Reviving Green Revolution (RGR) Cell, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Punjab, launched a seed treatment campaign on June 3, 2010 under the Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust and Government of Punjab sponsored project on ‘Promotion of IPM technology in Basmati to boost diversification’.

The seed treatment campaign was initiated in the first week of June in the adopted villages to produce nursery free from ‘foot rot’ which is a deadly disease and can be controlled only through fungicide treatment of seeds and nursery. This campaign was started with the village Kot Jaspat situated in block Tarn Taran. The chief agricultural officer (Tarn Taran), Manohar Singh; GS Deol, consultant, RGR Cell; Amarjit, ADO; concerned ADOs Mr Saini and Mr Sarabjit, and field officers Mandeep Sharma and Ravinder Singh attended the campaign. The whole process of seed treatment was given to farmers through method demonstration. The farmers were advised to use correct method for treating the seed of Basmati crop by using recommended dose of fungicides.

Farmers were also persuaded to sow Basmati nursery in recommended time i.e., first fortnight of June for Pusa Basmati 1121 and second fortnight of June for Basmati 386. The other villages covered under the campaign were Jeobala (block Tarn Taran), Jhamke (block Tarn Taran), Pringri (block Patti), Jalloke (block Patti), Jamalpur (block Patti), Margindpura (block Bhikhiwind), Lakhna Tapa (block Bhikhiwind) and Dall (block Bhikhiwind). All 150 villages have been covered during the month of June to educate the farmers. The fungicides viz. Streptocycline and Bavistin were also distributed to all Basmati growing farmers in 150 villages.

A total of 150 scouts have been selected and trained for dissemination of IPM technology in Basmati crop. Village information centres have also been established in all 150 selected villages equipped with latest literature, where farmers access knowledge on crop production and protection aspects. District level training camps are underway to disseminate knowledge at mass level. The farmers’ soil samples have also been analysed, taking about 20 samples from each village. The soil sample analysis would give an indication of the nutrient status of the soil and help guide farmers to avoid excessive use of nitrogenous fertilisers, which in turn add to the pest / disease problems in Basmati besides adding to overall cost of cultivation.