Vegetable comes out of obscurity
Ashok Grover
JALALABAD: Very few people have tasted or heard about ‘wangaa,’ a vegetable, despite the fact that it is being grown in this area of the border belt since decades.

Lavender: a fragrant hope for hills
Ravi Bali
The cultivation of aromatic oils in the cool temperate niches of hills offers an opportunity for bio-business and economic development of Himachal. Lavender, yielding high-value aromatic oil, was introduced three years ago at Salooni, Chamba district, jointly by the HP Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, and the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur. An oil extraction unit has also been set up.

Lavender: not just butterflies, it attracts money, too.

TREE TALK
Jand: it thrives on sun
K.L. Noatay
Jand is a medium-sized nearly evergreen tree. Belonging to the family Mimoseae, its botanical name is Prosopis cineraria (also Prosopis spicigera). Its other regional names are khejri or amartru or tulsi-ped in Rajasthan and neighbouring states; and somgri, semris or humra in Central India.

Technology in aid of precision farming
R.K. Midha

Utilising modern tools of data capture (remote sensing and ground based), data analysis and modelling founded on the concepts of geographic information system (GIS), it is now feasible to model a modern agriculture system and gain insight into the interrelationships between the different components of an agro atmosphere and explore alternative route(s) to development.

Recognising this, the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and the UNDP evolved a project, 'Information Technology for Sustainable Agriculture in Punjab, (IT-SAP)'. The Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) is implementing this project, initiated in March, 2001.

Over the past two years, IT-SAP has focussed on developing various research projects on major themes and building interface with users. Out of the five pilot districts selected, studies have concentrated on Patiala and Muktsar districts, which provide contrasting agro-ecological settings. Based on this experience, work has been taken up for Ludhiana, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur districts.

The activities under IT -SAP are directed towards: 1) Collating and organising a spatial database on agriculture and collateral themes, including socio-economic parameters with village as a unit and filling critical data gaps using remote sensing and conventional ground surveys; 2) Capacity building at the district level-setting up GIS facilities, training district officials; 3) Research on specific aspects of alternative cropping systems; 4) Interfacing with farmers.

It is found that quality meteorological data is sorely lacking in Punjab. Only one manual observatory maintained by the IMD is functional at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana. Agro-advisories for the entire Punjab are issued on the basis of data collected by this observatory. To overcome this limitation, five automatic weather stations equipped with satellite communication have been set up. These will provide online hourly data on air temperature, pressure, humidity, soil temperature, soil moisture, wind velocity, etc. Generation of high-resolution soil maps, geo-referenced data (using GPS technology) on soil fertility and experiments on monitoring soil biology (microbial activity) are the other important initiatives under IT -SAP.

Modelling of a groundwater regime, both for quality and quantity, is being done for central and southwest Punjab. This includes the quality of groundwater. The PAU is conducting studies on prognostic models for the breakout of pests and diseases, soil moisture profiling, crop-weather dynamics and energy budgeting for different cropping systems like rice-wheat, cotton-wheat, maize-wheat, soyabean-winter maize and rice-chickpea.

The efforts of the PAU, State Remote Sensing Centre and the Directorate of Agriculture are being supplemented by other institutions like the Survey of India, Indian Agriculture Research Institute, National Bureau of Soil Survey, National Institute of Hydrology, National Geophysical Research Institute, IIT, Bombay, and the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology.

The data on the fertility status of soils in Muktsar and Patiala districts, sampled during February-March, 2002, has been generated by the State Remote Sensing Centre in association with the PAU. The accompanying table is indicative of the findings.

The indications are considered important. If confirmed through the surveys that are in progress in Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana districts, it might be possible to surmise that the degradation in the nutrient content of soils in Punjab is less acute than what was being feared. The lost ground could be recovered by adoption of appropriate ameliorative measures

IT -SAP is taking the first steps towards setting up a framework through which issues related to resource management could be resolved on a rational scientific basis. For example, input of fertilisers should be guided by the data on the nutrient status of soils, rather than by some standard general norms. Water requirement for crops at different stages should be determined through crop-growth models.

