Tamil Nadu - Dindigul   

Training intensified for farmers in rain-fed areas

DINDIGUL: Farmers in rain fed areas have started receiving latest technologies, innovative cultivation methods, natural way of controlling pests in this season to produce chemical residue free-groundnut, gingili and sunflower seeds, thanks to a training programme on organic farming and natural pest control measures held in all blocks in the district.

The Agriculture Department intensified training to farmers in rain fed areas as they would engage themselves in sowing of oil seeds, mostly groundnut, gingili and sunflower on over 10,000 hectares in the district in Karthikai, tamil month.

We had plans to cover existing crops as well as future crops, particularly in rain fed areas, said T. Karthikeyan, Assistant Director (Agriculture).

Already, 35-day-old groundnut crop on 5,000 hectares is at near flowering stage.

Groundnut, gingili and sunflower are three predominant crops in the district.

Priority is being given for pest control measures. Summer ploughing, manual picking of pests and effective utilisation of beneficial insects are some of natural methods to control pests.

While summer ploughing uproots young worms and innate organism under soil surface, application of anti-fungal agents and bacterial bio-agents would wipe out enemy insects affecting oil seeds, he added.

Most of the technologies tutored to farmers were eco-friendly ones. Integrated pest management and inter-cropping system would not only reduce production costs but also boost an additional income to farmers, said L. Mayakrishnan, Agriculture Officer, who launched campaign in Thadikombu on Thursday.

Natural fertilisers would augment beneficial insects like wasps, spider and dotted beetles and ground beetles that would consume enemy insects at young stage and keep the field clean.

Raising pulses as intercrop would protect oil seed crops by attracting insects towards it and ensure an additional income.

Pheromone, a sexually attracted trap was also propagated among farmers to kill male inspects and ultimately stop reproduction, he added.

With stable price for sunflower and maize throughout the year, these crops too occupied cotton cultivation areas in large scale. Sudden sharp shower was ideal for oil seeds and maize.

The maize cultivation areas were expanded to 45,000 hectares.

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