The Agriculture Information Service (AIS) has set out what care and attention crops need in the month of Falgun. Where needed, farmers are advised to contact the upazila agriculture office, a sub-assistant agriculture officer or the agriculture call centre on 16123.

When Boro seedlings are 50 to 55 days old, top-dress the final instalment of urea fertiliser. Keep 3 to 4 inches of water in the field from the time the panicle forms until the grain reaches the milk stage. Inspect the field regularly for disease and pests, and keep the paddy free of pests through integrated pest management: setting light traps, conserving beneficial insects, and pushing branches into the field so birds can perch.

Wheat starts to ripen from the second half of Falgun. If a hard grain from the ear makes a crunching sound when bitten, it is time to harvest. On a sunny day, wheat can be harvested quickly and cheaply with a reaper or reaper binder. Seed crops should be dried in the sun after cutting and threshed as soon as possible. Dry the collected seed well, cool it and then store it.

Harvest the cobs when 70 to 80 per cent of the plants' cobs have turned the colour of straw and the leaves have yellowed somewhat. If you want to grow Kharif maize, sow the seed this month and give it the care it needs. Grow high-yielding modern varieties for a bigger harvest. The improved maize varieties are BARI Hybrid Maize-9, BARI Hybrid Maize-10, BARI Hybrid Maize-14 and BARI Hybrid Maize-15.

The right time to sow jute is from mid-Falgun to the end of Chaitra. Sowing jute seed in rows makes intercultural work easier and raises yield and quality. Good jute varieties for sowing in Falgun are CC-45, BJRI Deshi Pat Shak-1 (BJC-390) and tossa jute (O-9897, 3-72).

This month, prepare land in the homestead garden to grow data (amaranth stem), kalmi shak, pui shak, bitter gourd, okra, brinjal and pointed gourd. You can also make pits and sow snake gourd, ridge gourd, sponge gourd, cucumber, sweet pumpkin and ash gourd.

To control anthracnose on mango blossoms, spray affected trees with a propiconazole or mancozeb group fungicide mixed with water after the blossoms appear but before the flowers open. Spray a second time when the mangoes are the size of peas.

To control hopper nymphs, spray a cypermethrin group insecticide mixed with water within 10 days of the blossoms appearing, but before the flowers open, and again one month later, wetting the leaves, blossoms and branches thoroughly.

To prevent fruit rot and young fruit drop in jackfruit, keep the tree and the ground beneath it clean. Wrap affected fruit in a wet sack, remove it and bury it in the ground to destroy it. Before and after the young fruit sets, spray Bordeaux mixture or a mancozeb group fungicide mixed with water two or three times at 10-day intervals.

Grow high-value crops for greater profit. Choose short-duration, high-yielding varieties to bring home more harvest. Use modern farm machinery to save labour, time and money.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.