polam badi continued

polam badi maize at M.R.Puram-Field Board

maize borer 

maize polambadi continued

Mixed/inter cropping:
farmers have taken up inter and mixed cropping with
AMARANTHUS , CORIANDER,RADISH, PALAK ,HIBISCUS
The vegetable crops will come to harvest with in 20-30 days .
Income:the additional net income excluding family labour , per acre is
Rs.5000-6000 /-
Farmers have no need to spend any amount from their pocket towards
fertilizers ,irrigation charges for maize crop.
observations/results:
How staggered sowings helped:During Aesa conducted on 2 feb '06
farmers observed heavy infestation of pinkborer in some fields.
(Azadirachtin (neem based pesticide) was supplied on 50% subsidy.)
How ever on late sown crop pink borer was not seen.The predator popuations
increased in every early sown field have taken care of late sown crop.
On 8 March 06 no pink borer was observed.
How mixed cropping helped:
farmers observed more and more populations of LADY BIRD BEETLES on Radish
and Amarathus leaves .
Almost 3-4 paederus insects and 2 coccinellid beetles
found on each maize plant during ,mid february to march AESA observations.

MAIZE POLAMBADI- RABI 2005-06

VILLAGE: M.R.PURAM A.E.O: K.S. PRAKASA RAO
AGRIL.OFFICER : G.V.VIJAYA KUMAR
NO. OF FARMERS : 30 R.M.G. Involved: Sri Veeranjaneya RMG & Bangaruthalli RMG

Introduction:
MAIZE is cultivated in M.R.Puram village only for the past 6-7 years.
Farmers use to sell greencobs in local market.Farmers are hard working,
and never waste a single minute. Each family has got,not less than 3 milch cattle.
They grow vegetables through out the year except in kharif .

Cropping pattern: Vegetables- paddy -Maize/vegetables- Vegetables

FARMING SITUATION: TANK FED - MEDIUM SOILS supplemented by wells
Soil sampling and analysis was conducted during 2005 and also Jan,2006:
PH: Neutral O.C: Low P2 O5 : High K2O: Low WELL DRAINED SOILS.

Baseline survey conducted during January 2006 revealed that farmers used to apply
METHYL PARATHION DUST against pink borer and also were using even synthetic pyrethroids
and MONOCROTOPHOS on maize and vegetables.
Higher doses of pesticides often lead to resurgence due to death of natural enemies.
Farmers have no idea about beneficial insects.
Crop losses and increase in cost of cultivation is also noticed.
Farmers do not know that pesticides can ruin their lives.
They informed they got reeling sensation and burning sensation after application of L-Cyhalothrin.
Farmers were thinking that Lady bird beetles were damaging their crop.
SPECIALITIES OF M.R.PURAM POLAM BADI:
1. Upgraded from grade iii OFED i of 2004 to grade i.
2.Active involvement of members of 2 RYTHU MITHRA GROUPS
During February 2006 a group loan of Rs. 75,000 was provided to Sri Veeranjaneya RMG
through State Bank Of India ,DENDERU branch to take up Maize crop.
3. Mixed and Inter cropping with LEAFY and other Vegetables.
4. STAGGERED SOWINGS: An Innovative Market Intelligence.
Because the crop was grown for green cobs,farmers have opted to sow the crop
in 4 intervals to ensure better price in the market.
Staggered sowings from 10 th January to 12 February 2006 are followed.
10, 11 th JAN ---- 4.00 Ac
26,28 JAN --- 4.00 Ac
3, 4, FEB ---- 2.00Ac
12 FEB --- 2.00Ac
This will ensure regulated supply and continuous demand and leads to better price.
more in next posting-----

kharif polambadi results

polam badi means farmers field school is a field based learning experience for 30 farmers .
The main idea behind polambadi programme is to empower farmers in integrated crop management
and to reduce unnecessory pesicide applications, controlling pests through alternate ways and using neem based pesticides which will help in increasing NATURAL ENEMY POPULATIONS which will control the
pests.
Before polambadi :
Pre-polambadi survey at THUMMIAPALLI village

1. Ignorance and lack of awareness regarding the ill effects of pesticide usage.
2. application of heavy doses of pesticides like lamda cyhalothrin,monocrotophos.
3. using small quantities of spray fluid
   
4. spraying 4-5 times in a paddy season.
5. application of 5 bags of urea per acre
6. no idea about beneficial insects and natural control.
7. low yields of 16- 18 bags( 1375 kgs/ac)
8. high cost of cultivation of > Rs.6500/ac

EFFECTS OF POLAMBADI-KHARIF2005

1. Farmes now believe that there are friends in their field to protect their crop.
2. many now recognised that the man cause of pest out breaks in previous years is elimination of natural enemy populations resulted by unnecessory pestide applications.
3. Urea application was reduced by 50%.
4. Sprayings as well as quantity of chemicals used was also reduced by 75%.
5. heavy infestation of leaf folder was controlled by just one spray in the village.
6. Jassids ( Green Leaf Hoppers) were controlled by fire traps on community basis.
7. farmers got awareness on the adverse effects of pesticides to both the human beings and to the agro eco system.
8. though they have sown the crop with over aged seedilings of 65-75 days ,due to failure of monsoon they got more than 16 bags per acre.