Agriculture experts have advised gram growers to take extra care to their crops during December due to increase in moister and chill in the weather in addition to rampant growth of weeds in the fields.
A spokesman for Agriculture (Extension) Department said here on Saturday that chickpea (grams) was a most important crop of Pakistan as it played a pivotal role on catering to domestic food requirements at maximum extent.
He said that Agriculture Department had released recommendations to ensure optimal care for chickpea crops during the month of December because mushroom growth of weeds including Bathua, Krund, Lehli, Piyazi, Dumbi Sitti and Riwari, etc. significantly reduced chickpea yields. Hence, the farmers were advised to eradicate the weeds in early stages of crop by using hoeing techniques (Goodi).
He said that the first hoeing should be made 30 to 40 days after sowing followed by a second hoeing one month later. In rain-fed areas where herbicides were less effective, the agriculture experts recommended mechanical or manual weed removal by using rotary weeders, he added. He further said that chickpeas required minimal irrigation. Hence, in irrigated areas, if no rainfall occurred, the light irrigation was suggested when the crop showed signs of drought stress especially during flowering, he added.—APP
