Adoption of strip tillage increases wheat production: Agriculturists

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RANGPUR, Dec 10, 2018 (BSS) – Agriculturists at a farmers’ field day
programme have said adoption of the strip tillage method in sowing wheat seed
using Power Tiller Operated Seeder (PTOS) Machine increases wheat production
at reduced costs.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) organised the event on
Sunday afternoon under the ‘Enhancement of Crop Production through Farm
Mechanisation-2nd Phase’ project at Chondipur village in Kaharol upazila of
Dinajpur district.

A large number of local farmers participated in the programme arranged for
practically exhibiting sowing of wheat seed adopting the strip tillage method
using PTOS machine.

Kaharol Upazila Agriculture Officer Agriculturist Abu Jafar Mohammad Sadek
attended the event as the chief guest with farmer Noor Islam in the chair.

Sub-assistant Agriculture Officers Arun Kumar Roy and Zakirul Islam,
farmers Hossain Ali and Jamil Uddin also addressed the event narrating their
experiences of sowing wheat seed adopting trip tillage method.

Arun Kumar Roy discussed the strip tillage method in sowing wheat seed and
his field level experiences of wheat cultivation adopting the method that
increases wheat yield at reduced costs making farm activities more
profitable.

“Strip tillage method allows sowing wheat seed in six lines at a time with
narrow ploughing in fields without disturbing most parts of land keeping soil
moisture intact for using by crop plants to become healthy and vigorous,” Roy
said.

Zakirul Islam said the strip tillage method reduces soil erosion, water
requirement for irrigation compared to the full tillage wheat plots with 2-3
times of ploughing along with saving time, fuel, money, energy and labour
costs and 50 kg wheat seed per hectare.

Agriculturist Abu Jafar Mohammad Sadek laid importance on popularisation of
the strip tillage method among the farmers and purchasing the PTOS machine in
group approaches availing 30 percent government subsidy.

“The DAE and other agricultural technology dissemination organisations are
working for large-scale adoption of the strip tillage method in wheat
cultivation to reduce production cost, get more yield and earn more profits
by the farmers,” Sadek said.