Hybrid rice for increasing production
By Ranjit Singh
THE world adds 2,50,000 new people each day, the majority of which belong to Asia where rice is the major staple food. Presently Asia grows 520 million tonnes of paddy on 135 million hectares, this is 92 per cent of the world’s total of 568 million tonnes on 149 million hectares.

Fast spreading disease of ginger
By N.P. Dohroo
FAST spreading bacterial wilt of ginger had sporadic low incidence during the past one decade in low and mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. It has been noticed during the last two years that the intensity of this disease in augmenting each year resulting in more magnitude of the disease in the hilly parts of the state.

Drought-related human miseries
By Ivninderpal Singh
IN India, where a majority of the population is engaged in agriculture, any disaster which affects this primary sector of production, impedes the overall development of society. Drought is one such disaster that has been hounding our agriculture since the pre-Independence era, resulting in famines and millions of starvation deaths.

Mulching for better vegetable crops
By A. Manu Parmar and Sandeep Chopra
THE use of chemicals for better production is making the soil exhaustive and polluting the environment. These chemicals are also harmful for human consumption. Mulching has been helpful not only in preventing moisture loss through evaporation from the soil and lowering the temperature but also reducing nutrient loss by leaching and weed control where chemical fertilisers and weedicides are used.

WB for revamping foodgrain market
By S.C. Dhall
THE government can save crores of rupees if it replaces the present interventionist marketing system with a framework built on private trade, which could maintain grain flows that will keep prices stable and invest in modern transport, storage and processing.

Farm operations for January
Wheat
— Apply second irrigation to wheat sown during November and first irrigation to wheat sown during December. To late sown wheat, apply remaining dose of N along with first irrigation.

Hybrid rice for increasing production
By Ranjit Singh

THE world adds 2,50,000 new people each day, the majority of which belong to Asia where rice is the major staple food. Presently Asia grows 520 million tonnes of paddy on 135 million hectares, this is 92 per cent of the world’s total of 568 million tonnes on 149 million hectares. By 2020, rice production must increase to 690 million tonnes to feed the rapidly increasing population. Thus, there is need to produce more rice per unit area per unit time. Success of hybrid rice in China has encouraged the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and several tropical countries around the world to explore prospects of this technology for increasing their rice yields.

During my recent visit to the IRRI, I got a chance to see the plots of hybrid rice and discuss about the same with Dr Sant Singh Virmani, rice breeder and Punjab scientist, who has been working on by hybrid rice for the past two decades. Dr Virmani said that Chinese rice hybrids and parental lines were not usable as such in the tropics, therefore IRRI scientists developed a number of cytoplasmic male sterile, maintainer and restorer lines and heterotic hybrids for tropical conditions. The varieties developed at the IRRI has a yield advantage of about one tonne per hectare over the present high yielding varieties. Increased yield in rice hybrids has been attributed to their increased dry matter, from higher leaf area index and higher crop growth rate, and increased harvest index, resulting from their increased spikelet number and to some extent, increased grain weight.

Some states in India have already released hybrid varieties for cultivation but it will take a long time to popularise this technology. According to Dr Gurdev Singh yields Khush, the world’s premier rice breeder and Head of the department at the IRRI, major challenges to large-scale adoption of hybrid rice technology in the tropics are inconsistent performance on the farmers’ fields, lack of understanding of agronomic management of hybrids, inadequate availability of pure seed, poor grain quality of hybrids in comparison to premier quality rice, high cost of hybrid seeds and habit of rice farmers to use their own seed. There is a need to develop better rice hybrids and effective technology transfer system to popularise hybrids among farmers.

According to Dr Virmani this can be done by establishing effective mechanisms to link research, seed production and technology transfer systems. He told that the IRRI was working in collaboration with seven countries the FAO and the Asia Pacific Seed Association to strengthen these systems under an Asian Development Bank-funded project, “Development and use of hybrid rice in Asia”. Hybrid rice can be very successful in Punjab due to irrigation facilities.

