Agromet Advisories

Special Agromet Advisories for CORONA virus (COVID-19) transmission in Bangladesh

Farmers and all other farm managements are advised to maintain the social distancing (at least 3 meters), cover their faces with masks and follow other guidelines of Government of Bangladesh to avoid infection and social transmission of CORONA virus (COVID-19).

Salient Weather Conditions & Forecast

As per the weather forecast of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) during next 24 hours’ light to moderate rain/thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at a few places over the district. Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the district. As per the outlook issued by BMD for next 72 hours’ rainfall activity is likely to continue. During last four days, moderate rainfall occurred over the district and as per the quantitative medium range weather forecast; there is a possibility of moderate rainfall is likely during next five days.  Detail Agromet advisory are given below.

Aus Paddy

Tillering to Booting stages

• Maintain in 3-4inches water level. Maintain 5-7 cm water level from panicle initiation stage.
• To control infestation of leaf blast & leaf spot in Aus rice, spray Carbendazim @2g/litre of water.
• Due to high humidity (warm and humid weather) possibility of pest and disease build up is more in crop. Take prophylactic measures accordingly.
• To control of insects like steam borer gall midge and white & brown hopper apply Corbofuron 3 G@33 kg or phorat 10G @ 10 kg per /hectare and for cut worm Clorpyrifos or Daiclorovash.
• Since cloudy weather is prevailed, there is a chance of leaf folder attack in Paddy. It can be controlled by using Trichogramma cards.
• To save the rice crop from sheath blight, keep the bunds of the field clean by removing grasses.
• Provide irrigation and pesticides

Aman Paddy

• If the rice seedbed is underwater, it is expected to be damaged and advised for preparation seedbed in trays (if possible) in some raised structure. The farmers who had already completed their transplanting are advised to maintain drainage.
• Complete transplanting of rice seedlings at the earliest as sufficient water is there in the field; maintain proper drainage in field/nursery to avoid flooding due to continuous rain.

1. Ensure weed free seed bed.
2. Farmers may start the preparation of main land for transplanting after getting sufficient rainfall.
3. At the last stage of land preparation of field for transplanting of Aman paddy, apply per hectare 90 kg TSP, 70 kg MOP, 11 kg Zinc, and 60 kg gypsum.
4. Due to substantial decrease in sunshine hours with occasional rain there is chance of attack of Yellow stem borer in Aman rice; to manage the attack, spray Carbofuran @10kg per ha.
5. Transplanting of 25-30 days old nursery in the main after getting sufficient rainfall.
6. Arrange the bunding tightly so that no drainage can take place after light rain or moderate rain
7. Transplanting of aman paddy in the main field is going on due to sufficient amount of water present in the field. Thereby, it is recommended that before transplanting the seedling in the main field, farmers are advised to uprooted seedlings are washed and then the root portion is dipped in 0.02% solution of chlorpyriphos (1ml/lit of water) along with 1% urea (10gm/lit of water) for three hours as protective measure against stem borer, gall midge and hopper
8. Avoid deep planting for better crop establishment and fill up the gaps within a week. Maintain 5-7 cm standing water up to maximum tillering stage. Keep the rice nursery and field bunds free from weeds either by hand weeding or by application of herbicide. Apply recommended herbicide as per recommendation within 1-3 days of transplanting.
9. Apply 1/3rd nitrogen as top dressing 15-20 days after transplanting and after the current spells of heavy rainfall.
10. After reduction of rainfall activity mechanical weeding can be started to control the weed at initial stage. For chemical control (only if the sky is clear and no rainfall 7 to 8 hours after application) you can spray Pretilachlor 50% EC @500 gm per acre within 2-5 days after transplanting. Due to stagnation of water in the field and high relative humidity Sheath blight - Fungal disease is common. Excess Nitrogen fertilizer application can accelerate this disease. August to October is the high time for this disease attack. Control: 1) Drain out excess water from infected field. 2) Reduce the dose of Nitrogen fertilizer. 3) Bio fungiside like Trichoderma, Pseudomonas Fluorescens is also good. 4) Spray Propiconazol+ Difenoconazole 1ml/liter of water or Carbendazim + Flusilazole 1.5 ml/lit or Carbendazim (Bavistin) 1 gram/liter of water
11. Due to substantial decrease in sunshine hours with occasional rain there is chance of attack of Yellow stem borer in Aman rice; to manage the attack, spray Carbofuran @10kg per ha.
12. Provide irrigation and pesticides

