Patna: With Bihar recording a 37% deficit in southwest monsoon rainfall so far this year, agrarian experts have warned that delayed transplantation of long-duration paddy could potentially impact yields. Farmers have been advised to complete the process at the earliest.Transplantation can still be carried out till the end of July if the state receives adequate rainfall in the coming days, while the sporadic showers recorded so far are sufficient to sustain already transplanted crops and alternate crops like pigeon pea and millets, they said.“Farmers should complete paddy transplantation as soon as possible. Though the ideal window has been delayed, transplantation can still be done till the end of July if there is good rainfall in the coming days. However, the delay could affect the yield of long-duration varieties,” said Abdus Sattar, senior scientist and principal investigator (agrometeorology) at the Centre for Advanced Studies and Climate Change, Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU), Pusa.He said paddy requires at least 30mm of rainfall a week to sustain the crop, though supplemental irrigation can help bridge any deficit. “The rainfall being received now is adequate to sustain transplanted paddy,” he said, adding that the erratic but intensive showers were also beneficial for several kharif crops, including pigeon pea, millets, gourds and summer maize, particularly in upland areas.Senior soil scientist, RPCAU, C K Jha said frequent rainfall had improved the water-holding capacity of the soil and reduced the need for irrigation. “Paddy fields must not develop cracks. That problem has largely been eliminated with the recent rainfall,” he said, adding that rainfall in north Bihar was particularly favourable for paddy growth.“Early-transplanted paddy is likely to show good crop growth. In areas where water stagnation occurs, it may even be favourable for the crop. At present, it may not lead to much difference in yield, but a clearer assessment can be made only after the end of the month,” Jha said.Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Patna, meteorologist Kumar Gaurav said rainfall was likely to decline, while maximum temperatures could rise by 2 degrees Celsius to 4 degrees Celsius. This may trigger thunderstorm activity with isolated to scattered rainfall across the state. However, districts including Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia and Banka, are likely to continue receiving more rainfall.
