crop and follow PAU recommendations for the management of jassid in wheat. Farmers should contact PAU experts or their nearby Krishi Vigyan Kendras for the technical know-how of the management of jassid. Dr Pratibha Vyas, a microbiology expert, highlighted the importance of biofertilisers and their use in various crops. “The use of biofertilizers improves soil health,” she said, while advising the farmers to follow precautionary measures during their use. She also informed that the biofertilisers are available at Seed Shop, near Gate No. 1, Ludhiana campus and at Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Farm Advisory Service Centres in different districts. Fruit Science expert Dr MS Gill explained in detail the plantation of seasonal fruits and different fruit varieties developed by PAU.

PAU bags patent for novel electric soil disinfestator

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has bagged the patent for a novel electric soil disinfestation process developed with an objective to get rid of soil-borne pathogens in an efficient, rapid and eco-friendly manner. The innovators behind the concept are a father-son duo, Dr Sandeep Jain, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, along with his father OP Jain as co-inventor. Dr Narinder Singh, Head, Department of Plant Pathology, said this is the first patent granted to any technology generated in the Department of Plant Pathology since inception and overall 13th at the PAU. This has opened a new window to the non-chemical management of plant diseases, he added. Dr Jain highlighted that the soil borne plant diseases like damping-off, root rots, root knot, collar rot, etc. are serious problems in several crops particularly in vegetable based cropping systems. In protected structures like polyhouses or nethouses, such problems are even more stubborn and sometimes cause total failure of crops. Routine measures for control of such menaces like application of synthetic fungicides or fumigants prove costly, have limited efficacy and impose negative ecological impacts, he observed. In the newly designed approach, thermal death point of pathogensis attained quickly, safely and conveniently in an automatically controlled manner using electrical energy on-site. Moreover, unlike some other physical control methods, it is season-neutral, he said.

Agricultural Information Centre set up Bihla village

The Department of Extension Education, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), has set up an Agricultural Information Centre in the Bihla village, block Pakhowal, district Ludhiana, with an objective of disseminating recommended agricultural information to the rural community. The centre has been established under the guidance of Directorate of Extension Education, PAU. The event was held in collaboration with the State Department of Agriculture. Various agricultural models along with the PAU literature were displayed in this centre to familiarise rural community with various researches of the PAU. Dr Kuldeep Singh, Head, Department of Extension Education, highlighted the importance of scientific agriculture and called upon the farmers to diversify their cropping pattern. Referring to the processing of agriculture produce, he advised the progressive farmers to establish processing centre in the society. Dr Lakhwinder Kaur, Extension Scientist, discussed the importance of information centre in strengthening research extension linkages. — TNS

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