The Hindu Business Line : Easterlies entail tinkering of crop management

UNUSUALLY strong easterlies prevailing in the lower atmosphere in the South may have contributed to the success of the ongoing northeast monsoon, but they also warrant suitable changes in the crop management regime.

Small systems such as the easterly waves will continue to help good rainfall in the South, according to Dr M. Rajeevan, Director, Forecasting, India Meteorological Department (IMD).

In light of the easterly winds picking up speed, farmers in Kerala have been advised to give suitable props to bunched rain-fed banana. An advisory issued by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) as part of its weather-based agricultural management programme said priority should be given to banana that looks to the east.

Given the damp weather prevailing in the region, farmers have also been advised to take precautionary measures against fungal diseases in almost all crops. Fungal disease like damping is likely to affect the vegetables. Spraying of one per cent Bordeaux mixture has been recommended if infestation is noticed in plants.

Caution may also be taken against pseudo stem borer in rain-fed banana. Affected fruits and stems of brinjal plants should be detached and destroyed in case of fruit and stem borer attack. In arecanut gardens, wherever `mahali' disease is noticed, one per cent Bordeaux mixture may be sprayed.

In case of incidence of bud rot in coconut, crown cleaning and spraying up of Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride may be done, the ICAR advisory said.

To reduce the infestation of mosaic in bhindi, resistant varieties like Arka Anamika and Arka Abhay may be cultivated. Since amaranth will flower during November- December, care should be taken while planting amaranthus. High density planting can be resorted to and seedlings uprooted and used before flowering.

Rain likely in Kerala: An IMD forecast for 24 hours on Sunday said a trough of low at sea level over Southwest Bay of Bengal and off the Tamil Nadu coast persisted. Another `low' lay over the Andaman Sea. Under the influence of these systems, isolated rain/thundershowers have been forecast over Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, Kerala and Lakshadweep.

As per India Meteorological Department (IMD) records, cumulative seasonal rainfall (October 1 to November 10) was excess/normal in 24 and deficient in 12 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions. For the country as a whole, the post southwest monsoon rainfall is above normal by 11 per cent (actual 101.0 mm, normal 91.2 mm).

End-of-season report for southwest monsoon rainfall had earlier said that the cumulative seasonal rainfall for the period (June 1 - September 30) was normal in 23 meteorological subdivisions and deficient in 13 out of 36 meteorological subdivisions of the country. All India weighted rainfall for the period was 13 per cent below normal (actual 781.2mm, normal 893.3mm).

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