Sangrur: PAU-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sangrur, organised a one-day awareness camp on paddy straw management at Chathe Sekhwan village in Sangrur block, attended by around 80 farmers and members of the gram panchayat.PAU-KVK Sangrur in-charge Mandeep Singh urged farmers to sow wheat while retaining paddy straw in fields. He discussed the adverse effects of stubble burning on the environment, soil and human health, emphasising that in-situ straw management could improve soil health.Singh also informed farmers about vocational training courses, soil and water testing services, the crop residue management machinery bank, and seeds produced by KVK Sangrur.Assistant professor of farm machinery, Sunil Kumar, explained the use of machinery available for sowing wheat while retaining straw.Assistant professor of crop science, Rukinderpreet Singh, discussed diseases that affect paddy yield, along with their control measures. He advised farmers to spray 1.5% potassium nitrate when the paddy crop reaches the booting stage, using 3kg potassium nitrate in 200 litres of water per acre.Associate professor of horticulture, Ravinder Kaur, encouraged farmers to establish winter kitchen gardens. She provided information about vegetable varieties developed by Punjab Agricultural University and seedlings produced for farmers at KVK Sangrur.Experts answered farmers’ queries, and winter vegetable seed kits were distributed at the end of the camp.
