ICAR Rabi season Agro Advisory for Tripura

Rabi Rice

• Transplanting of boro rice should be completed within the month of December to January and preparation of nursery bed should be within 15th Nov-15th Dec. At time of preparation of nursery bed 1kg Urea, 3kg SSP and 800g MOP applied as a basal for one square meter area.
• Prepare land for transplanting of boro rice by puddling the field twice at 7-10 days’ intervals and level for uniform crop stand.
• Transplanting should be done @ 2–3 seedlings per hill at a spacing of 20 x 15 cm or 20 x 20 cm and a thin layer of water (1‐2 cm) should be maintained in the main field up to 10 days after transplanting.
• MTU 1010, Swarno, Naveen, Tripura Chikon, Gomati, Sahabhagi are the suitable variety for boro season.
• Boro rice requires 1000 sq. meter nursery area for one-hectare land. Seed treatment with bio control agent like Pseudomonas florescence (10-15 g per kg of seed), followed by seedling root dip @ 2.5 kg/ha dissolved in 1000 liter of water for 30 minutes or Carbendazim/ Tricyclazole @ 2 g/kg of seed or
• Agroson/Ceresan 2.5 g//kg of seed may be practiced.
• For good crop apply FYM @ 5 t/ha and one third of the Nitrogen (43 kg Urea/ha) and full dose of P and K (250 kg SSP and 68 kg MOP/ha) should be applied as basal. While applying the fertiliser, a thin film of water in the field should be maintained. Remaining two doses of nitrogen should be applied at tillering and panicle initiation stage.
• Water should be maintained up to a depth of 2-5 cms right from one week after transplanting till 2 to 3 weeks before harvest. It should be noted that if irrigation facilities are available, water may be drained out from the field before top dressing of nitrogenous fertilizers. This is done to avoid undue loss of fertilizer due to runoff. The field may again be irrigated 2 to 3 days after top dressing.
• Use cono-weeder in boro rice field to control weeds in standing water.
• Spray Triflumezopyrin 10% SC @ 95g/acre or Pymetrozine 50% WG @ 120g /acre for controlling plant hopper infestation.

Rabi Maize

• Different varieties like RCM 1-1, RCM 1-2, RCM 1-3, DA 61-A, RCM 75, RCM 76, Vijay Composite, HQPM-1, HQPM-2, VMH-45, Ganga-11, Ganga-2 may be cultivated during rabi season.
• Ideal time for sowing of Rabi Maize is Mid-November.
• Treat the seeds before sowing with Trichioderma solution by using 200-250 g for 10-15 minutes.
• For Maize crop land preparation can be done by giving at least 3 deep ploughing followed by sowing of maize @ 20-22 kg seed/ha and maintain spacing 60 cm x 20 cm @ 3-4 cm deep.
• Maize is a highly lime responsive crop, so application of lime is recommended by following Proper Soil Testing Procedure.
• Apply FYM or compost 5 tonne / ha during field preparation and N: P: K @ 120: 60: 40 kg/ha. Entire dose of P & K with 1/3rd of N should be applied at the time of sowing. Application of 25 Kg of ZnSO₄ at sowing is also recommended since maize is susceptible to Zn deficiency. Rest split doses of N should be applied at knee-high and tasselling stages.
• The most critical stage for irrigation in Rabi Maize is flowering period (15-20 days) including tasselling, silking & pollination. Greatest decrease in grain yield is caused by water deficits during these stages, mainly due to the reduction in grain number of cobs. Ensure proper irrigation during these stages of Rabi Maize.

Mustard & Toria

• Different varieties like TRC-t-1-1-5-1, TRS –Y-01-5-1-1, TRS –Y01-2-2-1, SCRT 1-2-1, SCRT 1-2-3, NRCHB-101, TS 67, TS 38 are potential variety for Tripura.
• A seed rate of 700-900 gm/kani is sown in rows of 30-40 cm and plant to plant distance of 10-15 cm apart.
• NPK fertilizer of 40, 20, 20kg/ha for toria and 90:60:40 for mustard may be applied for better growth and yield.
• Foliar application of 0.1% boron and 0.5% ZnSO4 in between flowering to pod formation may increase grain size and oil content.
• The most serious insect-pest of mustard is aphids. To control aphids organically the spraying of derisom or neem oil @ 2.5 gm or ml/lit of water two to three times are required. Use yellow sticky trap @ 20 to 25 nos/ha.
• If require, Thiamethoxam 25WG or Clothianidin 50 WDG may also be sprayed to control pest in mustard chemically

