How Telangana Farmers Protect Crop From Pests During Monsoon

Farmers are ready to sow their crops during the rainy season. In pulses, especially the small grains like pesara and millet, various pests can emerge and cause damage to the crop. The major pests include root rot, green leaf rot and tooth rot. To avoid these pests, farmers should clean the seeds before sowing. Dr Vijay Bhaskar, chief scientist, agriculture department, told Local 18 that farmers can prevent the pest attack in the first stage by applying 3 grams of manukozab or 2.5 capsules per kilogram of pesara seeds before sowing.

In Telangana, the problem of tooth pests is present. To avoid these, the seeds WBG 42, WBG 32 released by Warangal Agricultural Research Center are called Ekasheela. If farmers in Yadradi sow this seed, it will become resistant to pests. If the seed is mixed with 5 millilitres of Mono Croto Pash or 5 grams of Mitoxin per kg of sorghum seed, the sorghum plant can be protected from the sucking insect to some extent.

If farmers grow pesara, millet, paddy and kandi and add 200 grams of Rhizobium per acre to the seed, it will fix nitrogen in the soil and reduce the use of chemical fertilisers. Another important crop in Telangana is the kandi plant, which is also susceptible to pests; so if the seed is resistant to these, the yield will be good when cooked. Dr Vijay Bhaskar told Local 18 that farmers are also likely to get more profit.

Soil erosion is a drastic effect of heavy rainfall that affects the roots of crops and can cause severe damage. Mulching is an effective strategy to protect plants from rainfall and helps stop soil erosion. You can get organic mulch and apply a layer of 1 to 2 centimetres around the plants. Organic materials include dried leaves, wood chips, straw, and so on. Mulch keeps the soil moist, regulates temperature, and prevents soil and root damage during adverse weather conditions.

Besides, Contour farming involves raising the planting beds and laying the field in curves or on slopes. Raised beds are raised rows of soil laid out in the field. They are usually higher than the ground, creating a barrier to rainwater runoff. During heavy rains, the excess water flows around the raised beds rather than directly into the plants. This way, waterlogging is prevented. The shape of the field has the same effect, slowing the flow of water during heavy rain, preventing the water from running off and causing soil erosion.