Lahore: The Punjab Agriculture Department has advised farmers in rainfed areas to cultivate approved wheat varieties and adopt recommended farming practices to improve per-acre yields and contribute to food security.
According to department sources here on Sunday, recommended wheat varieties for rainfed areas include Sheeraz-23, Urooj-22, Nishan-21, MA-21, Markaz-19, Barani-17, Fateh Jang-16 and Pakistan-13.
The department said the appropriate sowing period for wheat in rainfed areas is from October 15 to November 15. Farmers were advised to use 40 to 50 kilogrammes of seed per acre, with a minimum germination rate of 85 per cent.
It recommended treating wheat seed before sowing to protect the crop from diseases, including loose smut, Karnal bunt, wheat blast and foot rot.
Farmers were also advised to prepare the land properly by ploughing and using a heavy plank to bring moisture to the upper soil layer and eliminate emerging weeds.
The department recommended sowing wheat through a drill and cautioned farmers against placing seed too deep, as this could delay germination and reduce tillering.
It said applying the recommended fertiliser during land preparation and sowing through a drill could improve fertiliser efficiency, promote uniform crop emergence and enhance crop growth.
For low-rainfall areas, including rainfed parts of Rajanpur, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Jand, Pindi Gheb and Khushab, farmers were advised to apply one bag of DAP, one bag of urea and half a bag of SOP or MOP per acre.
In medium-rainfall areas, including Chakwal, Talagang and Pind Dadan Khan, the recommended application was 1.25 bags each of DAP and urea and half a bag of SOP per acre.
For high-rainfall areas, including Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Narowal, Sohawa, Gujrat, Kharian and Shakargarh, farmers were advised to apply 1.5 bags each of DAP and urea and one bag of SOP or MOP per acre.
The department also urged rainfed wheat growers to pay particular attention to weed control. It recommended crop rotation and manual hoeing in smaller fields.
For chemical weed control, farmers were advised to use only recommended herbicides after consulting Agriculture Extension or Pest Warning staff. The department warned against using weeds as fodder after herbicide application and advised farmers to properly calibrate spraying equipment before use.