Field Pea

• Sowing time of pea under Tripura condition is 1st fortnight of November.
• Seed inoculation with Biofertlizers PSB and Rhizobium @ 40 gm/kg seed mixed in jaggery solution and dried in shade before sowing.
• Apply Lime @ 200 kg/ha or dolomite 400 kg/ha after clearing the field 15 to 20 days before sowing.
• NPK fertilizer of 20: 60: 40 kg/kani may be applied for better crop yield.
• A light irrigation may be provided at flowering initiation stage for better pod formation.
• Spraying of 0.1% boron in between flowering to pod formation stage is beneficial.
• Panchagavya/vermiwash may be applied as foliar spray at fortnightly intervals as of growth promoter to enhance marketable yield.

Lentil

• Sowing of lentil should be completed by 15th November to get good yield.
• Land is prepared by one ploughing and two harrowing
• WBL-77, WBL-58, HUL-57 are the suitable varieties of lentil under Tripura condition.
• Apply 20:40:20 kg NPK /ha and 2-3 MT FYM/ha.
• Seed should be treated with rhizobiam and PSB culture 20 g per kg of seed.
• Seed rate is 8 to 10 kg/ha and Spacing is 30 x 10 cm
• One weeding and two hoeing are done for control of weeds
• Generally, lentil is grown as unirrigated crop in the residual soil moisture but irrigation at pod development stage helps in getting more yield.

Brinjal

• Treat brinjal seed with biocontrol agent like Trichoderma sp or Pseudomonas fluorescens (10g per kg of seed) or Carbendazim @ 2g/kg of seed or Agroson/Ceresan @ 2.5g/kg of seed. Application of Trichoderma sp @ 25g per 100 sq. meter nursery area for controlling damping off and fruit rot disease.
• Follow the crop rotation with non- solanaceous crop or treatment with Streptocycline @ 1g/litres of water for 30 minutes to reduce bacterial wilt.
• Transplant in furrows incorporated with urea @ 1110kg/ha, SSP @ 375kg/ha and MOP @ 96 Kg/ha with a spacing of 75 X 60 cm. Top dress with urea @ 110kg/ha at 30 Days after sowing.
• Manage brinjal shoot and fruit borer with installing pheromone traps @ 12/ha or release larval parasitoids viz., Pristomer testaceus, Cremastus flavoorbitalis etc or foliar application of neem oil @ 15L/ha or Emamectin benzoate 5% SG @ 100g/acre or Dimethoate 30% EC @ 660ml/ha.
• Remove and destroy the brinjal fusarium wilt affected plants, seed treatment with Trichoderma sp @ 10-15 g/kg seed or Carbendazim/Thiram @ 2 g/kg seed.

Chilli

• Treat chilli seed with biocontrol agent like Trichoderma sp or Pseudomonas fluorescens (10g per kg of seed) or Carbendazim @ 2g/kg of seed or Agroson/Ceresan @ 2.5g/kg of seed. Application of Trichoderma sp @ 25g per 100 sq. meter nursery area for controlling damping off and fruit rot disease.
• Apply urea @ 65Kg/ha, SSP @ 250 kg/Ha and MOP @ 40 Kg/ha during ride bed preparation. Top dressing with urea @ 65 kg/kg at 30 DAT.
• Manage chilli leaf curl disease (whitefly insect) by Dimethoate 30% EC 660 ml/ha or Phosalone @ 625 ml/ha.
• Manage chilli leaf curl disease (thrips, upward curling of leaf) with installing Blue Stricky tap, 20 to 24 trap/ha or Imidaclopride 17.8% SL 3 ml/10 litre of water or Dimethoate 30% EC 1ml/litre of water or Emamectin benzoate 5% SG 4g/10 litre of water.
• Follow the crop rotation with non- solanaceous crop or treatment with Streptocycline @ 1g/litres of water for 30 minutes to reduce bacterial wilt.

