Ploughing stubble into soil boosts yield: Survey

February 21 2020

In a recent field survey by the Agriculture Department, it was found that wheat sown directly with the help of super seeder and mould bold plough after mulching it is by and large a healthy way here and in the adjoining districts of the Malwa belt. This way one doesn’t have to burn paddy stubble.

There was no sign of yellow rust or any pest attack, and the growth of wheat was good, said Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar, Plant Protection Officer, Moga. During the field survey, Amandeep Singh, a farmer of Bajeke village in Dharamkot sub-division, said he improved the soil condition in his land by mulching the paddy straw into the soil before he sowed wheat seeds. “I am surprised with the results. Earlier, the pH value of the soil was 9 and it had less organic matter. However, after I shredded and mixed the paddy straw into the soil, the pH value decreased to 8, which is a good sign,” he said.

The pH of the soil is a measure to test the acidity and alkalinity in the soil. The pH range between 7 and 8 is considered optimal for most crops. Amandeep said despite using best fertilisers, he was not satisfied with the output. On the advice of an agriculture expert, he ploughed the paddy straw into the soil. “I will attribute the reason for a good crop yield to my doing away with the practice of burning the paddy stubble for the last couple of years,” he said.

Swaran Singh and Manohar Singh, both farmers of Rode village, said the soil in their agricultural land had surplus nutrients now, as they had refrained from burning the paddy stubble, and reduced the urea dose to half.

The farmers claimed earlier they would get an output of 17 or 18 quintals per acre, however, now they say, it has increased by 3 quintals.

According to the field survey, the crops yield was likely to cross the mark of 20 quintals per acre. In some fields, given there is normal and favourable weather conditions, the crop yield could be between 22 and 24 quintals per acre, said Dr Brar.

Meanwhile, Dr Kahan Singh Pannu, Secretary of the Agriculture Department, has urged the farmers to make optimum use of subsidised agro-machinery to refrain from burning the straw.


This news has not been edited by Apni Kheti staff but has been published by various news feeds

Source: Tribune India