HYDERABAD:Eminent water expert and Dean of Faculty of Agricultural Engineering of Sindh Agriculture University Dr. Altaf Ali Siyal has said that the agriculture sector of Sindh province was facing various threats and concerns due to climate change.
After adverse effects of floods, experts will have to change the land restoration, water, environment and cultivation practices through their research, he emphasized.
He was addressing the PhD seminar titled “Effects of tillage practices and organic fertilizers on soil properties, growth and yield of wheat and maize crop,” of Manzoor Ali Magsi, Scholar of Department of Farm Power and Machinery, held at the Varsity’s Senate Hall on Friday.
He informed that according to soil properties, better production can be achieved by proper use of land preparation, water and farmyard organic fertilizers in agriculture, while the traditional agricultural methods of farming for the last 75 years have failed to achieve significant results.
He said that modern methods of land preparation, fertilizer and water use had better effects on crop production. After recent floods in Sindh, the land conditions, crop selection and cultivation should be considered according to need, he suggested.
PhD scholar Manzoor Ali Magsi said that better results had been obtained with ridge cultivation, use of organic fertilizers and correct use of water. He informed that he had proved during his research that the use of organic fertilizers in land preparation and cultivation and shallow plowing for wheat and deep plowing for maize and the use of natural manure from the farm could get better results by preparing the land. It will improve the health of the land, water and environment would also be better, he said and added that organic amendments would improve soil strength and chemical properties, which guarantee better production.
Among others, Dean Dr. Aijaz Ali Khooharo, Dean Dr. Syed Ghiyasuddin Shah Rashidi, Dean Dr. Manzoor Ali Abro, Dr. Abdul Mubeen Lodhi, PhD Supervisor Dr. Naimatullah Laghari, Dr. Ahmad Ali Tagar, Dr. Ziaul Hasan Shah, Dr. Aijaz Soomro, Qamaruddin Jogi, Dr. Fahad Nazir Khoso, Pir Ahmad Naqi Shah and Engr. Farman Ali Chandio were also present on the occasion.