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MULTAN, Jan 03 (APP):The Punjab Agriculture Department has issued fresh recommendations for the care and management of the gram crop.
According to a department spokesperson, gram is an important rabi crop. It is cultivated on around 2.2 million acres in Punjab, with nearly 92 percent of the crop grown in rain-fed areas.
The spokesperson said gram crops are affected by various weeds, including onion weed, bathua, kandar, chhanakni booti, lehli rut, phulai, dumbi satti, and rewari. Early weed control is essential for healthy crop growth. Farmers have been advised to remove weeds through hoeing. The first hoeing should be carried out 30 to 40 days after germination, followed by a second hoeing one month later. In sandy areas, weed control through rotary hoeing is considered effective.
In rain-fed and sandy regions, herbicides should only be used where adequate soil moisture is available.
For Kabuli gram, the first irrigation should be applied 60 to 70 days after sowing, while the second irrigation should be given at the flowering stage. Gram sown after the paddy crop does not require irrigation. In September-sown sugarcane fields, gram should be irrigated according to the water requirements of sugarcane.
The spokesperson further advised farmers to consult local agricultural extension experts and follow their recommendations in case of pest or disease attacks.