IT -SAP is providing a building block, which if strengthened by sustaining and extending the work to other districts can lead to a dynamic system of making crop zones and ultimately help in realisation of precision farming.

Vegetable comes out of obscurity
Ashok Grover

JALALABAD: Very few people have tasted or heard about ‘wangaa,’ a vegetable, despite the fact that it is being grown in this area of the border belt since decades.

Usually eaten as a green salad, the cultivation of this summer vegetable is confined to the 60 km border belt from Fazilka to Guruharsahai. The sowing period of this climber plant is similar to melon, i.e., mid-February to March. Within two months of sowing it starts bearing fruit.

Dr G.L. Gagneja, an agricultural scientist, says that in spite of its similarity in taste and appearance with cucumber, wangaa actually belongs to the cucurbit family, as sowing and harvest time and many other scientific features match with this family. However, there is no technical term or detail available on wangaa. The cucurbits family includes muskmelon, watermelon, summer squash, bitter gourd and bottle gourd, etc.

The vegetable department of the Panjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, is currently working on the development of advanced wangaa seeds. When contacted, Dr Daljit Singh Khurana of the department said one variety of wangaa seeds, Panjab Wangaa No. 1. had already been developed. The variety was basically like traditional wangaa, but uniformity in the shape and size had been developed. In addition to this, the chances of fruit getting sour had also been greatly reduced, he added. Wangaa possesses double the minerals as compared to cucumber—2.8 against 1.6.

However, a local seed trader, Mr Ashok Bajaj, said he had no knowledge of any wangaa seed developed by the PAU. He was selling the seed developed by farmers of the area and in the past couple of years there was a good response from non-traditional areas like Dabwali, Sirsa, Amritsar and Ludhiana also. This season the demand for wangaa seed was very high. It was sold for Rs 800 per kg as opposed to its usual price of Rs 200 to 300 per kg.

Lavender: a fragrant hope for hills
Ravi Bali

The cultivation of aromatic oils in the cool temperate niches of hills offers an opportunity for bio-business and economic development of Himachal. Lavender, yielding high-value aromatic oil, was introduced three years ago at Salooni, Chamba district, jointly by the HP Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, and the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur. An oil extraction unit has also been set up.

Lavender, a perennial plant, yields valuable aromatic oil costing Rs 2500 to 3500 per kg. This hardy species can also be cultivated on rainfed ghasinis in Himachal Pradesh at altitudes between 6000 and 8000 ft. Per hectare, 20,000 plants are required to be planted. A lavender bush remains productive for 15 years. At present the Indian demand of 40 tonnes of lavender oil is met from import. The current Indian production, mainly in the Srinagar valley, is 400 kg, worth Rs 1 million, per annum. Given the scented, mystic, blue flowers of the plant, it could be instrumental in promoting eco-tourism, as in France, Spain and Italy, a treat to the eye.

According to Prof P.K. Khosla, Biotechnology Adviser, Himachal, "the cultivation of lavender raises hope for the temperate hills and can act as a catalyst to boost the economy of the mountains. In Himachal there is a tremendous scope to cultivate lavender, especially in areas where horticultural revolution has not taken birth. There is also a market for the dried scented flowers in the metropolitan cities. The Department of Biotechnology, Himachal, has identified several valleys for the cultivation of lavender besides Salooni in Chamba—the Chirgaon-Chajpur valley in Shimla, the Chindi-Mahunag-Karsog valley in Mandi and Chail in Solan. Pragati, an NGO, dedicated to promoting the lesser known tourist destinations, has short-listed the Sarsu-Mahalana- Mangarh valley in the Pacchad area in Sirmour. The net income from lavender per bigha is Rs10,000 and per one acre Rs 50,000.

The flowers are available for extraction in the second year of its cultivation. The Himachal Government is seeking grant from the Ministry of Rural Development to set up processing units at sites where at least 100 hectares can be brought under lavender cultivation, with business worth Rs 7 million, in each of the valleys. The processing of lavender oil and production of secondary products like agarbati, dhoop, lavender water and cosmetic creams could also provide additional income.

