While the farmer outfits in Punjab have been demanding from the State government to let them transplant paddy before June 20, the Ludhiana-based Punjab Agricultural University has suggested that they sow early maturing varieties which are immune to humidity.
With an aim to preserve water and check the fast depleting groundwater table in the State, the Punjab government had this year instructed farmers to start paddy transplantation not before June 20.
“Farmers should adopt PAU’s early maturing paddy varieties such as PR121, PR122, PR124, PR126, PR127. The sowing time of these varieties can be aligned with the onset of monsoon in the region that normally hits Punjab by June end, therefore its water requirementcan be achieved through seasonal rainfall,” said PAU Vice-Chancellor Baldev Singh Dhillon.
Pointing out that these varieties mature in about 93 to 110 days after transplanting and are immune to humidity at the time of marketing of the harvested crop, Mr. Dhillon said that transplanting paddy after the recommended date would also cut down expenditure on pesticides.
As a step towards conserving depleting water level, Punjab government had issued an ordinance in 2008, declaring June 8 as the initiation date for sowing of paddy. Later, in 2014, this date was extended to June 15.