"Thorough Pre- and Post-Management Required for Crops Injected or Irrigated with Water"
Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Kang Jin-won) has urged special attention to the post-management of crops and livestock facilities to minimize potential damage caused by continuous heavy rains during the monsoon season.
The fields in Deoknam-ri, Gangjin-eup, flooded due to heavy rain in early July 2021 [Photo courtesy of Gangjin County]
First, for paddy fields that have been submerged or waterlogged, water should be drained quickly so that at least the tips of the rice leaves can emerge above the water, and soil sediment and debris stuck to the rice stems or leaves must be removed.
After the water has drained, fresh water should be filtered and supplied to promote root vitality. For submerged or waterlogged paddy fields, it is essential to carry out pest and disease control measures against rice blast, bacterial leaf blight, rice planthoppers, and other pests.
Additionally, in preparation for further heavy rains, pre-inspections should be conducted to prevent the collapse of paddy field ridges, embankments, and levees. Drainage ditches should be cleared of weeds and drainage facilities maintained. For field crops, drainage ditches should be installed deeper to prevent damage caused by excessive soil moisture (waterlogging).
Before the rain, pesticides to prevent major pests and diseases should be sprayed, and row supports should be constructed to prevent crops from lodging due to heavy rain, thereby reducing damage.
Submerged or waterlogged fields should be drained early. Fallen crops should be stood back up, soil should be replenished where the topsoil has been washed away, and for poorly growing plants, foliar spraying with 0.2% urea solution (40g fertilizer/20L water) can be helpful.
Park Kwan-woo, head of the Research and Development Office at the Agricultural Technology Center, said, “We ask for preventive inspections according to crop-specific pre-management measures for the monsoon season, and after the rain stops, post-management should be carried out to minimize crop damage.”
Gangjin = Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yong-su just8440@asiae.co.kr
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