‘Unburnt’ stubble improves soil moisture, crop yield: Experts

Parvesh Sharma

Sangrur, March 4

At a time when the rising temperature poses a threat to the growth of wheat, farmers, who have sown wheat without burning the paddy stubble through happy seeder and surface seeding, say their crop is growing without any problem.

Protects wheat from high temperature

The layer of unburnt stubble formed on the base of wheat helps in maintaining moisture for a month. It protects the crop from the impact of high temperature. Daljinder Singh, a farmer

Reason is the unburnt stubble has formed a layer over the roots of wheat and the rising temperature is likely to have a minimum impact on the crop.

The authorities of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and the Agriculture Department have also confirmed that unburnt stubble protected crops from adverse affects of high temperature. The authorities said in the past also, the presence of such layer had helped the crop to beat the heat.

“The layer of unburnt stubble formed on the base of my wheat helps in maintaining moisture for a long time. In other words, I can say that once after irrigation, my wheat crop is able to maintain moisture for around a month. It protects the crop from the impact of high temperature and sun rays,” said Daljinder Singh, a farmer from Chathe Nakte village.

He has been sowing wheat on 17 acres without burning stubble for the past 12 years. Dr Makhan Singh Bhuller, Head of the Agronomy Department of the PAU, also confirmed the development.

“I have not burnt stubble since 2007 and using happy seeder for many years. The crop production has increased. Even last year, when a majority of farmers witnessed a fall in per acre yield, I got 20 quintals of wheat per acre.The layer of unburnt stubble helps in plant growth and protects it from high temperature,” said Dharminder Dhillon, a farmer from Ugrahan village.

Sangrur Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Harbans Singh said unburnt fields provided protection from the rising temperature. “As per the feedback of farmers, the layer of stubble helps in maintaining moisture for a long time and protects crops from rising temperature,” said the CAO.

Another farmer Jaspreet Singh from Loharmajra village said he had been sowing crops on over 21 acres without buring crop residue for the last eight years.