Anyhow, an efficient seed production programme of high quality hybrids is essential for its success because farmers will have to purchase new seed for every crop.

According to Virmani, India has a reasonable adequate seed industry infrastructure in the public as well as private sectors to undertake production, processing, certification and distribution of hybrid rice seeds. Producing hybrid seed for every crop is a complex process requiring specific genetic technology. Adoption of hybrid varieties by farmers depends upon the availability of good quality seed at reasonable price. Training the farmers in hybrid production technology is also essential for proper crop management.

A new hope for hybrid rice emerged in 1999. China with its years of experience in commercial hybrid production, joined the IRRI-sponsored international hybrid rice network, involving national agricultural research systems in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

With the IRRI’s expertise in tropical hybrid rice breeding and seed production and China’s expertise in commercial seed production, we will work together to do great things”, Dr Virmani says. If anyone of the countries just beginning hybrid production recognises an IRRI rice hybrid that suits local conditions, but they do not know how to organise production of its seed or how to maximise grain yields, then China will be able to step in to assist in commercialising technology. The private sector has also begin investing in the development and commercialising hybrid rice technology.

In India some companies have already started commercial sale of hybrid rice seed to farmers. Acceptance by the farmers will depend upon the performance of these varieties and the training to cultivate hybrid rice. Punjab Agricultural University has to lay special importance on hybrid rice research. It has also to train the farmers regarding technology of cultivating hybrid rice and production of seed. 

Fast spreading disease of ginger
By N.P. Dohroo

FAST spreading bacterial wilt of ginger had sporadic low incidence during the past one decade in low and mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. It has been noticed during the last two years that the intensity of this disease in augmenting each year resulting in more magnitude of the disease in the hilly parts of the state. This year the disease has been noticed in the Kandaghat area of Solan district and the Paonta valley of Sirmaur district.

The farmers when just had respite from rhizome rot by adopting integrated management practices developed by the Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, are now confronted with another serious disease known as bacterial wilt caused by ralstonia solanacearum. The research conducted at the university on etiology revealed that this pathogenic bacterium occurs in mixed infection either with pythium — a soft rot fungus or fusarium oxysporum — a yellows pathogen.

Unlike bacterial wilt pathogen of tomato which has become endemic in many parts of the state, management strategy targeting pathogenic bacterium only cannot work in the case of ginger which involve diverse group of pathogens, fungi like pythium, fusarium, rhizoctonia and now ralstonia bacterium associated with the disease in mixed infections at several locations in one or the other form.

It thus becomes imperative on the part of all the extension workers who are busy in disseminating management strategy to the ginger growers to diagnose the disease properly so that farmers get rid of this menace. It is also equally important that the growers use healthy ginger seed for which management of disease in field, after harvest during storage is essential. Ginger cultivation should be taken up in disease-free areas so that soils do not get sick to these pathogens. Crop rotation forms an important practice in this direction.

Symptoms

The disease is first recognised by a wilting and yellowing of the lower leaves which extends upwards until all the leaves take on a wilted, golden appearance. As the disease progresses, the stem becomes watersoaked, slimy to touch and readily breaks away from the rhizome. The vascular tissue of the stem darkens to a black colour. Diseased rhizomes are usually darker than the healthy ones and have watersoaked areas with pockets of milky exudate visible beneath. When these rhizomes and diseased stems are cut transversally and a little pressure is applied, the white milky exudate flows freely from the cut surfaces.

Survival and spread

The pathogen infects tomato, potato, capsicum and brinjal and all are susceptible. Tobacco and peanut can become infected but may not show any obvious external symptoms. The organism is also able to infect a wide range of weeds in which it may or may not produce external symptoms. In this way the bacterium can survive from season to season and is readily available for reinfection of healthy ginger rhizomes when these are planted in this field.

