The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Scientists favour zero tillage technology for maize

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Scientists favour zero tillage technology for maize

Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM: Farm scientists at the Zonal Research and Extension Advisory Council meeting at Krishi Bhavan here on Saturday recommended ‘zero tillage technology’ for maize and also ragi. The ‘zero tillage technology’ (sowing maize without field preparation immediately after harvesting paddy) will help farmers save cost on cultivation.

A. Sudershana Rao, Senior Scientist, Maize Research Station, Hyderabad, Koteswara Rao, Principal Scientist (pulses), Guntur, N.V. Naidu, Associate Director of Regional Agriculture Research Centre, Anakapalle, N.D.R.K. Sarma, Senior Scientist, District Farm Advisory and Transfer of Technology Centre, Vizianagaram and others were present.

“As the crop area of maize, next to paddy, is increasing in three north coastal districts, suitable hybrid varieties are being planned,” said Dr. Sarma.

He said preparing land and then taking up sowing operations was time consuming and hence the farmers could straight away sow seed and get the yield at least two or three weeks in advance.

With regard to pulses, he said the crop area during kharif in the three districts was about four lakh hectares. Of which pulses are raised in 80,000 hectares and groundnut and maize in 40,000 ha. The remaining land is left unused for the second crop. He suggested that ragi, which has high nutritious value and reasonable demand in market, could be raised on the paddy fallow land by adopting ‘zero tillage technology’.

As ragi could withstand lands having optimum moisture as well as deficit water source, farmers were coming forward to raise the millet keeping in view its good returns, he added.

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