ICAR-CCRI issues advisory for farmers amid lockdown
| Date :23-Apr-2020 |
Staff Reporter :
ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (ICAR-CCRI), Nagpur issued an advisory to all farmers engaged in cultivation of citrus fruits amid this COVID-19 lockdown. While doing the following operations, farmers must remember to take precautions against COVID-19 which includes social distancing (1-2 metres), maintaining personal hygiene by washing of hands with soap, wearing of face mask, protective clothing and cleaning of implements and machinery. Farmers and agricultural labourers are to follow safety measures and social distancing at each and every step in the entire process of field operations. n Irrigation should be continued to maintain the fruit set of Ambia fruits.
Frequency of the irrigation should be increased at 6-7 days interval due to ensuing summer season and high temperature. In Nagpur mandarin and sweet orange one year old tree should be given twice the amount and 3 years old tree given thrice the amount. 8 years old tree should be given 163 litres/day/tree while 10 years and above aged tree should be irrigated with 204 litres/day/tree. In acid lime (lemon) one year tree should be given 11 litres water/day/tree, 2 years tree be given 16 litres water/day/tree, 8 years tree be given 65 litres/day/tree while 10 years and above tree should be given 100 litres of water every day. n During summer months mulching around tree trunk up to 5-10 cm should be done with wheat straw, paddy straw or uprooted weeds or plastic mulch so that, evaporation of water due to high temperature can be minimised which helps in reducing fruit crop. n Fertiliser should be applied at the rate of 108g urea or 250g ammonium sulphate and 157g single superphosphate along with 25g zinc sulphate, 25g ferrous sulphate and 25g manganese sulphate for one year old plant. For 2, 3 and 4 years trees the rate should be two, three and four times of the quantity recommended for one year tree. Apply 20 to 25 kg farm yard manure to each tree in the soil.
These fertilisers and FYM should be applied along the periphery of trees with care that fertilisers are applied to moist soil only. n Incidence of thrips, leaf miner and mealy bugs will be observed during April-May months. Foliar application of any of the insecticides like Imidacloprid 0.5 ml/L or Dimethoate at 2ml/L should be carried out against thrips and leaf miner. A need based second spray at 15 days interval can be given. For controlling mealy bugs, spray Chlorpyriphos 20 EC at 2 ml/litre of water or Dichlorovos at 2.5ml/litre of water on the tree foliage and bark. n Incidence of mites takes an alarming shape during this month. To combat this pest, spray of Dicofol 1.8EC at 2 ml per litre of water may be sprayed. n In Mrig crop orchards, dead wood on the citrus trees should be kept pruned, about 2 cm below the dead portion followed by spraying with Carbendazim fungicide at the rate of one g per litre of water. n To check fruit drop during Ambia bahar, spray of solution containing 1.5g 2,4-D or Gibberelic acid and 1kg urea dissolved in 100 litres of water is suggested.
The interval spray may be reduced to 15 days if an excessive fruit drop continues. n For nurseries, soil preparation has to be done by spreading one part of virgin fertile soil, one part of sand and one part of FYM on concrete floor raised up to 1.5ft in height. Drench the bed completely with water and cover it up with 100 micron thick polythene sheet. Sides of sheet should be sealed to avoid vapour loss.