HYDERABAD, Sept 27: The cotton growers have been advised to apply urea followed by proper irrigation to save crops from physiological disorders.

These recommendations have been made by a team of experts belonging to the Sindh Agriculture Department who visited 10 locations in Sanghar and Hyderabad districts. They inspected crops, took samples, and discussed various problems with the growers, NGOs, landlords, and field officers.

The team observed that all the leaves of those crops which had been affected had turned red, were drying up and falling off besides opening up of both mature and immature bolls. In this way further growth of the plant was being totally arrested.

The reddening of the leaves of some plants seemed to because of magnesium deficiency, while the reddening of those of some others was suspected to be because of zinc deficiency.

The general view of the farmers was that the major cause of the reddening of the cotton crops was shortage of water coupled with a change in climatic conditions.

Those crops which had been sowed early had been affected the most. Properly irrigated and late-sown crops were least affected by the reddening.

The high intensity of reddening was first noticed in early September.

The experts also gathered details regarding weather conditions and temperatures during the various months of this year and last year. They were trying to ascertain whether high temperatures along with strong winds might have contributed to the depletion of nutrients and moisture.

Moreover, the requirement of more nutrients and irrigation was also triggered due to the lowering down of sub-soil water due to an increase in tube-well irrigation.

According to the agriculture department, the field officers kept contacting the farmers of the affected areas. Besides, the farmers have been advised to contact the field staff or experts at the agriculture extension and research centres at Tando Jam, Hyderabad, and Sakrand in case they needed any guidance.

The experts have drawn samples of the soil and plants of the areas surveyed for a detailed analysis of macro- and micro-nutrients.

After the results of the analysis, a number of recommendations will be formulated for cotton farmers.

SIDA: The general manager (operation), SIDA, Ahmed Junaid Memon, has issued instructions to the directors of all the five area water boards to discontinue the rotation programme in the canals as directed by the Sindh governor and Sindh minister for irrigation.