• Farm operations for January
  
  

Food requirements in new millennium
By S.C. Dhall

INDIA has made giant strides since Independence in raising food production to keep up with the growing population. Now, as we enter the next millennium, it is worth looking at how far India has come and in seeing what constraints and problems the country may face in the future in continuing to meet the food requirements of a growing population.

Ever-increasing human numbers create a growing demand for food. Even today millions of impoverished people do not have access to the minimum daily food requirements and hence face substandard nutrition and food insecurity. With the millennium, the world has already crossed the six billion mark in population and India is soon going to cross one billion mark by May, 2000. The milestones are a challenge to plan more pro-actively for the country’s future resources availability looking at both how to raise food supply and how to lower the growth in the demand for food.

Most of the population of every state lives in rural areas, varying from almost 90 per cent in Assam and Bihar to 61 per cent in Maharashtra. Most of this rural population is engaged in agricultural related activities (almost 82 per cent). Since the rural populations in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh are increasing rapidly, these states are likely to feel greater pressure on rural land. Moreover, rural land is getting fragmented every time it is passed from one generation to the next. Besides, many farmers are being pushed to become agricultural labourers where they are gainfully employed for only around one-half each year.

In 1950, India was producing 44.3 million tons of cereals, 8.3 million tons of pulses and 5.1 million tons of oil seeds. Agricultural production increased quickly because of the focused attention of the Government to make the country self sufficient in food. Greater Irrigation facilities, more and better fertilisers and better varieties of seed were helpful in ensuring higher production.

Although aggregate food production of cereals has increased by about three times over the past 50 years, protein by 1.5 times, foodgrains by 3.5 times and oil seeds by more than four, the increase in per capita availability has been much less — about 27 per cent increase in per capita availability of foodgrains, 35 per cent in cereals and about two times for edible oils. On the other hand, the per capita availability of protein had dropped to only half of what it was in 1951.

Only about half the cereals produced are consumed by humans.The remaining 50 per cent is distributed between livestock (20 per cent), seed reserves (5 per cent) and losses at different stages of storage in commercial warehouses, retailers and households. With growing prosperity among some groups, there is a growing demand for livestock products and therefore, the percentage of foodgrains used for livestock feed may increase.

It is also noteworthy that Haryana and Punjab — the bread basket of India — have reached very high levels of irrigation, while still having a low level of fragmentation of land holding. Since little land remains to be irrigated and since population growth will cause fragmentation in the future, these states may well see declining productivity in the future.

The Planning Commission has estimated 2,400 and 2,100 calories as the minimum requirement for Indians in rural and urban areas, respectively. However, as shown in the study, recent data point to substantial proportions of the population falling below these requirements.

The deforestation of the planet continues unabated, reducing the capacity of soils and vegetation to absorb and store water. Soil erosion by water and wind due to inappropriate agricultural techniques as well as overuse of scarce resources, particularly overuse of water resources, make every effort to improve food security an even more difficult task. Over-dependence on irrigation may prove unsustainable in the long run as salinisation and waterlogging take prime agricultural land out of use.

Without adequate nutrition individuals, families and societies may face several adverse consequences. Under nourished children adopt behavioural pattern affecting the capacity to work in adulthood. They cannot make productive adults. This low productivity affects their earning ability and makes them poor and hungry, and the vicious cycle of under-nourishment and poverty continuous in the next generation.

The schemes of the Government of India like public distributions system, the food-for work scheme and the integrated child development scheme (ICDS) are still aimed at supplementing the nutrition of those who cannot afford an adequate diet, but need sufficient food to be able to be economically productive.

There is an urgent need to reduce population growth so that the demand for food can be reduced and effectively met. On the other hand policy measures need to be taken so that food supply can be increased to meet the requirement of the poorest of the poor.

Treat seed to check pathogen
By Bipan K. Sharma

SOMETIMES! chemicals are applied to seeds bulbs, corms, tubers and roots to prevent their decay after planting and to control seed-borne and soil- borne plant diseases. Seeds are carriers of some important disease-inciting micro organisms which cause a considerable loss in the yield by producing disease on corps arising from them. At the same time seed-borne pathogens, relatively speaking, are more easily controlled than air-borne or by cheap and effective seed treatment and also in some cases by producing disease-free seed. Use of improved and healthy seeds is a must for obtaining the maximum yields. In a few cases seeds are stored for a few seasons before use so that the pathogens bearing short life may die out.

