Director Gen-eral (DG) Agriculture Research Sindh (ARS), Hidayatullah Chhajro, has said that research findings are being disseminated to the growers through media, in this context complaint cells have been set up in different institutes, including Agriculture Research Tandojam, Wheat Research Institute Sakrand, Rice Research Institute Dokri and Sindh Horticulture Research Institute Mirpurkhas.
On the complaints of growers the team of scientists is looking into the matter, getting observations then giving the solutions to the problems of growers. Further DG research added that most of the farmers are not following the recommendations, just they are using local practices, such as application of fertiliser doses are being used without getting the soil tested from the laboratories, as for the growers' benefits throughout the province soil and water testing laboratory has been established in each district.
Soil sample could be tested at minimum charges, ie, ten rupees per sample. After soil testing soil chemist gives the report of soil testing along with suggestion for fertiliser dose for the soil, DG research expressed.
Agriculture Research Sindh has collaboration with Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam, students of related different subjects are conducting their research. In the internship programme of SAU Tandojam the students of BSc part-IV got 12-week training in various sections of agriculture research, where they worked with senior scientists.
In farmers participatory programme project 54 research fellows are working on farmers' field all-over Sindh. All the inputs of field expenditure are being paid by the department.
To resolve the problem of fruit flies the research has prepared precautionary measures, as due to attack of fruit flies mango, guava, jujube and musk melon are damaged before arrival the marketing. All our the world organic farming is gaining importance, moreover, in their markets organic products have special prices as compared to ordinary products.
Our scientists have succeeded in organic farming and prepared production technology, also disseminated through media.
Research scientists focus on their problems and find out the treatment within short time. As the attack of mealy bug had threatened the growers for the last three years and cotton production severely effected by the bug. In this regard research scientists prepared precautionary plan along with treatment and recently research scientists of entomology section, under DG research in the guidance of Dr Abdul Sattar Buriro, found out new parasitoids called Aenocious species, it paralyses to the mealy bug. Scientist multiplied this species in the laboratories and released to the field. So this year in Sindh cotton crop gave higher production as compared to other provinces.
Biological laboratories are being established throughout the province.
The laboratories are being prepared the tri-cograma (paracite) and crisopa (predator) cards, which provided to growers for control the insect pest. These laboratories are established in Tandojam, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur, Thatta, Badin, Jacababad, Ghotki, Dadu, and Shikarpur districts. Recently two varieties of cotton, viz. Sindh-1 and Malmal and one variety of Sugarcane have been released in 28th meeting of provincial seed council, this meeting was presided over by the Syed Ali Nawaz Shah Minster for Agriculture Sindh province.
Sindh should proud on our scientists, who have got big achievement. Sindh-1 and Malmal cotton varieties are recommended for lower Sindh (1st April to 30 April), central Sindh (1st May to 30 May) and upper Sindh (15th May to 15th June) and having six irrigation requirement excluding soaking dose. Maturity period for both varieties has 140-150 days. Sindh-1 potential is 40-45 mds/acre, whereas Malmal variety yield potential is 35-40 ms/acre.
Malmal variety is quality cotton with 30mm staple length and Sindh-1 is high yielding variety. New variety of Sugarcane Q-88 has yield potential 2500 mds/acre resulted in experiments and average yield is 1000-15000 mds/acre with recovery (CCS %) 10.00. All the research fellows got training under the supervision of Dr Islamuddin Majeedano Agronomist Agriculture Research Institute Tandojam up to date around 175 fellows got training.