Modern Techniques Vital For Better Wheat Crop: Director Agriculture

SARGODHA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Jan, 2023 ) :Director Agriculture Sargodha Muhammad Shahid has said that use of modern techniques necessary and vital to get better wheat crops.

While, talking to APP here on Thursday, He advised farmers to give second water to wheat crops some 80-90 days after sowing and at a stage when the fruit was about to sprout, pleading that it would increase the number and size of grains.

Any delay or no water at this stage would leave lower the production as well as the grain would be shorter in size, he added.

Muhammad Shahid also warned farmers about the risk of Aphid attacks and advised them to perform pest scouting regularly and adopt an integrated pest management plan. "Aphid attacks wheat crops in the form of groups and advises farmers to shake the plants by string whenever they notice Aphid, so that they fall down," he said.

Farmers should also remove weeds from within and around the field as these serve as habitats for pests.

They can also apply tools to remove weeds or weedicides like Glyphosate after consulting the relevant officials, he said, adding that farmers could also spray water on plants in intervals in case of an Aphid attack.

He further said that farmers can also introduce crop-friendly pests like ladybirds, Chrysopa, betel, surfed fly, parasites, and spider in the field in case of Aphid attack and could seek the department's help for this biological control technique. These friendly pests were provided free of cost to farmers from government laboratories functioning in almost every tehsil and district of the division.

He advised farmers against the unnecessary application of pesticides, adding that it should be done only when unavoidable, pleading that wheat was a food crop and hence must be free from pesticide residue.