Latest Weather Situation & Advisory

Main Features:

• Under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance scattered precipitation is likely to occur over Western Himalayan region and adjoining northern plains during next 48 hours.
• Numerical weather prediction models suggest that a fresh easterly wave is likely to cause scattered to fairly widespread Rain/thundershowers over parts of south peninsular India during 20-23 rd November.
• Minimum temperatures are 5-8ºC above normal over central India and adjoining areas. These warm temperature conditions are likely to prevail during next 48 hours. Thereafter with change in wind pattern, temperatures are likely to fall.

Weather Outlook for 22^nd November to 24^th November, 2008 (Based on numerical weather products):

• Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall activity is likely over south peninsula. Isolated heavy rainfall is also likely over Kerala and south Tamil Nadu on 22 nd November.
• Fall in night temperatures over northwest and adjoining central India

(Source: India Meteorological Department Website)
Click here for more details.

Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Management during 3 ^rd week of November 2008

Natural Resource Management

Nutrient and Soil Management

• Basal application of chemical fertilizers is to be band placed in furrows at 3-5 cm depth for higher fertilities use efficiency.
• Apply sulphur @20-40 kg/ha to oilseeds and pulse crops for higher yield and quality
• In hill regions, sowing should be done across the slope or along the contours to minimize soil and water losses.
• In different rabi crops, recommended basla doses on N, P and K fertilizers for the region should be followed. If possible, the nutrient doses may be applied as per the soil test.

Water Management

• Resort to drip and sprinkler irrigation practices wherever possible particularly for commercial crops including fruit orchards and widely spaced vegetables during ensuing rabi season. Raised bed planters save 35 to 50% irrigation water and enable raised bed farming which particularly suits to vegetable cultivation besides cereals, pulses and oilseeds.
• Use of micro-irrigation system to irrigate more areas of different crops may be advocated
• Wherever water resources are available such as lake, ponds, wells etc. protective irrigation can be provided to the crop.
• Indiscriminate exploitation of groundwater must be avoided. Follow the irrigation schedules as recommended for the area. In hard rock areas, for improving well yields, long and continuous pumping should be substituted by intermittent pumpage.

Agroforestry

• Trees on agriculture lands may be pruned to open up canopy for light penetration before crop sowing. Weed biomass and leguminous tree leaves may be lopped and used for compo sting
• Grasses from silvi pasture may be preserved.

General Recommendations

• For timely sowing and at proper depth and more area coverage, prefer using suitable bullock frawn or tractor drawn implements.
• Adoption of resource conservation technology such as zero tillage, laser land leveling may be adopted

Field Crops

Integrated Pest Management for Cotton Mealybug

Click here for Weekly Status of mealybug in Cotton and Parthenium

Package of practice for rabi Wheat, Barley and Maize

Rapeseed Mustard

Varieties Recommended for specific conditions/Possessing particular traits.

Integrated Pests Management in Rapeseed-Mustard

• Important insect-pests : Mustard aphid, mustard sawfly, painted bug, pea leaf miner and Bihar hairy caterpillar
• Important diseases: Alternaria blight, white rust, downy mildew, powdery mildew and Sclerotinia rot

Integrated Strategies

• Proper planning of cropping pattern for avoiding diseases from previous crop and the pests like painted bug
• Mechanical removal of the diseased plants debris and the crop residue of previous season
• Use of only clean, healthy and disease free seed
• Seed treatment with garlic bulb extract (2% w/v) for Sclerotinia rot and Apron 35 SD @ 6g/kg for white rust disease.
• Seed treatment with Trichoderma viride @ 4g/kg seed for soil borne diseases.
• Application of recommended dose of fertilizers for various crops
• Spray Mancozeb (0.2%) for Alternaria blight, white rust and downy mildew
• Spray Carbendazim (0.1%) for Sclerotinia rot and powdery mildew diseases
• Crop rotation with wheat, barley and maize in Sclerotinia rot affected areas.
• Irrigate the field on time for managing sawfly
• Weeding to reduce building up of painted bug population
• Quick threshing of harvested crop to avoid loss due to painted bug
• Mechanical removal of the pests : pluck and destroy aphid-infested twigs thrice initially; pluck all the leaves infested by the pea leaf miner and burry them to kill the maggots and pupae resting inside and collect the Bihar hairy caterpillars along with the infested leaves and dip them in kerosenised or insecticide treated solution to kill the pest.
• For the control of mustard aphids at the Economic Threshold Level, i.e., at least 10% plants having 26-28 aphids/plant and also for pea leaf miner, spray 0.025% Oxydematon methyl 25 EC or 0.03% Dimethoate 30 EC
• Use 4% Endosulphan or 5% Malathion dust @ 25 kg/ha for effective control of Painted (Bagrada) bug and sawfly and spray 0.1% Malathion 50 EC or 0.07% Endosulfan 35 EC for heavy infestation of Bihar hairy caterpillar
• Conserve predators of mustard aphid such as Coccinella septempunctata Linn, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens), Syrphid by avoiding unnecessary use of chemical pesticides

