Temp dip delays growth of paddy nurseries

Srinagar, April 09: Continuous rains and dip in temperature have affected and delayed the growth of paddy nurseries in many areas of Kashmir following which farmers have started re-sowing paddy.
Usually, farmers sow paddy in the nursery in the third week of April to middle of May. Majority of farmers have already planted paddy last month. However, the continuous rains and dip in temperature has affected the growth of nurseries which is an unusual trend.
Farmers from different areas of Kashmir said that the paddy nurseries have been affected due to the dip in temperature and they are worried about the paddy nurseries.
“We are not sure whether the already sown paddy in nurseries would fetch any result or not. The rains and decrease in temperature has affected most of the nurseries,” said Mudasir Ahmad, a farmer from Baramulla.
He said the farmers are worried about paddy this year and said that they are planning to sow the paddy seed again for the second time adding burden on the farming community
Mohd Yousuf, a farmer from Budgam many farmers in the district have sown fresh paddy seed fearing that the already sown seed in existing nurseries might not grow further.
“This has never happened before. The continuous rains, hailstorm, decrease in temperature in May has serious consequences on agriculture and horticulture industry,” he said.
Tahir Ahmad Tahir, Agriculture Extension Assistant Agriculture Department Kashmir, said due to rains and dip in temperature many nurseries have failed or have been unsuccessful.
“There is no need to worry. People in the lower belt areas can transplant paddy till 21 June and even more than that in upper reaches. Those farmers whose paddy nurseries have failed due to rain should prepare new nursery along the old one and go for resowing of seed up to May 15,” he said.
Tahir said that nursery should be covered with polythene in the form of low poly tunnel with the help of willow stacks to protect nursery from chilling injury.
The expert suggested farmers to transplant 30-35 days old, healthy seedlings at 2-3 seedlings per hill, maintaining a spacing of 15 cm x 15 cm, immediately after uprooting from the nursery.
“Broadcast sprouted seed uniformly in the seed bed and maintain 2-3 cm water level till sprouted seeds are established. Control algal growth in the seed bed by avoiding incorporation of undecomposed materials at the time of nursery bed preparation, proper incorporation of DAP, avoid muddy water for irrigation and drain out water from bed,” he said.
“For better tillering the seedlings should be transplanted less than 3 cm deep. Gap filling should be carried out 7-10 days after transplanting. For late transplanting, under unavoidable circumstances (beyond 20th June) and under waterlogged conditions, the number of seedlings per hill should be increased to 6,” he said.
Regarding weed management, Tahir said weeds can be reduced by proper puddling and water management in paddy.
“Maintenance of 5 cm water level in paddy fields reduces weed growth to some extent. Weeds can be controlled either by mechanical means or by application of weedicides,” he said.
Stressing on water management, he said proper water management will enable the crop to tiller profusely, increase the fertilizer use efficiency of applied nitrogen, reduce weeds to some extent and reduce overall water requirement.
“To achieve these objectives, it is necessary to ensure proper level of the field and approximately 3-5 cm water level should be maintained,” he said.
Paddy is already shrinking in the valley. As per figures of Agriculture Department in 2021 there was 1,41,000 hectares of paddy under cultivation in Kashmir which has declined to 1,35,000 hectares in 2022.