Vegetable Science – Aabon W Yanthan
1. With approaching summer, the farm should get ready for cultivation of summer vegetables. Some potential summer vegetable crops which have high earning potential are -
Watermelon: It is a warm season crop requiring dry weather and plenty of sunshine. It requires 35oC – 40oC during fruit development. High humidity will promote diseases like powdery mildew, downy mildew, anthracnose and pest like fruit fly. Therefore, plant protection measures should be taken up seriously. Direct sowing of seeds is practiced. Sometimes seeds can be sown in polybags and transplanted at 2 true leaf stages. The seed rate is 3-5 kg/ha. Different system of sowing can be followed- pit system, furrow method, mound method can be followed. Spacing of 2-3m between rows and 1m between plants can be maintained. Seed treatment with thiram control fungal diseases. Germination will start within 3-4 days.
Bottle gourd: It requires hot and humid climate for best growth. High rainfall and prolong cloudiness promotes diseases and pest. The seeds can be sown directly in trenches/furrows or pits. Spacing is 2-3m between rows and 1-1.5m between plants. Seed rate is 3-5kg/ha. Both gourds can be grown over thatched house or fences. However bower system is best which gives higher yield.
Plant Breeding & Genetics –Harendra Verma
1. Do timely harvesting of rabi crops such as potato and toria.
2. Start arranging all required agri input for summer season.
3. Procure only labelled high quality seed of different crops from reliable sources for summer season.
4. Apply well decomposed FYM or manure in the harvested field.
5. Do proper packaging of harvested produce in gunny bags (avoid plastic bags) and keep it in aerated place above the ground to protect it from rodent attack.
6. Reduce the moisture of seed upto 13% for safe storage.
7. If crop is infested by aphids, then apply imidaclorprid @2ml/liter of water for its management.
Agroforestry – Pempa Lamu Bhutia
Pruning for quality timber production.
1. Dead, dying and diseased branches can be pruned in any part of the year.
2. Late winter is the optimal time to prune most of the forest tree species since the plant is dormant and the chance of disease and pest damage. But there may be some exceptions. However, the least desirable pruning time is immediately after new growth develops in the spring and during the active insects or disease months of the tree species.
3. Not more than twenty five to thirty percent of the tree canopy should be removed in a year. However pruning can be done more than the specified percentage if there is a large amount of dead, diseased or dying branches.
4. Pruning of branches should be removed only after 3-5 years of planting when you see a flare at the base of the stem near the soil.
5. Pruning cuts should be made on the branch just outside the branch collar without tearing off the bark. Branch collar is the swollen region adjoining the tissue between the main stem and the branch.
Entomology – Moanaro Lemtur
1. Replace yellow sticky traps in the vegetables field to monitor the sucking pest population.
2. In mustard and Cole crops if aphids infestation is observed, spray soap solution in the initial stage, but if the attack is severe spray Imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 0.3 ml/L or Novaluron 10 EC @ 1 ml/L of water during evening hours
3. If webbing, scrapping, holes or caterpillars are observed in vegetables, mechanically remove the caterpillars first and spray NSKE 5% or neem oil @ 2ml/L or Spinosad 45 SC @ 0.75 ml/L of water and if it is severe spray Indoxacarb 14.5 SC or Flubendiamide 39.35% SC @ 0.5 ml/L of water during evening hours.
4. In mango fasten 400 gauge alkathene sheets of 25 cm width, 30 cm above the base of the tree trunk and apply 5% NSKE or Neem oil @ 3ml/L of water around tree trunk to prevent hibernated mealy bug nymphs return to the tree.
Poultry –Mahak Singh and Talimoa
1. Lasota vaccine at day 7 and repeat at 30 days of age.
2. Provide brooding to chicks below 4 weeks of age.
3. Keep litter dry.
4. Consult Veterinary doctor for any health issue.
Piggery – Mahak Singh and Talimoa
1. Vaccinate against Classical Swine Fever (CSF) at 2 month age and repeat every year.
2. Allow piglets to suckle milk within 6 hour of farrowing.
3. Provide warmth to piglets for first two weeks.
4. Use artificial insemination for breeding.
5. Better to use Government quality feed as per the age of animal (creeper, starter, grower, finisher and breeder).
Fishery – Jyotish Barman
1. Harvest the previously stocked fish preferably by 1st week
2. Remove all small and unwanted fishes from the pond as they compete for food, space and oxygen with the stocked fishes. Predatory fishes may also prey upon fry or fingerlings
3. Clear all aquatic weeds from the water as well as pond embankment. Aquatic weeds are not desirable as they reduce the living space for fish, consumes essential nutrients required for growth of fish food organisms (phytoplankton, Prevents the entry of sunlight into the pond, utilizes the available dissolved oxygen at night and provides shelter for predatory organisms that prey upon the fish seed.
4. Complete dewatering of pond is recommended. It shall ensure complete removal of fish and unwanted vegetation.
5. After dewatering remove the pond bottom mud and the excavated mud can be used for strengthening the pond dyke.
6. Expose the pond bottom to bright sun for about 15-20 days till it cracks.
7. If complete removal of water is not possible, remove the aquatic vegetation manually. Go for repeated netting to remove all small and unwanted fishes.
8. Alternatively, Mahua oil cake @ 2000-25000 kg/ha or bleaching powder with 30% chlorine content @ 350 kg/ha can be applied to kill the leftover fishes and other aquatic organisms. The toxicity effect remains for 20-25 days.
