Agronomic practices adopted by farmers to maintain sustainable crop production and increase profitability in Punjab

Abstract

Punjab is often referred to as “the cereal bowl of India” due to its significant contribution to India's central grain food pool, particularly in rice and wheat. It played a crucial role during the Green Revolution by ensuring food security. However, some concerns have been raised in recent years due to the overuse of fertilizers, heavy pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals, as well as the excessive use of water for irrigation, which has led to continuous monocropping and soil fertility issues, resulting in low Production. Our study examines the agronomic practices adopted by farmers in Punjab to maintain sustainable crop production and increase profitability, with a focus on how these practices influence crop yield and income. During the survey, sixty farmers were questioned in the north Indian state (Punjab) and the district of SAS NAGAR from six different villages (Barauli, Choti Ghandua, Fatehpur Jattan, Thablan, Doom Chheri, and Dholan Majra), where we learn that the most crops grown are rice and sugarcane. The collected form includes the seed rate, fertilizer dosage, seed treatment, number of irrigations provided, organic manure used, major weeds infesting the fields, herbicides used, major pests attacking crops, pesticides used, major diseases infesting the fields, disease chemicals used, and the yield range of crops. The study revealed the practices employed by farmers to achieve maximum yields and profits.