The Reviving the Green Revolution Cell housed at PAU, Ludhiana, is organising a training programme on IPM in Basmati for the IPM Basmati project which is being operated by RGR Cell in association with the State Department of Agriculture, Government of Punjab in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts. In the first batch 80 Scouts have been trained from April 5 to April 8, 2010. These included 50 Scouts from Ajnala, Harsha Chhina, Majitha, Chogawan blocks from Amritsar district and 30 Scouts from Tarn Taran, Bhikhiwind and Patti block from Tarn Taran district.

The training of the second batch of 70 Scouts is being held from April 8 to April 11, 2010 comprising 20 Scouts from Gandiwind, Valtoha from Tarn Taran district and 50 from Gurdaspur, Dinanagar, Dera Baba Nanak and Fatehgarhchurian blocks from Gurdaspur district.

The training is being imparted by experts from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, at Kairon Kisan Ghar. The various topics covered under the training programme include the importance and need for training; cultivation of improved varieties of Basmati; nursery raising techniques; nutrient management in Basmati; use of leaf colour chart and tensio meter; important weeds of Basmati and their management; harmful insect pests and their management; role of useful insect in Basmati; identification of harmful insecst, parasites and predators in Basmati; surveillance of useful and harmful insects of Basmati; spray technology; IPM of Basmati insect pests; preparation and use of data sheet; important diseases of Basmati and their management; seed treatment and nursery treatment for disease control; and important tips for Basmati cultivation. In addition, the Scouts are being acquainted with how to approach farmers, arrange framers meeting and act as a link between the farmers and the experts. After successful training the Scouts would undergo a post evaluation test and then be sent to respective villages for the service of the farmers. The training is aimed to prepare these Scouts for successful and economical cultivation of Basmati through minimal and judicious use of agrochemicals.