The most common means of spreading the disease is by planting the infected seed pieces. Following the rotting of ginger rhizomes, the bacteria survive in the soil. When healthy seed pieces are planted in this land, the result will almost certainly be a diseased crop. The dipteran flies feeding on diseased ginger rhizomes may carry the infection to plants on which it subsequently feed. Irrigation water and use of contaminated farm equipments are other means of carrying the bacteria from one area to another.

Control

The procurement of healthy rhizome seed, planting this material in clean land and production of planting material free from any infection are essential practice.

The disease occurs when ginger is grown on the same piece of land year after year. Rotation using tomato, potato, capsicum, chillies, brinjal and peanut are best avoided as these plants are hosts of the wilt organism. Cash crops such as bean, cucurbits and strawberry will provide a suitable rotation.

Weeds susceptible to bacterial wilt should be suppressed.

All the crop residues, especially roots and decomposed rhizomes at harvesting, should be destroyed by burning, if possible. All tools should be disinfected before proceeding from one farm to another, especially at the weeding time and earthing up stage. The implements should be disinfected by dipping in a solution of commercial formalin. The formalin solution must remain in contact with implements for at least five minutes. Because formaldehyde is corrosive, the implements should then be washed well with water.

Pre-planting and pre-storage treatment in Dithane M-45 (0.25%) plus Bavistin (0.1% plus Streptocycline (200 ppm) delayed the disease development. The crop should be sprayed with streptocycline solution (100 ppm) at regular intervals of 15 days.

Drought-related human miseries
By Ivninderpal Singh

IN India, where a majority of the population is engaged in agriculture, any disaster which affects this primary sector of production, impedes the overall development of society. Drought is one such disaster that has been hounding our agriculture since the pre-Independence era, resulting in famines and millions of starvation deaths. Even today, the spectre of drought is looming large over several states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. The extent of misery can be gauged from reports of an acute water scarcity, water riots and large-scale migration. It is an irony as well as a paradox that while one part of India glides into the cyber age, the other still has no water even 53 years after Independence.

In meteorological terms, a drought is a "sustained, regionally extensive, deficiency in precipitation."

Droughts can be divided into the following types based on the physical characteristics and their impact on the socio-economic system, both in time and space:

Meteorological drought — a situation arising from inadequate and maldistribution of rainfall.

Hydrological drought — prolonged meteorological drought resulting in depletion of surface water from reservoirs, lakes, streams, rivers, cessation of spring flow and fall in groundwater levels causing a severe shortage of water for livestock and human needs.

Soil moisture drought — inadequate soil moisture, particularly in rainfed areas which may not support crop growth.

Agricultural drought — when soil moisture and rainfall are inadequate during the crop growing season to support healthy crop growth to maturity.

Socio-economic drought — the reduction of availability of food and income loss on account of crop failures endangering food and social security of the people in the affected area.

Famine — when large-scale collapse of access to food occurs, which without intervention, can lead to mass starvation.

Ecological drought — when the productivity of a natural ecosystem fails significantly as a consequence of distress induced environment damage.

The transition from meteorological drought to hydrological drought and then to agricultural drought may be termed as the early drought onset phase. This phase is characterised by low water storage in reservoirs, poor recharge of groundwater aquifers, mostly in irrigated areas and inadequate soil moisture primarily in rainfed areas to support crop growth.

The progression from agricultural drought to socio-economic drought causes a famine situation. At this stage, distress induced environmental degradation forces affected communities to take recourse to cutting down vegetative cover to cope with an acute food shortages. Thus, it becomes a vicious circle. It starts with the onset of drought due to insufficient rainfall or overuse of groundwater resulting in land degradation and sharp fall in livestock population. It upsets the energy cycle of the ecosystem and this disturbed ecosystem affects the rainfall, further aggravating the drought conditions.

What are the affects of drought? Should we assess the impact of drought on the basis of economic losses alone? No. Because the impact of drought is much beyond the losses in economic terms as it affects the whole social as well as ecological set-up. Economic losses are reversible and shortlived but social and ecological damages are irreversible and their impact remains for years.

