The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is all set hold its two-day Kisan Mela. Stalls will be put up by different departments of PAU, where farmers can interact and discuss their farm issues with the experts and seek technical guidance and solutions for the same.
The Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering will demonstrate operation of machinery such as Happy Seeder, Super SMS, Straw Baler, Paddy Straw Chopper-cum-Spreader and PAU Straw Cutter-cum-Spreader.
The Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics will informabout newly developed/released varieties namely Unnat PBW 343 (PBW 723), Unnat PBW 550 (PBW 761) and PBW 1 Zn of wheat; TMB 37 of summer mungbean; Giriraj of Indian mustard; BL 43 of berseem and OL 11 of oats.
The Departments of Entomology and Plant Pathology will give field demonstrations on insect pest management inkharifand vegetablecrops, control of whitefly in cotton, production of disease free seed of basmati and management of sheath blight in paddy.
The Departments of Agronomy and Soil Science will educate about direct seeded rice/basmati, weed control in rice and maize, mechanical transplanting of rice, use of PAU Leaf Colour Chart technology, use of fertilizers on soil test basis, etc.
The Departments of Processing and Food Engineering, and Food Science and Technology will apprise farmers of portable maize dryer, PAU onion storage structure, and processing techniques. Besides, products like multigrain flour, cookies and porridge; pickles; fruit juice and oat meal cookies will also be sold.
The Departments of Fruit Science and Vegetable Science will provide information regarding improved varieties of fruit crops PAU Kinnow -1, Daisy mandarin and other citrus fruits; PAU fruit fly traps; and recommended varieties of vegetables including tomato, chilli, pea, carrot, brinjal, garlic, broccoli, methi, etc.
The Department of Microbiology will explain mushroom cultivation technology, use of bio-fertilizers for various crops, etc. while Department of Forestry and Natural Resources will inform about recommended wheat varieties and sowing time under poplar plantations.
The School of Agricultural Biotechnology will delve on commercial micro propagation of important horticultural and field crops and the School of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology will inform about SMS weather alerts, and climate variability trend analysis of Punjab and its effect.
The School of Renewable Energy Engineering will explain about biogas generation from paddy straw and preparation process of bio-diesel.
