Faisalabad: Agriculture experts have urged farmers to complete sugarcane planting by March 15 and to use only approved varieties along with the recommended quantity of seed to ensure healthy growth and high yield.
A spokesperson for the agriculture extension department said on Tuesday that growers should use 100 to 120 maunds of approved seed per acre when planting sugarcane in deep furrows. He strongly advised farmers to avoid banned varieties, warning that these could lead to significant financial losses.
He also suggested that farmers improve germination by soaking the sugarcane seed in a fungicide solution for three to five minutes before planting.
For moderately fertile land, he recommended applying three and a quarter bags of urea, two bags of DAP, and two bags of sulphate of potash per acre to achieve better results and a strong harvest.
The spokesperson further advised farmers to give light irrigation immediately after sowing and to irrigate the crop again at regular intervals once the furrows begin to dry. He said irrigation should continue as needed until the crop fully germinates.
He added that planting in deep furrows helps conserve irrigation water, protects the crop from lodging, and improves overall productivity.