The tales of woe of the drought-hit continue unabated. The problem of drinking water gets accentuated.

How can we reduce the pain and sufferings originating due to drought? A holistic approach encompassing a suitable mix of policy reform, institutional changes and technology options is needed to achieve long-term immunity. Storage of water, utilisation of surplus water in the water-deficit areas, watershed approach to rainfed farming, community based mechanisms to regulate groundwater and development of drought resistant varieties and sound management of drought.

Moreover, an overall disaster management policy is imperative. Bureaucracy can also play an important role by supplementing the efforts of the affected people and not undermining any constructive water policy.

Unless we take concrete steps to prevent and reduce the pains of the after-effects of drought, annual fares like Agro-Tech, where high-yielding variety seeds, latest technological implements, floriculture, dairy farming, poultry, aquaculture, etc. are displayed, can yield no result. Seminars and lectures on topics like the impact of the WTO regime on the Indian agriculture, effects of the terminator gene technology, etc. are of secondary importance. These fairs and seminars will be effective only after the foundation of agriculture is strengthened by checking all factors affecting agricultural output.

Mulching for better vegetable crops
By A. Manu Parmar and Sandeep Chopra

THE use of chemicals for better production is making the soil exhaustive and polluting the environment. These chemicals are also harmful for human consumption. Mulching has been helpful not only in preventing moisture loss through evaporation from the soil and lowering the temperature but also reducing nutrient loss by leaching and weed control where chemical fertilisers and weedicides are used. Mulching also reduces run-off, increase penetration of rainwater, controls erosion, corrects the chemical balance of the soil and reduces damage done by pests and diseases. Apart from these major results mulching produces secondary effects such as improvement of soil structure, increase in micro-activity, earthworm populations and more extensive root systems.

Mulching consists of placing of organic materials on the surface of the soil. These organic materials can be compost, dry leaf, straw, sawdust, etc. Various synthetic mulches such as aluminium foil and plastic can also be used. Mulching with plastics has become a standard practice of both commercial and home gardeners all over the world. The practice consists of laying and anchoring 1.2 to 1.5 metre sheets of polythene plastic on the surface of the soil prepared for planting. The chemical and physical properties of polythene are well adapted to crop production. It is relatively cheap, easy to handle and impervious to water previous to carbondioxide and oxygen. Therefore, polythene does not interfere with the normal respiration of the plant roots. From the standpoint of colour, two main types of mulches i.e. black and clear. Black plastic prevents the germination and growth of weed seeds in contrast to clear plastic.

In tomato, mulching with straw, hay, sawdust, asphalt paper and black polyethylene plastic can be used in districts where shortage of water is a problem. By conserving moisture mulching will reduce the amount of blossom end rot and by keeping the fruit off the soil mulches will help prevent infection by soil-borne disease. Straw mulching and paper mulching has proved of considerable value on eggplants and peppers. It has given very consistent increase in yield, earliness and prevented fungal infection with both eggplants and peppers. Sawdust, straw mulching and light-coloured paper mulch are likely to improve emergence and increase yields of root crops like carrots, beets, potatoes and lettuce in dry regions, provided they are used correctly. Straw mulching is of special value in the production seed potatoes in hot climates and in areas where summer temperatures are above the optimum for tuber development.

Aluminium foil is a promising mulch material for onions and broccoli as its benefit is related to the conservation of nutrients. Among cucurbits cucumbers, muskmelons, watermelons and among brassicas like cabbage and cauliflower have almost always responded favourably to asphalt paper mulching with increased yields, earliness and often with better quality. Strawing, sawdust, paper mulching, aluminium foil and black polyethylene plastic have given increased yields of pea and beans under dry conditions. With certain perennial vegetables like asparagus and globe artichokes, mulching with straw, asphalt paper is considered as a standard practice with frost protection during winter as a major objective.

