Moderate rain beneficial for rabi crop in Punjab: Agri experts

Tribune News Service

Moga, January 9

Light to moderate rain lashed most parts of the Malwa belt and other parts of Punjab during the past 24 hours, which has raised the hopes of farmers for bumper wheat crop.

Agriculture experts said rain at this point of time was beneficial for wheat, mustard and other rabi crops. The weather has become conducive for the growth of wheat plants.

Moga, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Faridkot, Barnala, Sangrur, Patiala, Ludhiana and other districts received moderate to heavy rainf, which helped in irrigation of crops.

On Saturday night, Bathinda was coldest in the state with 5.6 degrees Celsius followed by 7 degrees Celsius in Faridkot and 7.5 degrees Celsius in Moga district. The minimum temperature in Gurdaspur was recorded at 11.7 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana 10.2 degrees Celsius, Patiala 10.8 degrees Celsius, Ferozepur 8 degrees Celsius, Muktsar 8.1 degrees Celsius, Barnala 10.1 degrees Celsius, Sangrur 10 degrees Celsius, Amritsar 10.2 degrees Celsius, Pathankot 8.5 degrees Celsius, Fatehgarh Sahib 11 degrees Celsius, Jalandhar 8.7 degrees Celsius and Ropar 10.9 degrees Celsius, Mohali 12.9 degrees Celsius, Hoshiarpur 8.9 degrees Celsius, Gurdaspur 8.4 degrees Celsius and Chandigarh 11.1 degrees Celsius.

Moga received 24 mm of rainfall, Ludhiana 46.2 mm, Barnala 18.5 mm, Amritsar 12.8 mm, Patiala 44.7 mm, Pathankot 35.8 mm, Gurdaspur 32.6 mm, Fatehgarh Sahib 24 mm, Ropar 38 mm, Nurmahal in Jalandhar 84 mm and Chandigarh 30.8 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours.

The weather experts in Chandigarh predicted that isolated rain would occur in Majha, Doaba and in the eastern part of Malwa, while the western areas of Malwa would mostly remain dry on Monday.

A spokesman of the district administration said there were no reports of yellow rust on wheat plants in any part of the district so far.