SUMMER SHOWERS

Summer showers started during this week. How ever daily maximum temperatures are around 43 degrees centigrade. Farmers are preparing to sow Mesta crop in their Drylands. The Normal area of Mesta ,(a Fibre crop) is 43,300 hectares . Majority of Mesta crop of the state is in vizianagaram district .

GOLD FROM TANK BED

ONCE , FARMERS USED TO APPLY SILT FROM TANK BEDS TO THEIR FIELDS, ESPECIALLY IN DRY LANDS WHICH ARE DEFICIENT IN MANY ESSENTIAL PLANT NUTRIENTS. TANK SILT IS A RICH SOURCE OF MANY MICRO AND MACRO NUTRIENTS .SO THE CROPS NEVER FACED ANY NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES.BUT NOW FARMERS DISCONTINUED THE PRACTICE AND NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES LIKE ZINC AND IRON HAVE BECOME COMMON IN MANY AREAS.

TIME FOR SUMMER PLOUGHINGS

ITS' TIME FOR TAKING UP SUMMER PLOUGHINGS. SOME SHOWERS RECEIVED DURING MARCH AND APRIL 2008 IN VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT . THE RAINFALL RECEIVED IS NORMAL . NO RAIN FALL RECEIVED DURING MAY2008.FARMERS ARE NOW APPLYING FYM( FARM YARD MANURE) TO THEIR FIELDS.

FROM NOW ONWARDS I WANT TO HIGH LIGHT VARIOUS MISTAKES COMMITTED BY THE FARMERS AND ALSO GAPS IDENTIFIED IN VARIOUS FARMING SITUATIONS IN CULTIVATION OF DIFFERENT CROPS

SUMMER PLOUGHINGS ARE TRADITIONALLY TAKENUP FIRST IN DRY LANDS FOLLOWED BY WET LAND AREAS.BUT IN RECENT YEARS THE % OF AREA COVERED BY SUMMER PLOUGHINGS IS DECREASING YEAR AFTER YEAR,AS MANY FARMERS FEEL IT AS AN EXTRA BURDEN.APPLICATION OF TANK SILT IN DRYLANDS WAS ALSO DISCONTINUED IN RECENT YEARS.

SUMMER PLOUGHINGS HELP IN REDUCTION OF DISEASE CAUSING ORGANISMS , EXPOSE FUNGAL BODIES AND LARVAE AND PUPAE OF MANY INSECT PESTS HIDDEN IN SOILS.IT ALSO CREATS A PORUS LAYER ON SOIL ,INCREASES AERATION AND HELPS IN REDUCING EVAPORATION LOSSES OF SOIL MOISTURE.INSECTS EXPOSED ARE EATEN BY BIRDS.PLOUGHINGS ALSO HELP IN DESTROYING WEEDS .