NAMSAI, 18 Nov: The Namsai KVK launched a new technology of ‘Zero tillage cultivation rapeseed variety TS-67 in rice fallow variety Luit under the NICRA project’ in Wagon-I village in Namsai district on Friday.
The programme was conducted by the KVK’s plant protection scientist Dr Madhumita Sonowal Bora.
Rapeseed is a climate resilient crop which can be grown without water in the residual soil moisture. Rapeseed are the predominant crops grown during the rabi season in Namsai district and faces several constraints, such as water scarcity during post-monsoon season, lack of irrigation facilities, short time lag after rice harvest for seed sowing, and high incidence of pests and diseases in late sown crops.
As a result, only mono-cropping of rice is practiced and the farmers leave their land fallow.
“The sowing techniques have been practiced in zero tillage cultivation of rapeseed in two ways, ie, relay crop and sowing seeds with straw mulching,” the KVK informed in a release.
“In relay crop, if the soil moisture is optimum, the sowing of seed in standing paddy field just 4-7 days before harvesting of crop. The crop completes its life cycle without much aftercare.
“In the second method, straws are scattered thinly over the field after sowing of rapeseed to serve as mulch for conserving soil moisture. This method is beneficial in increasing soil organic matter in the long run,” it said.
