Grow more pulses to earn more
C.L. Bhardwaj
Historically, subsistence production of pulses has remained a major feature in optional and distinct agro- climatic conditions of Himachal Pradesh. It comprised kharif pulses, viz. black gram, green gram, horse gram, common bean, cowpea as well as rabi pulses, viz. chickpea, lentil and peas, either as monocrop on marginal land holdings or as a mixed crop with main crops such as rainfed maize, paddy, millets and wheat under natural climate and fertility conditions almost relegating to similar picture as in other parts of India. 

Need to tap citrus fruit potential
V. S. Mahajan
While India has hitherto by and large concentrated on agriculture and that too mainly on wheat and paddy, it has yet to tap the high growth and value adding horticulture products where it has considerable advantage in citrus fruits. The main citrus fruits are oranges (both sweet and mandarin varieties), lemons/lime and grape fruits.

Asia’s useful trees and plants
K. L. Noatay
Arjun is a tall and large deciduous tree. Its scientific name is Terminalia arjuna. Some scientists call it Terminalia crenulata or Terminalia glabra also. It belongs to the family combretaceae. Other regional names for this species are arjani, jamla, koha, kahna, etc.

Farm operations for April

Grow more pulses to earn more
C.L. Bhardwaj

Historically, subsistence production of pulses has remained a major feature in optional and distinct agro- climatic conditions of Himachal Pradesh. It comprised kharif pulses, viz. black gram, green gram, horse gram, common bean, cowpea as well as rabi pulses, viz. chickpea, lentil and peas, either as monocrop on marginal land holdings or as a mixed crop with main crops such as rainfed maize, paddy, millets and wheat under natural climate and fertility conditions almost relegating to similar picture as in other parts of India. At present both area and production have decreased to a very low extent in the state and cultivation of pulse crops such as black gram, green gram, horse gram and lentil has almost become extinct in most of the optional areas despite much higher prices of pulses and meeting much below the per capita requirement in daily diet as well as the production level much than India as a whole.

The commercial cultivation of pulses in Himachal Pradesh has not gained impetus even after historical advent in the development of agriculture production of cereals, vegetables and horticultural crops.

Circumstanceously, two reasons can be assigned to the decreased status of pulses in Himachal Pradesh. The first can be ascribed to lack of technical knowhow in the management of pulse crops in optional agroclimatic regions related to timely amelioration of both abiotic and biotic stress factors. The production of pulses is highly influenced by climatic and seasonal weather conditions, including the management of cropping systems invoked by the farmers.

Therefore, choice of land holding, crops/crop varieties and cropping systems in optional areas is important to harness the optimum yield per unit area. Precisions need to be followed for timely sowing in order to reduce the influence of abiotic weather factors such as excessive rainfall or occurrence of acute drought conditions at different crop growth stages. Precisions need to be followed for proper and timely drainage of excessive water as well as timely irrigation of the crop during drought stress conditions. Pulse crops suffer from different economic diseases and insect-pests in different optional and agroclimatic regions, causing varying degrees of stresses or yield losses.

To combat these stresses, timely adoption of plant protection or control measures is essential for obtaining attainable and affordable economic yields. Excessive fertility conditions and excessive application of fertilisers, especially nitrogen containing chemical fertilisers than recommended doses reduce the productivity of pulses, since pulses are low nitrogen responsive and capable of utilisation of atmospheric nitrogen in symbiosis with special and specific kinds of bacteria in root nodules. Availability of excessive nitrogen in mixed cropping as a result of application to the main crops, cereals or any other cash crop results into low yields of pulse crops. This practice is the reason that area under pulses has decreased, where application of nitrogen is adopted in mixed cropping for obtaining the actual or affordable yields of the main crops. Therefore, precisions have to be taken in adopting better inter-cropping systems either with pulses itself or any other crop through better management of habitat for balanced production of both per unit area. In this context, it may be added that pulses are important in maintaining and conserving the soil fertility as well as water regimes under three systems of management of crop (s) and cropping system (s) viz. biological or organic on inorganic or a combination of both. For example, pulses-based intercrops viz. pigeonpea plus black gram, pigeonpea plus horse gram (1:3 crop ratio) have proven better to yield per unit area as well as conserve and maintain fertility and water regimes, both under protected and unprotected management of biotic stress factors than monocrops under optional and rainfed agroclimate of zones I and II in Himachal Pradesh. Under monocropping or inter-cropping system of pulses with other crops such as cereals or vegetables of medicinal or horticultural and ornamental crops for obtaining a higher yield per unit area pigeonpea can replace chickpea or lentil or cowpea can replace black gram on crop sequential or crop rotation basis and horse gram can replace cowpea in inter-culture with pigeonpea, besides cultivation of common bean and peas as monocrops under different optional agroclimatic zones of the state.

The second reason can be assigned to low productivity potential and production per unit area compared to yield of cereals to meet household food security and economy as well as profitability and yield of vegetables and fruits at present without sacrificing to spare small holdings by the farmers for production of pulses, including neglect of efforts to inter-culture or to grow pulses between different kinds of crops and cropping systems.

