Farmers Raise Paddy Nurseries After Rains In Many Areas
Agriculture officials suggested another variety of paddy, similar to Swarna but would not fall on the fields during rains and cyclones and not attract pests.
KAKINADA: The farmers of Eluru, Kakinada, BR Ambedkar Konaseema and the East and West Godavari districts are engaged in sowing for paddy cultivation of the Kharif season, following rains in the past three days.
Already upland farmers completed 80 per cent of the nurseries while delta farmers are expediting the work.
Many farmers want to change the usual varieties of paddy seed for better yield. For the past several years, they used the Swarna variety that gave a good yield. Also, there was domestic consumption for this variety. But, during the cyclones or strong winds, it falls down and also attracts pests.
Agriculture officials suggested another variety of paddy, similar to Swarna but would not fall on the fields during rains and cyclones and not attract pests.
The agriculture research centre at Marteru in West Godavari district developed two superfine varieties like MTU 1262 andMTU 1224. The centre took it as a Foundation Seed this year. Scientists of Marteru said that due to cultivation of these super fine varieties, the farmers can get good yield and good market prices.
They said more than 500 quintals of the 1262 and 300 varieties of seeds of the 1224 variety have been sent to the erstwhile Godavari
districts and Gunturu, Prakasam and other districts.
However, the BPT 5204 variety is being cultivated in Guntur, Prakasam and Krishna districts and some of the Upland areas in East Godavari and Kakinada district. Scientists said the new varieties are also alternatives to BPT seed and the yield would be more than that of BPT.
These two varieties are suitable for cultivation in areas of inundation and water logging, they said.