Present high temeprature may pre-empt the invasion of Bagrada (Painted) bugs that damage seedlings. Daily field monitoring could help to take up suitable pesticide application.

Rapeseed-Mustard varieties released/notified (1996-2008)

Strategy for increasing production in major Rapeseed-Mustard growing states

Major recommendations on Improved Varieties

Major Recommendations on Cropping System

Sunflower

• In rabi areas, do not sow mungbean, if it precedes sunflower since it will delay rabi sowing

Castor

• Farmers of Gujarat and Rajasthan are advised to avoid water logging to prevent wilt disease.

Horticultural Crops

Precautions to be taken 3 ^rd week of November 2008

• Sowing of vegetable nursery of tomato, early cauliflower and cabbage can be practiced. Nursery should be sown on raised bed (15-20 cm). Before sowing, nursery should be treated with Trichoderma harzianum @ 10-15g/m2 . Seeds may also be treated with Trichoderma harzianum @ 10g/kg seed or with Cabtan/Thiram  @ 3g/kg seed
• Preparation of field for sowing / transplanting of vegetable crops.Provide proper drainage in the field.
• Drenching with copperoxychloride 0.25% or mancozeb 0.25% for the control of rhizome rot of ginger / turmeric /cardamom.
• Provide proper drainage in orchards to prevent root rot during rainy season.
• Pruning of the dead wood/ unproductie branches/twigs in cashew trees after harvest.

Crop management practices in mandate vegetable crops

Livestock & Animal Husbandry

Feeding, Management and Heath Care for December, 2008

• Animals to be protected from exposure to cold by housing in sheds with thatched roofing specially in the night and covering the windows with gunny bags
• Shared angora rabbits should be housed in shed for at least 7-10 days to protect against exposure to cold
• Sheeps/goats may be checked for nasal discharge, if any and treated appropriately
• Animals should be provided with straw bedding and the bedding should be changed regularly
• Animals to be protected from exposure to cold so that occurrence of pneumonia and respiratory disorders can be avoided
• Young claves should be given additional care by keeping them indoors and stall-fed and their bedding may be checked and changed daily and avoid sending for grazing in the morning
• Poultry shed should be provided with room heaters during December / January
• Animals to be provided area specific mineral mixture along with salt regularly and grains like wheat, bajra, jaggery etc. may be provided @ 10%-20% in the daily ration during winter season to meet the energy requirement of the animals.
• 10% extra dry matter (DM) should be provided over and above the total requirement
• Rabbit cages and feeders to be daily cleared off litter / leftover and disinfected using blow lamp once a month
• Clean drinking water to be provided to animals and water troughs should be regularly cleaned
• Animals to be screened for diseases like pneumonia, wound and injuries regularly and the services of veterinary doctor be taken for treatment
• Animals to be dewormed with suitable anti-helmentic drug and be checked and treated for ecto-parasites, if any
• Ensure vaccination of animal against FMD, Brucellosis, Haemorrahagic Septicaemia, Anthrax and small ruminants against PPR and Sheep and goat Pox

Fisheries

• Shrimp farmers are advised to reduce feeding by 20 -30 % , because of fall in temp and low feed intake.
• Fish farmers should also reduce daily feed requirement after observing feed consumption.

CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR FLOOD AFFECTED AREAS OF BIHAR

Last updated on: 19-11-2008 at 4.00 am