Tomato

• Treat tomato seed with biocontrol agent like Trichoderma sp or Pseudomonas fluorescens (10g per kg of seed) or Carbendazim @ 2g/kg of seed or Agroson/Ceresan @ 2.5g/kg of seed. Application of Trichoderma sp @ 25g per 100 sq. meter nursery area for controlling damping off and fruit rot disease.
• Apply FYM 10 kg, Neem cake 1 kg, VAM 50 g, Super phosphate 100 g and any systemic or contact insecticide at recommended doses per square metre during the nursery area preparation. Sow the seeds in lines at 10 cm apart in raised seed nursery beds and cover with sand. Irrigation is done using rose can otherwise there is a chance of washing out of seeds and the seedlings are transplanted 25 days after sowing.
• Manage tomato leaf curl disease (whitefly insect) by Dimethoate 30% EC 660ml/ha or Phosalone @ 625 ml/ha.

Cauliflower

• Seeds are first sown in seedbeds or seedling trays under shade. Healthy seedlings are later transplanted on raised beds after 30-35 days of sowing.
• Cauliflower may have the trouble of ‘bolting’ (Early flowering, no curd), or ‘Buttoning (small non-edible heads) if conditions are unfavorable. Good seed, proper season, the cool, moist atmosphere around the vegetable is a must.

Radish

• The land should be prepared to fine tilth and levelled.
• 15 x 10 cm spacing is normally adopted.
• Weeding and hoeing can be done as and when necessary. At the second weeding, thinning of densely sown plants should be done.
• Aphids, flea beetles and mustard saw fly can be controlled by spraying Malathion 50 EC 1 ml/lit twice or thrice at 10 days intervals.
• White rust can be controlled by spraying Mancozeb 2 g/lit or Copper oxychloride 2 g/lit.

Carrot

• Seeds are sown directly on raised beds or ridged beds.
• Soil should be loosened about one-and-a-half times the expected length of the carrot. Break the soil fine to avoid any obstruction to root.
• Edible roots can be harvested in 80-100 days of seed sowing depending on variety.

Banana

• Clearing and removing of all dried hanging leaves of the pseudo stem should be removed.
• Utilization of inter space of banana orchard by sowing of legume/green manure crops (green gram/black gram) is beneficial during the month of August to September.
• If age of the plant is five months or more then spray IIHR banana special for 5 times from five months onwards at one-month interval.
• Panchagavya of 3% may be sprayed as foliar spray for three times at 3rd, 6th, and 9th months after planting.
• Bunch feeding of banana by applying of 500 gm fresh cow dung + 7.5g urea +7.5 g SOP (sulphate of potash) dissolved in 100 ml water allow for 15 days is beneficial for uniform fruit size and quality of banana. 
• Spraying or soil application of Cartap hydrochloride 4G (Boregan SP) is recommended to control major pest of banana.
• Spraying of Azoxystrobin or Trifloxystrobin is effective against most fungal diseases of banana.

Pineapple

• September to December months is ideal time for pineapple plantation and Queen’ and ‘Kew’ are the two major cultivars are grown in Tripura.
• Raised bed of planting of pineapple at spacing of 30 cm X 60 cm X 90 cm (6960 nos./kani) or 40 cm X 60 cm X 90 cm (5200 nos./kani) is ideal for South Tripura condition. For better yield plant to plant spacing should be 30-40 cm, row to row spacing should be 60 cm and 90 cm of bed to bed spacing. 
• For plantation of pineapple, 600 gm sized sucker is ideal in terms of yield and days to flowering.
• Curing of sucker by keeping suckers under shade for 7 days after spraying of insecticides and fungicides is beneficial.
• About 300-400 gm organic manure, 18 gm urea, 25 gm SSP and 15 gm MOP per plant/sucker is optimum fertilizer dose for pineapple cultivation.
• “Weed mat” is a mulching technology is very much effective to management of weed growth and nutrient loss. An amount of Rs. 10,400/- per kani is required as additional cost to adopt the mulching technology.

Source : ICAR Rabi agro-advisory for farmers