An agricultural specialist has urged the gram cultivators to finish the late sowing of crops definitely by December 10, and ensure there are 85,000 to 95,000 plants per acre to generate enough yield. Pulses Director of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Chaudhry Muhammad Rafiq said that September 25 to November 15 is the ideal period for gram cultivation. But if producers did not cultivated gram crops during this time, they must immediately begin doing so and finish it by December 10 at all costs.

Every day after November 15 has an impact on both the amount and quality of grain, he said and added, gram farmers in central and southern Punjab, including Faisalabad, Jhang, Thal, Khushab, Mianwali, Layyah, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Bahawalnagar can do the late sowing. Rafiq urged farmers to use approved varieties of gram because these cultivars provide optimum yield and have enough disease resistance.

The approved varieties include Bital-98, Punjab-2008, Balkasar-2000, Wanihar-2000, Thal-2006, CM-98, Kabuli Noor-91, and CM-2008. In order to increase gram output, he also suggested that producers use 13 kg of nitrogen or 36 kg of phosphorus fertiliser per acre. The agriculture helpline can provide further details in this respect, he added.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk