Kanpur: The agriculture department on Monday issued an advisory for farmers to protect their crops against the impact of heatwaves and drought.District agriculture officer Arunesh Pratap Singh has appealed to the farmers of the district to take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their crops, in view of the prevailing intense heat, heatwave conditions, and the potential for drought.He advised paying special attention to mulching and weed control to retain soil moisture. Organic residues (biomass) should be used as mulch, and sprinkler or drip irrigation systems adopted to conserve water, he said, adding that crops should be lightly irrigated in the evening at regular intervals, and organic manure applied to the fields.Sow crops in rows and use polyethylene sheets or conveyance pipes to minimise water loss during irrigation. In upland areas, adopt water conservation techniques such as contour trenches, and utilize groundwater only as needed to avoid its unnecessary depletion. He advised farmers to maintain adequate moisture in the paddy nurseries and ensure proper drainage arrangements.He advised farmers to sow early-maturing varieties of paddy and maize if rainfall occurs by the end of July..However, if rainfall occurs by the first week of Aug, opt for sowing late-maturing varieties of pigeon pea (arhar) alongside crops like urad, moong, sesame, sorghum (jowar), and pearl millet (bajra), he said. If rainfall occurs by Aug 15, sow urad, moong, sesame, and pearl millet, and plan to sow toria during the first fortnight of Sep, he advised.
