Delayed rains affect Kharif sowing

Aurangabad, July 10:

The kharif crops have been affected due to lack of rains and rising temperatures in the last few days. In some places, Kharif crops have completely dried out and there is a high possibility of second sowing being severely affected. Farmers are now eyeing good rains.

Farmers are worried as the rains continue to recede. The rain has come to a halt for the last 10 to 12 days. The lack of rains has raised concerns over the kharif season. The area under kharif cultivation in the district is 6.75 lakh hectares. Out of which crops on 5.44 lakh hectares were cultivated by farmers. This is 80.61 per cent of the normal area, but the rains have hit the kharif crops hard. Such conditions mainly affect the growth of short duration mung, urad along with soybean, said Dr Suryakant Pawar of the National Agriculture Research project. Tur, cotton is not affected much at present conditions. Efforts are required to maintain moisture in the soil due to intermittent rainfall. Farmers should use water retention techniques for better water retention. He advised to apply potassium nitrate at the rate of 50 gm per 10 liters of water and spray it on the crop at intervals of seven days if the leaves are turning yellow. As the temperature rises, the air pressure decreases. In the next three-four days, monsoon will be active again in Marathwada. Rainfall is likely to be heavy in Vidarbha, said meteorologist Dr Ramchandra Sable.