Sometimes mulching has given unsatisfactory results as mulches have been applied under the wrong conditions or in the wrong way. Unpredictability of the weather also plays an important role for successful results. Therefore, mulching depends on local conditions of soil and climate, the type of mulch used and the way in which they are applied. There is a fairly general agreement that mulching will not be economic unless mulch material is available cheaply or as a local waste product. Manufactured mulch materials are expensive to buy although their durability must be considered in relation to the initial cost.

WB for revamping foodgrain market
By S.C. Dhall

THE government can save crores of rupees if it replaces the present interventionist marketing system with a framework built on private trade, which could maintain grain flows that will keep prices stable and invest in modern transport, storage and processing.

As per a report of the World Bank, overdue reforms will bring substantial savings. Simply cutting the Food Corporation of India’s operational costs by 10 per cent could save over Rs 6,000 crore a year. Improved private efficiency that reduces physical foodgrain losses alone by one-third could generate financial savings of over Rs 2,500 crore and make available an additional half a million tonnes of foodgrain per year.

Marketing reform will be striking a balance between government intervention and private competition, and the principal changes must come from adjustments in the price stabilisation and public distribution programme.

Meanwhile, the government is preparing ground for Indian farmers to be able to face the competition arising out of dismantling of the quantitative restrictions in the next financial year. The Union Government is willing to provide loans to farmers against their food stocks so that the farmers are able to get remunerative prices.

The idea behind giving loans to the farmers would be to prevent them from making distress sale. And farmers would be able to face the competition.

The World Bank is of the opinion that to simultaneously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the FCI, India needs to modernise systems by subcontracting activities to the private sector.

The government also have to focus on upgradation of market infrastructure and the support system such as mandi facilities, telecommunications, roads, grading and market information services.

The ministry is also understood to have asked the Planning Commission to identify the poorest amongst the poor families. The ministry proposed to launch a scheme which would help in reducing the carrying costs of the excess buffer stocks which amount to Rs 4,000 crore each year. The present buffer stock is 13 million tonnes and the government is finding it difficult to store the grains.

The government is also expected to export the excessive stock of foodgrain at a loss and also boosting domestic consumption by offering them to the poor at a below economic price. The export of foodgrain will be done at realistic prices in tune with the prevailing global prices. On the other side, the government is considering roping in private parties for grain storage jobs to streamline the target PDS. The government is firm on ensuring that the targeted PDS reached the right people and the delays and wastage, which are as high as over 30 per cent, are eliminated.

While private traders are incurring Rs 1.65 per kg on procurement, storing and transport, the state agencies do the same at Rs 2.70 per kg.

Another measure aimed at increasing offtake from the PDS involves offering foodgrain to non-poor at the prices at which these are sold under the open market sale scheme. These prices are far lower than the economic cost of grains to the government agencies.

By this way the government expects to dispose of additional seven million tonnes of foodgrain from the stocks.

Farm operations for January

Wheat

— Aphid may damage the crop resulting in discoloration of leaves. Spray 150 ml of Rogar 30 EC/Anthio 25 EC/Metasystox 25 EC or Nuvacron 36 SL in 80-100 litres of water per acre.

Rapeseed and mustard

— To save the crop from frost damage, apply irrigation to raya and gobhi sarson.

— Spray the crop with 250 g Blitox of Indofil M 45 in 100 litres of water per acre for the control of alternaria blight/downy mildew/white rust. Start sprays when the crop is 75 days old. Repeat spray at 15 days interval.

— For avoiding attack of aphid and leaf minor in raya, spray 250-400 ml of Metasystox 25 EC or Rogor 30 EC or Thiodan 35 EC/Ekalux 25 EC/ Anthio 25 EC/Malathion 50 EC or 375-600 ml Dursban/Coroban 20 EC or 100 ml of Dimercron 85 SL in 125 litres of water per acre. The crop meant for Saag purpose should be sprayed with 350 ml of Malathion 50 EC and observe a waiting period of one week after this spray to pick saag.

— Progressive Farming, PAU