E-Paper
Ludhiana farmers warm up to crop residue management
Crop residue management has been ensuring enormous benefits to farmers harvesting the stubble in the fields for the past few years
Several farmers who used to earlier burn their stubble are slowly warming up to crop residue management. The practice has been ensuring enormous benefits to farmers harvesting the stubble in the fields for the past few years.
The farmers who have been decomposing the stubble in the fields are now using fewer fertilizers, saving their money, witnessing improved soil health, and increased fertility.
Lakhwinder Singh, a farmer from Jagraon’s Agwar Pona village, said he has been managing stubble through the in-situ technique for the last five years.
“I have been using 20% less DAP and urea in the field. The soil structure has also improved considerably,” told Singh.
He added that he has been using a paddy stubble chopper to harvest residue in the soil that has helped increase his yield of potato crop considerably and reduced his dependence on fertilizers.
While sharing his experience, he said the practice had improved soil health and led to a significant increase in the yield of wheat, moong, and potato.
Agriculture development officer (ADO) Raminder Singh said if all farmers adopt these techniques, they can save crores of rupees that they incur on purchasing nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash.
He said the management of paddy stubble would add up substantial amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. Singh said residues help protect the soil from wind and water erosion and keep the soil cool by preserving precious water.
Exhorting the farmers to adopt in-situ crop residue management wholeheartedly to manage the stubble, he said that burning paddy stubble is very hazardous for the farmers and land, which is considered a mother by our agriculturalists. He said that the burning of paddy ruins the health of soil besides casting a castigating effect on the environment.
He added that due to stubble burning, several major and micronutrients of soil get destroyed, adding that the burning of paddy stubble produces several poisonous gases which harm human health.
