Punjab: Delay in sowing of wheat likely to hit yield, say PAU experts

With sowing of wheat on one-third of a total of an estimated 85.5 lakh acre cultivated area still to be done, experts in the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU),

With sowing of wheat on one-third of a total of an estimated 85.5 lakh acre cultivated area still to be done, experts in the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, say the crop yield is likely to go down this time.

HT Image

The ideal time for sowing the crop is considered till November 7.

Delay in the harvest of basmati in the Majha and Doaba regions of the state and plucking of cotton in the Malwa belt are seen as the reason behind this. Wheat sowing in the cotton belt may even go beyond November 30.

“As harvest of premium variety of basmati such as 1,121 is still awaited in parts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran district, wheat sowing there will also get delayed,” said an officer in agriculture department.

“Harvesting of cotton on 10 lakh acres and basmati on 6 lakh acres is still pending. We are expecting farmers will cut down on the use of fertilisers. They should not use fertilisers after 50 days of sowing or it makes the crop vulnerable to pest attack,” said state secretary (agriculture) KS Pannu.

“It is considered late beyond that as per our research benchmarks. After November 15, germination takes longer time and other crop dynamics also changes, thus impacting the yield. But there are varieties such as PBW 752 and PBW 771 which have shown good results even after the cut-off date,” he said.

“The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)’s JHD 308 variety is sown over 40% of the total area cultivated under wheat in Punjab. Terminal heat stress is a major determinant of yield, hence the crop which is able to complete its growth ahead of the time when there is rise in temperatures in March-April gives best yield,” he added.