Rust tolerant wheat seeds to be provided to farmers

Govt evolves plan costing Rs200m for crop sustainibility.

SIALKOT: The Punjab agriculture department evolved a comprehensive plan costing Rs200 million for provision of rust tolerant high yield certified seed of wheat varieties for sustainability of wheat production.

Agriculture department officials said that necessary arrangements for the distribution of wheat seed among the farmers had been finalised and under the plan, 77,000 bags of high yielding certified seeds of wheat would be provided to the farmers free across the province.



The basic aim of the programme was to promote rust resistant high yielding varieties of wheat for sustainable wheat production under the climate change situation in the country.

Wheat seeds in packing of 50 kilogrammes would be provided according to the proportionate share of local area in villages and districts.

At least 11, 489 certified and rust resistant wheat varieties bags would be provided in six districts of Gujranwala division.

Earlier, agriculture experts said that sowing wheat early in standing cotton crop saves time and resources.



Experts, however, advised farmers to free the field from weeds, level it and pick cotton from all the cotton bolls that are opened before sowing wheat. Farmers should then fill the field with water.

They said healthy and disease-free seeds of wheat should be sown at the rate of 60 kilogramme per acre. They maintained that seeds should be treated with some anti-fungus agent before sowing and after sowing, farmers should keep the beds wet or moist for better germination.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2017.