Bhawanigarh, June 12- The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sangrur of Punjab Agricultural University, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture organized a Farmer Awareness Program on the topic “Balanced Fertilizer Management” in village Phumanwal, Block Bhawanigarh in which 50 farmers participated.
During the camp, Dr. Mandeep Singh, In-charge of PAU-KVK Sangrur, gave detailed information on the importance of balanced fertilizer management in crops. He said fertilizers should be applied in the right quantity, at the right time, and by the right method, based on soil testing.
He advised farmers to avoid unnecessary use of chemical fertilizers, especially urea and phosphorus, and stressed scientific nutrient management. He added that if DAP fertilizer has been applied to wheat in the recommended dose, there is no need to apply phosphorus fertilizer in paddy during the kharif season. For proper use of urea in paddy, he also told farmers to avoid applying it to dry soil before puddling the field.
He further explained that in fields where green manure of dhaincha has been incorporated, only half the dose of urea should be applied. Similarly, if moong has been incorporated as green manure, reduce one-third dose of urea per acre. In addition, he provided information on the scientific method of collecting soil samples and on the use and benefits of Azospirillum bio-fertilizer inoculation in paddy nursery roots.
Dr. Sunil Kumar, Assistant Professor (Farm Machinery), informed farmers about improving soil health by incorporating crop residue. He also gave information on mechanized transplanting as an alternative to conventional paddy transplanting, and shared tips for preparing mat-type paddy nursery for mechanized transplanting.
At the end, agricultural literature was distributed to the farmers. Officials of the Department of Agriculture and Sarpanch Sukhchain Singh made special contributions to making the camp successful.