Ahead of the Kharif season, the Agriculture Department in Sirsa has started awareness programmes to help farmers increase guar crop yield. A joint team of block officials and guar experts organised a training session at Gusaiana village under the supervision of ATM Dr Madan Singh and guar specialist Dr BD Yadav on Wednesday.
The farmers were advised not to sow guar before the recommended time and were informed about preventing “root rot” disease, a major problem in the area. Dr Yadav explained the benefits of using improved guar varieties, timely sowing, seed treatment, and balanced fertiliser application to maximise yield.
Dr Yadav urged the farmers not to sow guar in May, as early planting led to excessive vegetative growth, increased crop lodging, lower pod formation and reduced yield.
He recommended sowing guar in the second fortnight of June. In irrigated areas, sowing can start when excess canal water is available. In rain-fed regions, sowing should be done after adequate monsoon rainfall.
The expert explained that root rot (Ukhda) was caused by a soil fungus attacking young plant roots, turning them black and restricting nutrient uptake. The only effective prevention was seed treatment. Seeds should be treated with 3 grams of carbendazim 50 per cent (bavistin) per kilogram for 15-20 minutes before sowing. This method can control 80-95 per cent of the disease at a minimal cost of just Rs 15 per seed batch.
The farmers were advised to sow improved guar varieties such as HG 365, HG 563, and HG 2-20 at the appropriate time. They were encouraged to consult agricultural scientists and officials for guidance.
Dr Madan Singh emphasised soil and water testing before sowing and adopting modern farming techniques over traditional methods. The training camp distributed bavistin samples for two acres and a pair of gloves to 82 attending farmers. A question-and-answer session was held, and five farmers were honoured for their participation. Progressive farmers like Munshi Ram, Brijlal, Dhannaram, Ramswaroop, Budhram, and Ajay Poonia were present.