Cold wave over Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, gradual rise in temperature expected over Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan
Western Disturbance and associated cyclonic circulation persist over north Pakistan and adjoining Jammu & Kashmir. Under the influence of Western Disturbances, fairly widespread to widespread rain/snow and Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning expected over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh during next 48 hours. Some parts of Kashmir may also receive heavy rain and snow during 24 hours. For Himachal Pradesh, farmers are being advised to undertake thinning and weeding operation in timely sown mustard crop. To control pod borer in gram crop, install Pheromone trap @ 3-4 traps per acre, if flowering has reached 10-15%. Install “T” shaped bird perches in and around crop fields to control insect population. To control shoot and fruit borer in brinjal and tomato crops, infested fruits and shoots should be collected and buried inside the soil. Also install pheromone trap @25 per hectare. If pest population is high, spray spinosad 48 EC @ 1 ml /4 litres of water during clear weather. Cover the small pomegranate plants with grass to avoid cold injury. Destroy the infected plant parts and undertake dressing of cut ends. Undertake stacking in the pea crops so that it grows vertically and pod picking becomes easy. In High Hill Temperate Dry Zone, dig up the beds of apples, collect the root penetrating worms and kill them. Then make a solution of Chlorpyriphos (20 EC) 500 ml/100litres of water and irrigate with it. Cold wave conditions expected over isolated parts of north Madhya Pradesh during next 24 hours and over Odisha during next 48 hours. Meanwhile dry weather condition likely over Central India throughout the week.
In Madhya Pradesh, looking to the past cloudy weather and light rain condition the incidence of aphids in mustard, radish and beans is likely to increase, so farmers are advised to keep keen watch on the crop and if the infestation is above ETL spray Imidacloprid @ 0.5 ml/liter of water. Irrigate wheat crop at different critical stages as per requirement. If sufficient moisture is available in wheat field, then broadcast last doze of urea in the field. Care should be taken that leaves should not be wet, and urea should not get stick to it. For the control of termites in standing wheat crop, 1000ml Chlorpyrifos 20 EC Mix with 8 -10 kg of sand and spray it per acre. To control of rodents attack in wheat crop apply zinc phosphide in field with any food material and don’t irrigate the crops for next five days. At present gram is in pod formation/development stage and at this stage the incidence of gram pod borer is commonly observed the fields. Hence, farmers are advised to keep keen watch over the crops and adopt integrated pest management practices like light trap, pheromone trap etc. for initial control. If necessary spray insecticides like Spinoshed @ 300 ml/ha or Aciphate WP @ 250 g/ha (250 ml/ha) or HNPV @ 250 LE/ha or Polytrin C @ 1 litre/ha.
In Odisha, farmers are being advised to complete transplanting rice seedlings. Continue planting of sugarcane. Go for nursery raising of cole crops for late planting. Undertake sowing of maize (in uplands), lentil, field pea, green gram, black gram and chickpea. Complete the sowing of summer groundnut and sunflower by this week. Carry out hoeing & weeding in earlier sown groundnut and sunflower crops. Undertake harvesting of mustard. Incidence of pod borer occurred in gram and pea; spray 50 ml Imidacloprid or 400 ml Dimethoate or Metasystox in 200 litre water/acre. Temperatures may rise gradually in Maharashtra, Gujarat, South Rajasthan and most parts of Madhya Pradesh. In Rajasthan Wheat and Barley is standing in field, control weed where ever it find. Apply 4thirrigation in wheat at 70-75 DAS and 5th irrigation at 85-90 DAS. In barley 3rd irrigation at 90–100 DAS and 4th at grain development stage. Where there is attack of termite in standing crop apply 4.0 litre chloropyriphos or 300 ml imidacloprid per ha with irrigation. Where there is attack of desert locusts apply malathion (96%) in standing crops apply chloropyriphos (50%) 1 ml/lit. or (20%) 2.5 ml/lit. with water.
Isolated light rain expected over Tamil Nadu. Light rain also expected over East Assam and Arunachal Pradesh around February 15. The weather of rest Northeast India, as well as the eastern states, will be dry. In Hill Zone of Assam, continue main field preparation for transplanting Boro paddy seedlings. Apply irrigation at flowering and siliquae development stages in rapeseed & mustard. Monitor cole crops regularly for leaf feeders; if pest population is above ETL, spray of B.t. @ 1.0 g/ litre of water or Spinosad @1 ml / 3 litre of water. In Lower Brahmaputra Valley Zone, complete transplanting of summer rice at the earliest. Maintain standing water at 5±2cm depth after 2-3days of transplanting. Spray 2 gm Bavistin /litre of water for control blast disease in wheat crop at CRI, vegetative, ear head and flowering.