Dry spell hits Bt cotton crops

CHITRADURGA: Hundreds of farmers who have sown costly seeds of Bt cotton are in dire straits following a continuous dry spell in the district for over a month. The plants which have reached the flowering stage are beginning to wither as rain continues to elude the district.
Many farmers in Rampura, Devasamudra and Jagir Buddenahally area in Molakalmuru taluk have sown seeds of Vibha, Jadoo developed by companies like Nuziveedu Seeds and Mansanto, said Kengegouda, assistant agricultural officer.A packet of 450gm of seeds costs Rs 930. Normally farmers sow seeds in the last week of February or first week of March.
Expensive affair
Farmers have invested at least Rs 16,000 to Rs 18,000 for fertilizer and another Rs 8,000 for tilling the land. At least one kilogram of seeds is required for an acre of land.
The area sown with Bt cotton seeds exceeds 1,700 hectares in Molakalmuru taluk. According to a rough estimate and according to seeds distributors the area sown with Bt cotton exceeds 11,000 hectares in all the six taluks.
Farmers in Chitradurga, Challakere, Hiriyur, Holalkere and Hosadurga prefer Kanaka-1 variety developed by Mahyco hybrid seeds co at Ranibennur (Dharawad dist) which also costs Rs 930 per 450 gm. HT Nagareddy, ZP member and a progressive farmer from Jagir buddenahally in Molakalmaru taluk stated that cotton plants in his area have already reached flowering stage.
But the plants have started withering away due to less or no moisture in the soil. As such immediate rainfall only could save the crops, he maintained.
Crops withering in Hosadurga
Crops sown in an area of 8, 879 hectares in Hosadurga taluk have started wilting due to severe heat conditions, opined Hamsaveni assistant agricultural officer (AAO).
Speaking to The Times of India, the AAO maintained although the actual rainfall of 115 mm received from end of April till May second week exceeded the expected rainfall of 99.5 mm, the continuous dry spell coupled with severe heat for over three weeks has cast a death blow to crops in their tender age, Hamsaveni maintained.
Sowing of green gram exceeds 7,020 hectares and more than expected area of 4,000 hectares, followed by Sesem 2500 hectares, Jowar: 290, Red gram: 114 hectares, Groundnut: 290 hectares, Cotton in 298 hectares, the AAO said. All crops were in their tender age and require rainfall within this week, she added.