Seed-treatment fungicides may be classified as seed disinfectants, disinfestants or protectants, according to the location of organisms to be combated. Disinfestants inactivate organisms such as bunt spores that are borne on the surface of the seed. Disinfectants are effective against those located deeper within the seed. Protectants protects the seeds form attack by organisms that are present in the soil. Practically all effective seed treatment materials are disinfectants. Many are also disinfectants and protectant. Fungicide seed treatment may be dry or wet according to the form in which the fungicide is applied to the seed.

It has been estimated that grain and loose smuts of jowar (sorghum), the two main seed-born diseases of this corp, cause up to 5 per cent loss in individual fields and sometimes infection as high as 50 per cent was observed. The diseased seedlings, besides themselves suffering from damage, also produce, in certain cases, abundant quantities of spores which further spread the disease to the healthy plants in a field e.g. brown spot of paddy and anthracnose of chillies. Seeds may also introduce disease causing germs into new area e.g. grain smut of bajra, Karnal bunt of wheat and powdery mildew of carrot. Some of these pathogens which live in soil such as fusarium and verticillium that attack an important crop like cotton causing wilt, if introduced into new areas, make them almost permanently sick.

Some of the seed infections are such that if the infected seeds are consumed they cause disease to man and domestic animals. Examples of such diseases are ergot of bajra and scab of wheat. Consuming ergot mixed bajra grain produced disease in man and domestic animals. Similarly, it is reported that consuming scabbed wheat, even in small quantities, causes food poisoning. Head scab of wheat is responsible also for producing mycotoxins or infected grain that is injurious to both man and farm animals on consumption. Seed treatment with systemic fungicides such as Bavistin protects the seedlings from early infection by the pathogen and reduces the losses caused to germinating seed by avoiding the seedling blight stage. Subsequently, the foot rot infection is also low. Even though the head scab infection gets initiated at the heading stage, yet the farmers are reluctant to take any fungicide spray for fear of unintentional smothering of the crop during the operation of spraying. Thus it is desirable to treat the seed before sowing. In some cases seed infection reduces the market values of the produce. Mixing of normal wheat with grains affected with black point disease will lower its market value. Similarly, wheat grains contaminated with bunt (up to 0.5per cent will give discoloured (some what blackened) flours, thus making it unacceptable.

Chemical control of seed-borne pathogens with fungicides is the cheapest and the easiest method and can be economical even for the capital weak small holders. Therefore, amongst fungicides, those meant for seed therapy are the most widely used ones. Seed treatment can be easily organised by cooperatives or national authorities as part of their seed grading and distribution programme.

When the young plants are protected by seed treatments, they grow more densely and vigorously and the attacks by the pathogens are delayed and thereby, retarding the onset of epidemics and, thus, minimising crop losses without additional chemical treatments by way of spraying or dusting. by systemic seed treatments, certain exclusively seed-borne diseases can be altogether eliminated or their incidence drastically reduced.By extensively adopting seed treatments one can also raise considerably the crop yields.

Moreover seed treatments will increase crop yields even though there is no infection. Seed treatment should be carried out as a routine agricultural practice even if a particular disease has been completely or almost eliminated as suspension of treatment will lead to the reappearance of the disease. For example, such a thing can happen in diseases like hill bunt of wheat and grain smut of jowar.

To be satisfactory, seed treatment has to be effective yet reasonably safe from injury in case of overdosage, economical, readily available, easily applied and chemically stable, and not overly poisonous or disagreeable to operators or corrosive to metal.

Nature cure to nasty weed
By Kishori Lal

AGRICULTURE scientists have claimed that a nature cure has been found to get rid of the most nasty weed ageratum conyzoides, locally known as “neela phulnu”, which has ravaged pastures, forest lands and grazing areas in Himachal Pradesh and its adjoining states.

It also poses a serious problem even for the cultivable land as to weed it out is a difficult as well as time-consuming exercise. It had been a big menace for farmers and scientists alike for a long time.

Now there is a happy news for farmers and farm scientists that this most obnoxious plant is currently plagued with a fatal viral infection.

Mr D.D. Tyagi, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Mandi, says that he was delighted to note during his tour of Dharampur and Gopalpur areas of Sarkaghat subdivision that the leaf vein mosaic virus was decaying the most dangerous weed. The outbreak of this viral affliction on this weed also been reported from some other parts of the district, Mr Tayagi says.

