Exposure Visit of Farmers to ARS, Tornala on 05-11-2019 and 06-11-2019

The farmers of Bussapur (10 Nos.) and Machapur, Vittalapur, Mundrai, Thimmaipally and Irkode villages (12 Nos.) of Siddipet district visited ARS, Tornala on 05-11-19 and 06-11-19, respectively as a part of exposure visit conducted by ARS, Tornala in collaboration with ATMA, Siddipet district. The visits were co-ordinated by Dr. A.V. Ramanjaneyulu, Sr. Scientist (Agro.) & Head, Dr. N. Sainath, Scientist (Soil Science), Mrs. D. Sravanthi, Scientist (Agro.), Mrs. A. Saritha, Ms. D. Swetha, Scientist (Agro.) and E. Umarani from ARS, Tornala, Mr. K. Shadashiva Reddy, Sarpanch, Busaapur and M. Srikanth from ATMA. Dr. A.V. Ramanjaneyulu has explained about design, construction and advantages of farm ponds. He told that rain water collected and stored in the farm ponds should be used for scheduling life saving irrigation through alternate furrow or sprinkler or drip methods at critical stages such as flowering and grain filling for rainfed crops when the dryspell exceeds 10 days in red soils and 15-20 days in black soils. If there is no dryspell due to sufficient rainfall during rainy season, the harvested water can be utilized during rabi season. He also explained in detail about organic farming to the farmers. Dr. N. Sainath explained the farmers about the role of green manures crops like sunhemp and dhaincha and also stated that they will improve soil fertility and water holding capacity of the soil. Mrs. D. Sravanthi told the visiting farmers that mid-early duration group of red gram varieties viz., WRG-97 and PRG-176 are suitable for Siddipet district and also explained about natural farming in Maize + Red gram intercropping (4:1). Mrs. A. Saritha explained about management of Maruca and Helicoverpa (Chlorantraniliprol @0.3ml/lit) and diseases viz., wilt (drenching with Copper oxychloride @ 3 g/lit). Ms. D. Swetha has explained about contingent cropping with sunflower, horse gram and cowpea which has to be adopted in the event of failure of monsoon and main crop. Dr. Sridevi, Principal along with staff and students of APT, Tornala has explained about ragi crop grown under PAMP to the farmers. All the farmers were shown practically the farm ponds, contingent crops, green manure crops, natural farming plots, intercropping and redgram at ARS and ragi at APT, Tornala.