However, taking into consideration the inherent production potential and productivity of pulses per unit area over years in experimental and farmers field which is relatively higher than depicted for their production level at all India basis, it is possible mot only to meet domestic requirement of pulses in Himachal Pradesh but there also exists a greater possibility of commercialisation of some of the pulse crops even by the farmers possessing marginal and small holdings by investing not much or inputs.

Need to tap citrus fruit potential
V. S. Mahajan

While India has hitherto by and large concentrated on agriculture and that too mainly on wheat and paddy, it has yet to tap the high growth and value adding horticulture products where it has considerable advantage in citrus fruits. The main citrus fruits are oranges (both sweet and mandarin varieties), lemons/lime and grape fruits. It is interesting that at one time India was the nursery of citrus fruits grown from time immemorial in Indo-China and sub-Himalayan region of Asia. Now of course they are grown almost everywhere, though there are specific countries which have a larger share, but unfortunately India hardly figures among the big producers which shows the utter neglect on the part of this country to tap the fast growing world market for citrus fruits, especially in developed countries where they commonly figure in their daily consumption.

Interestingly while India is the sixth largest producer of citrus fruits accounting for 5 per cent of global production it has no place in world citrus trade which is due to its sticking to its old varieties with little introduction of new varieties where, for instance, mandarins are now seedless while India yet continues to stick to mandarins which have hardly any market with global consumers. This is due to lack of quality control which plays in important role in exports, little encouragement of international standards and poor marketing practices. Thus, unless these handicaps are removed there is little chance for increasing the share in world demand.

We notice that the highest expansion of improved citrus fruits is taking place in China and Brazil. Thus, it is our neighbour China, like in so many other areas, that has taken the lead to improve its citrus industry which fetches it a very rich dividend.

In the current 94-million tonnes of export of citrus fruits it is the sweet orange that occupies 71 per cent share, followed by the tangerine variety (13 per cent), lime and lemon (10 per cent) and grape (6 per cent). Brazil is the world’s largest producer of citrus frozen orange juice, while Spain is the largest exporter of fresh citrus fruits. Japan, though the largest producer of the mandarin variety, hardly exports. Thus, almost all of it is consumed in the domestic market.

In India the production of citrus fruits is around 3.8 million tonnes. It is the mandarin variety which has the largest share, followed by sweet orange and acid lime — their share is 41, 23, 23 per cent, respectively. In terms of area under citrus fruits it is Maharashtra that tops (over 73,000 hectares, Andhra Pradesh (56,200 hectares), Punjab (37,500 hectares), Karnataka (34,400 hectares, UP and Bihar (22,500 and 17,300 hectares, respectively). However, in terms of production we meet a different picture. It is the highest in Tamil Nadu, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, respectively.

It shows that area under cultivation does not bear any relationship to productivity where there is a considerable scope to raise it. And, of course, compared to global picture, productivity of citrus fruits in India is very low. Thus, both quality as well as productivity need to be carefully upgraded through rigorous R&D programme.

Another area where we have to devote our attention is to cut down heavy losses suffered annually due to lack of cold storage and modern processing facilities. Besides improving quality and productivity, it would be also essential to improve storage and processing facilities for citrus fruits. In a country like Brazil it is sweet orange processed industry which enjoys global shine. For instance it is estimated that this industry is responsible for earning over $1 billion revenue annually and generate nearly half-a-million job opportunities.

Our technologists would have to learn a lot from this Latin American country. The government should also invite experts from this and other fast growing countries to improve our current low status in the citrus fruit industry.

Asia’s useful trees and plants
K. L. Noatay

Arjun is a tall and large deciduous tree. Its scientific name is Terminalia arjuna. Some scientists call it Terminalia crenulata or Terminalia glabra also. It belongs to the family combretaceae. Other regional names for this species are arjani, jamla, koha, kahna, etc. The tree is easily identifiable from its straight trunk, buttressed just above ground level, smooth greyish bark and spreading crown. The bark is nearly 6 to 9 mm thick and peels off in nearly 5-7 cm x 6-9 cm sized flakes. It closely resembles its sister species named as sain, the scientific name of which is Terminalia tomentosa.

The buttress is provided to the species by the nature to protect it from toppling and uprooting by severe storms which tend to uproot such gracefully tall trees.

Arjun is one of the very common trees of the Indian subcontinent. It is found nearly all over the Indo-Gangetic plains. As a matter of fact, its natural habitat starts from Myanmar in the East and goes up to western most end of the subcontinent. It is also quite common in Sri Lanka and rises northwards up to the outer ranges of the Himalayas. The area suitable for natural occurrence of the species starts at sea level and climbs up to nearly 1000 m. It usually inhabits vacant plains, especially river banks and undulating hills. The species quite at home in tracts having a temperate climate where higher temperature ranges from 35° to 48°C and lower one from 1° to 16° centigrade. Annual quantum of precipitation in its natural habitat ranges from 75 to 190 cm. On Western Ghats, however, it is seen growing in pockets which receive annual rainfall up to 380 cm or even more.

The species is capable of coming up on a variety of soils from sandy loam to laterite. It is tolerant to waterlogging to an extent. Quite happy in open glades, it is quite at home in shade of other trees at its early age. Common associates of this tree are sal, sain, dhau, jamun, bijasal, etc. Individually it is a very good arboric species for road side and canal bank avenues.