Lavender Day was observed at Salooni, one of the most remote and backward parts of the state, on June 5, 2003, coinciding with World Environment Day. The event was jointly organised by the HP Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, the Department of Biotechnology, HP, the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology and the DRDA, Chamba. There was a question-answer session between farmers, industrialists, scientists and developmental agencies. Five youth from Chirgaon also participated, with the intention of introducing the concept in the Rohru-Chirgaon valley.

Traders from Mumbai, mainly in the business of lavender and allied products, assured farmers of a ready market. A target of 20 hectares under lavender, to yield 10 tonnes, was fixed for the Salooni valley for the year 2003-2004.

TREE TALK
Jand: it thrives on sun
K.L. Noatay

Jand is a medium-sized nearly evergreen tree. Belonging to the family Mimoseae, its botanical name is Prosopis cineraria (also Prosopis spicigera). Its other regional names are khejri or amartru or tulsi-ped in Rajasthan and neighbouring states; and somgri, semris or humra in Central India.

Jand is a strong light-demanding species and grows in places where few other species can survive. Its profile looks like that of a beri tree. The leaves are bipinnate compound; drooping like those of a willow. The leaflets are lanceolate, nearly 10-15 by 5-7 mm. Old leaves are replaced by new ones between spring and summer. The plant has small spines; a nature’s device against excessive browsing. It bears tiny beautiful yellow flowers from March to May. The fruit, linear round brown pods, 15-20 cm long, appear during April-June and ripen by July-August. Each pod contains 10-15 seeds. The bark is grey and rough.

Jand, a fairly fast-growing species, attains a height of 10-15 metres and a bole of 20-30 cm in diameter in 30-40 years. The foliage constitutes a 5-8 m wide umbrella-shaped crown with a cool shade.

Jand is soulfully mentioned in the eighteenth-century Punjabi folklore of ‘Mirza-Saheban’. Mirza, a brave visiting archer, and Saheban, a beauteous dame of Sialkot, fell in love. The Syals despised it. The lovers eloped one desiccating summer noon. Exhausted, en route they stopped for a while under a shady jand. The tired Mirza, reclining against Saheban, fell asleep. She sighted a cavalcade of her kin coming in at a distance. Fearing Mirza would do them harm given his archery skills, she threw his quiver up into a bough of the tree. The Syals attacked Mirza fatally and disappeared. Peelu Shah, who worded the episode, wrote the lover’s last words thus:

"Manda keeta, O Saheban,

Mera tarkush tungia jand

Do sau kaneen Mirze jat de,

Deindey Syali wund!"

The grieving Saheban too ended her life then and there.

Jand grows luxuriantly in sandy tracts in temperatures between - 4`BA and 50`BA C and rainfall from 120 to 250 cm per annum. Young plants do better in partial shade. Later they love a lot of sun. The species comes up naturally in sandy loam soil as also cankerous formation. Its taproot penetrates down to 20-25 m—a characteristic that enables the plant to survive in arid conditions. It adjusts to black cotton soil as well. Salinity is, however, unsuited. Jand is thus found growing individually, in clumps, thickets or groves in low-humidity to arid zones of entire Asia.

Jand foliage is highly prized as fodder for goats, sheep, camels, etc. The fruit pods and dried leaves are equally prized. Milch cattle yield more when fed this fodder. Rural folk use raw pods as vegetable as also for pickle. The dried seed is mixed with cereals for human consumption during famine.

The sapwood of jand is off-white and soft. Mature heartwood is greyish brown and hard. Weighing about 25 kg per cubic foot, it is excellent fuel wood as also timber for agricultural implements, construction and bullock carts, etc.

Jand wood is a must as fuel in yajnas. Dried and powdered bark helps in breathing problems, asthma, rheumatism, etc. It is used as incense too. The root system fixes nitrogen.

Jand regenerates naturally from seed and root suckers; it also coppices well. In manual endeavour it is propagated from seedlings raised from seeds in a nursery.