FAISALABAD, Feb 23 (APP): The agriculture experts have declared the first fortnight of March as the most suitable period for spring Moong cultivation and advised the farmers to use certified, graded and healthy seed at the rate of 10 to 12 kilograms (kg) per acre to maintain a plant population of 16,000 to 18,000 plants in one acre for optimum yield.
A spokesman of Agriculture (Extension) Department said that if farmers were unable to complete sowing during the first half of March, the crop could still be sown by end of the month without significant yield loss. However, he stressed that timely sowing remained critical for achieving better production.
He advised that in warmer regions or areas prone to hot winds, the farmers should increase the seed rate by an additional two to three kilograms per acre to ensure adequate plant population and avoid yield reduction due to environmental stress.
He said that for irrigated areas of Punjab, the varieties approved by the Agriculture Department and the government including NIAB Moong-2006, AZRI Moong-2006, NIAB Moong-2011, NIAB Moong-2016, Bahawalpur Moong-2017, AZRI Moong-2018, AZRI Moong-2021, NIAB Moong-2021 and Abbas Moong.
In rain-fed areas, particularly suitable for barani tracts, Chakwal Moong-6 could produce excellent results, he added.