LAHORE, 9th July, 2025 (WAM) -- The Agriculture Department of Punjab, a major agricultural province in eastern Pakistan, have issued urgent advisories to cotton farmers across the province amid intense monsoon activity. While moderate rainfall is generally beneficial for cotton crops—promoting healthy growth and flowering—excessive rain leading to waterlogging poses a serious threat to plant health and yield.
According to Associated Press of Pakistan, APP citing a spokesperson for the department, stagnant rainwater in fields for more than 24 hours can significantly damage the cotton crop. The excess water drives essential nutrients deeper into the soil, beyond the reach of plant roots, resulting in nutrient deficiency. This severely slows down photosynthesis, leading to stunted plant development and poor boll formation.
To combat this, the department has advised farmers to immediately implement water drainage measures. These include digging deep trenches along field boundaries to divert excess rainwater into larger canals or redirecting it to other fields planted with water-tolerant crops such as rice or sugarcane. In cases where external drainage is not possible, farmers are encouraged to dig deep pits at either end of the fields to collect the surplus water and prevent widespread waterlogging.
Furthermore, two to three days after rainfall, farmers should spray their fields with a 20 percent urea solution to replenish nitrogen levels. Once the soil reaches an appropriate moisture level—referred to locally as "watar"—one full bag of urea per acre should be applied to support recovery and growth.
The Agriculture Department emphasised that proactive and timely action is critical to safeguarding the cotton crop during the monsoon season. Swift water management and nutrient replenishment can help mitigate losses and ensure healthy crop development in the weeks ahead.