AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

SEED SUPPLY

It has been the practice of the cultivators, particularly the big and the medium-sized ones, to preserve their own seeds of the main crops. Only the poor cultivators and those who intend to take up cultivation of a particular crop or farm business afresh have to borrow their seed requirements. Those who preserve their own seeds take care to see that the grains preserved are bold and possess healthy colour and that they are free from insect attack. Selection is, however, largely confined to the seeds of jowar, though it is also resorted to in the case of groundnut, paddy, bajri and a few fruits and vegetables.

In the case of jowar, earheads of good size having good coloured grains are selected on the threshing yard and threshed separately. While threshing, some quantity of neem leaves is mixed to prevent insect attack. Some cultivators preserve the seed with ruj (sunka), a powdered material from the earhead, which creates itching sensation on contact. The paddy seeds are preserved in containers built of turi stalks, bamboo or any other suitable material. The whole structure is plastered with mud over which a coating of cow-dung is given. The seed is kept loose inside; on the top, paddy straw is spread; and afterwards, the top is plastered with mud and cow-dung. The same method is followed for preserving seeds of other cereals and pulses. They are also preserved in heaps of bhusa. The seeds are first filled in earthen pots or in gunny bags. At the top of each earthen pot, a layer of bhusa is spread. When bags are used, the seeds are mixed with neem leaves. The bags are tightly filled and kept in well-ventilated places. The seeds of pulses are sometimes preserved in a different way. They are mixed with fine wood ash and placed in earthen pots.

Other cultivators obtain their seed either by exchange or by purchasing it from the cultivators who preserve good seeds. Those who stock seed in excess of their requirement take the seed to the weekly bazars for sale and sell it at a premium over the rate of the ordinary grain of its kind. Merchants dealing in cotton and groundnut also supply seeds of the crops to the growers. Taluka development associations are also engaged in this business.

The Department of Agriculture has been propagating improved strains of jowar, wheat, cotton, groundnut, etc., evolved at the departmental research station in the district. There were nearly 65 Government depots in the district in 1957 which supplied nucleus seed. Experience has shown that, by using improved varieties of seeds, the output can be increased nearly by ten per cent.

A scheme for multiplication and dis...tribution of improved seeds of important crops was undertaken under the First Five Year Plan (1951-52 to 1955-56). Under this scheme, improved strains of seeds were multiplied on the farms of selected progressive cultivators and distributed to agriculturists through authorised dealers, co-operative societies and taluka development associations. The varieties propagated in the district are Akola bajri, Maldandi 35-1 variety of jowar, Kenphad and Niphad-4 wheat, Spanish groundnut. Chafa gram, Co-419 variety of sugarcane and 170-Co2, 197-3 (Virnar), and similar other varieties of cotton. The quantities of seeds of these strains distributed during the First Five-Year Plan were: —

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