Vegetables

• Due to continuous heavy rainfall and water stagnation the vegetable crops like Brinjal, Pointed gourd, Bottle gourd, Ridge gourd, Chili, etc suffer from rotting. Make proper drainage channels to drain out water. Avoid spraying and application of fertilizer till the clear sky.
• Make arrangement to avoid plant damage (particularly staked creeper) from anticipated gusty winds. Make arrangement to raise new orchard during monsoon season.
• If seedlings of brinjal are ready for transplanting, transplant the seedlings on ridges and furrow with spacing of 60 x 60 cm. Sowing of kharif vegetables such as lady’s finger, pumpkin, cucumber, sponge gourd, bottle gourd.
• In pumpkin, ridge-gourd, pointed gourd and cucumber, there is a chance of attack of Red-Pumpkin Beetle during current weather condition. To control, apply Dimecron or rogor (1ml per litre of water).
• The prevailing weather conditions are congenial for incidence sucking pests in vegetables. To control, spray Dimethoate @ 2 ml or Acephate @ 1.5 g per litre of water. Undertake nursery sowing of Tomato, Brinjal and Chillies and direct sowing of Gourds, Beans and Bhendi with assured irrigation.
• At flowering to fruiting stag of bitter gourd, there is chance of Rotting at the base of flower, apply SAF @2g/liter of water.
• Weed management should be done in brinjal, tomato, lady finger and cauliflower.
• Need based intercultural operations should be done in tomato, brinjal, okra and other vegetable crops.
• Undertake nursery sowing of Tomato, Brinjal and Chillies and direct sowing of Gourds, Beans and Bhendi.
• Collect Maskali and winter vegetable seed
• Provide irrigation and pesticides

Horticultural crops

• Farmers are advised to go for inter cultural operations in mango orchard.
• The farmers are advised to take up plant protection measures carefully in horticultural crops like, pomegranate for bacterial blight and lime for leaf minor.
• For the orchards of the guava, add 20-25 kg cow dung and 50 gms of heptachlor in the soil extracted from the pit and fill it again. For mango, amla and berry orchards add 30 kg of cow dung, 250 grams of single super phosphate and 50-100 g heptachlor in the soil extracted from the pit and fill it again. These operations may be done.
• Farmers are advised to start digging of pit of appropriate size and distance for new orchard establishment. Prepare pit for plantation of saplings of mango, guava and coconut as sufficient rainfall has been received.
• Plantation of banana crop should be done after getting sufficient amount of rainfall. Intercultural operation should be done in banana orchard.
• Provide mechanical support to banana, to prevent the crops from lodging due to strong winds.
• Due to deluge with rainy days farmers are advised not to apply fertilizer to the banana plant. Moreover, ensure to harvest the mature banana at proper stage.
• Due to monsoon showers, there is a chance of Sigatoka disease in banana. As a precaution, spray Pseudomonas 20g/litre. In case of severe attack, spray 2 ml hexaconazole or 1 ml propiconazole per one litre of water by mixing it with a sticker and spray on both the surface of the leaf.
• Attack of Papaya mealy bug on papaya fruit can be controlled by dusting of Chlorpyriphos 1.5% dust or Malathion 5% dust around the healthy plants; also destruct ant colonies with drenching of Chlorpyriphos 20 EC @ 2 ml/litre.
• Provide irrigation and pesticides

Jute:

• Harvesting and retting of jute may be done preferably at pre-flowering stage (120 days after sowing) to get better quality fibre. At present the water temperature in the retting tanks/ nalas may ideal for retting of jute. Early and timely sown capsularis jute may be harvested during this week and kept in the field in standing position for 3-4 days before retting for proper defoliation.
• If there is stagnant water in the jute field and there is no scope to drain out the water within 2-3 days, it is advised for immediate harvest the matured crop and put in water for retting.

Betel vine:

• There is chance of incidences of Phytopthora root rot and chital disease. For Phytopthora root rot apply 1% Bordeaux mixture at the base at 1-month interval. For Chitla apply 0.5% Bordeaux mixture at 15-20 days’ interval.
• Maintain free air movement inside the garden.
• Provide irrigation and pesticides

Livestock

• Livestock may be affected by foot and mouth disease due to rainy weather. Following measures may be taken up.
• Feed them only dry food.
• Keep the shed clean and dry.
• Disinfect the shed with bleaching powder.
• Don’t allow to graze the cattle in submerged field.
• If wound found at foot and mouth wash the wound with potassium per manganate solution.
• Vaccinate livestock regularly.
• If any disease symptoms appear, seek veterinary doctor advice immediately for proper treatment.

Poultry

• Apply lime bleaching powder and copper sulphet solution spray before placing them in farm
• Provide vaccinations as advised by the doctor.
• Apply dry food and clean tap water for drinking purpose.
• Prevailing hot and humid weather condition may lead to gastrointestinal parasites infection to the poultry. Clean sanitary conditions of poultry sheds are very much important

Fishery

• Repair damaged dykes of fisheries ponds and take care so that fishes do not escape.
• Drain excess water from the pond.
• There is enough water, so release the fry into the pond.
• Remove the unwanted fishes before leaving the new fry into the pond.
• Contact the local fisheries office for any advice.