The leaves of arjun are sub-opposite to alternate, oblong, elliptic or ovate, coriaceous glabrescent above and tomentose beneath. These are generally 5 to 8 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide. New buds appear during spring replacing the old ones gradually till autumn.

The flowers of arjun are bisexual, sessile and yellowish in colour. The diameter of its corolla is 3 to 5 mm. The inflorescence appears during May-June in penicled spikes. The fruit is nearly spherical in outline with five wings. These appear during July-August and ripen by January-February.

The growth rate of arjun is moderate. Its sapwood is greyish and comparatively soft. The heartwood is brown with variegated dark streaks. It is fairly hard in texture and weights nearly 25 kg per cubic foot. As a timber it is difficult to season, tends to split and is accordingly quite difficult to cut, saw and plane in carpentry work. However, it is fairly good as firewood.

So far as regeneration of arjun is concerned the species regenerates itself easily from seed falling on ground from mother trees. It can be easily raised in nursery as well. Transplanting is carried out when the seedlings are 1 to 2 years old. The species coppices well from stumps, it the mother tree is felled around its middle age when the diameter at breast height is about 50-60 cm. The plant also pollards well when cut at a height of about 1 to 2 m above ground level. Young plants are sensitive to frost and drought. Dry and exposed slopes are thus unsuited for this species.

Arjun is a plant of considerable medicinal value. Its bark contains medicinal elements called arjunin or lactone-arjunelin. The wood yields a kind of oil, which is rich in tannin and is a good reducing agent for manufacture of sugar. The fruit is used as a tonic, a remedy against diarrhoea, fever or removing obstruction in urinary track. The derivatives are quite effective in treating gal bladder problems and skin sores. It is also a cardiac tonic, controls blood dysentery, moderates blood pressure and helps remedy bone fractures, heart disease, leucorrhoea, earache, poisoning, etc.

The bark and fruit of arjun are thus used for preparing certain ayurvedic preparation named in trade arjunishta, arjun-kawath, haridayarnava-rasa, arjunaghrita, etc. Arjuna foliage is utilised as fodder for cattle, especially during famine days.

Farm operations for April

Dairy farming

— Sometimes by chance the animal takes lot of wheat/cereal. Do not feed excess wheat/cereal to dairy animals. This can be fatal to animals as there is a lot of acid production in the stomach.

Poultry farming

— Double the number of water and change the water more frequently so that cool water is available to the birds.

— Whitewash the poultry shed from outside, especially root. This will help to reflect the sun rays.

— Provide artificial lights during early morning so that birds may be able to consume nutrients.

— Increase proteins, minerals and vitamins in ration to provide required amount of these nutrients.

— Consult your poultry expert in any adverse situation like mortality, drop in egg production, etc.

Fish farming

— In newly excavated or renovated (dried up and refilled) pond, stock the seed of common carp @ 800 fry (3-5 cm in length) per acre, whereas in case of already working (old) ponds, there is no need to stock common carp.

— In newly excavated or renovated pond, apply organic manure (120 kg/acre/week) of FYM or 60 kg/acre/week of poultry droppings or 112 kg/acre/week of mixture of FYM (3 parts) and poultry droppings (1 part). If the colour of the pond water is brownish green (support natural food) then there is no need to apply inorganic fertilisers; but if the pond water is transparent (not sufficient natural food) then apply inorganic fertilisers (16 kg/acre/week of single superphosphate). In case of old ponds, the doses of organic and inorganic fertilisers can be decreased depending upon the colour of the pond water.

— Feed the fish with supplementary feed (a mixture of deoiled rice bran or wheat bran (44%), fish meal/meat meal (10%), mineral mixture/bone meal (1.5%) @ 2% fish biomass in newly excavated/renovated/old pond.

Bee keeping

— Colony strength during April is at its peak. Check swarming in the colonies. Colonies should be provided enough space in the form of raised empty combs or frames with wax foundations and super chambers to cope with brood rearing and honey storage. Infestation of ectoparasitic mite should be checked by dusting sulphur powder @ 1 g/frame on the top bars of bee frames. If eucalyptus is in bloom around the apiary and colonies have surplus sealed honey, it should be extracted. Afterwards, commercial beekeepers should migrate their apiaries to different sunflower growing areas of the state as per their convenience.

— Considering the ensuing summer season, colonies should be placed under shade.

Mushroom farming

Clean and disinfect the growing room and lay paddy straw beds preferably in the last week of April.

— Make arrangement for the procurement of wheat straw for button mushroom cultivation starting in September.

Poplar

— As the temperature has started rising, irrigate the poplar plantations at weekly intervals instead of fortnightly.

— Turmeric can be sown in poplar having less than three years of age. In the plantations of more than three years age, fodder crops should be raised.

— The attack of poplar defoliator and leaf webber starts in this month. Control the insects by collecting and destroying infested leaves. Spray monocrotophos 36 @ 600 ml (Monocil, Nuvacron, Monolik) per acre.

— Progressive Farming, PAU