The diseased plants have been sent to HP Krishi Vishvavidyalya, Palampur, for identification of the virus. Now efforts would be made to artificially vaccinate the viral infection into healthy plants in order to destroy them.

The scientists will have to identify the vector, the carrier of the virus to the healthy plants. Till that time the farmers have been advised to collect the extract of the inflicted plants, mix it with water and spray it on the healthy plants. Studies are also required to find out the environmental conditions favourable for the rapid growth of the viral infection in healthy plants.

It has also been found that the leaf vein mosaic found in ageratum conyzoides is identical to that of tobacco mosaic virus. Scientists are surmising that the climatic conditions favourable for tobacco mosaic might also be helpful in the proliferation of the virus in the ageratum conyzoides.

The growth of the three most dangerous weeds — lantana (lal phulnu), ageratum conyzoides (neela phulnu) and the congress grass — have assumed alarming proportions in Himachal Pradesh and the adjoining states. They are poisonous and pose a great health hazard for human beings and animals. The congress grass pollutes the air and causes breathing ailments, studies by doctors have revealed.

The efforts made so far to wipe out these weeds have been lop-sided and have not yielded satisfactory results. HP Krishi Vishavavidyalya had some time back developed and demonstrated a technique to destroy lantana with the financial assistance from HP State Council of Science and Technology in Kangra and Una districts. The results were not bad, but the technique was so costly for the poor farmers that it proved a failure.

Moreover, the growth of these weeds in village common land, forest areas and PWD lands and rapid regeneration goes on as the seeds keep on scattering by the blowing winds.

These weeds can only be eliminated with the financial help of the government and mass involvement of the people.

Farm operations for Jan

Horticulture

— Pruning of deciduous fruit trees like peach, plum and pear should be carried out during January. For grapes the pruning should be initiated in the second fortnight of January and completed by first week of February. — The deciduous fruit plants like peach, plum and bare-rooted ber are planted during the second fortnight of January, while pear and grapes are planted in the first fortnight of February before they start new growth.

— Protect the young plants from frost and mend thatches where required.

— If the growers have not applied farmyard manure and fertiliser to the fruit plants during last month, it should be given now. Apply farmyard manure, superphosphate and half nitrogen and half potash to the grapes after pruning.

— One irrigation should be applied to the ber trees during this month as the fruit is in the developing stage.

— The best time for harvesting kinnow fruits starts on January 15. For the fruits intended to be consumed after more than 10 days, individual seal packing should be done. Use high density polyethylene (NDPE) bags of appropriate size 10 micron thickness. Seal the open end by heating or with rubber band after narrowing and twisting it.

— To rejuvenate the declining citrus orchards after harvest remove the dead wood during January-February before the new growth starts. Spray Bordeaux mixture (2:2:50) immediately after the Bordeaux paste to cut surface and trunk of the trees. Apply Bordeaux paint to the trunk after a week.

— Trees of inferior varieties of peach, plum and mango may be headed back now. These trees will give out new shoots which could be budded in February-March with superior scions.

— Bark eating caterpillar in citrus should be controlled by removing the webs and filling the holes with kerosene during January-February as was done in September-October. Treat all alternative host plants in the vicinity. Treat foot rot/gummosis and canker in citrus by decortication and disinfection of wound on the trunk with Bordeaux paste. After the paste dries up in about a week, apply Bordeaux mixture (2:2:250).

— Pear diseases, phoma leaf spot and black mould of ber can be checked by spraying the trees with Bordeaux mixture (2:2:250) or 0.3 per cent copper oxychloride 50 per cent litres of water.

— To keep off foot rot or collar rot of grapevines, plant cuttings after dipping in 0.2 per cent Ziram suspension.

Ornamentals

Annuals: Regular watering and occasional weeding may be carried out. Most of the varieties of winter season annuals must have started following and some of them may be in their full bloom. Tall growing annuals like dahlia may require support of stakes for their proper upright growth. Seasonals planted in pots can easily be protected from cold injury by shifting to some sunny and protected spots.

Chrysanthemum: Almost all the varieties finish their flowering by the end of this month. Plants of selected varieties which are required for getting cuttings in the next season may be cutback by keeping 4-5 cm height from the ground.

Bulbous plants: Produce bulbs of amaryllis, haementhus, zephysanthes and tube rose etc to be planted in next month.

— Progressive Farming, PAU