Hariprasad Nandalike

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (YA)

Udupi, Jun 20: Most families in the Udupi, Karkala, and Kaup regions depend on agriculture for their livelihood. The Shankarapura area is renowned for jasmine farming, which has a strong market demand. Maintaining jasmine plants, especially during the rainy season, is very challenging. Adopting scientific techniques is essential to prevent rainwater from stagnating.

While the fragrance of jasmine attracts people worldwide and has significant demand during marriage seasons, temple fairs, and various other religious rituals, many families reliant on jasmine farming struggle to maintain the plants during the rainy season.

Stormy rains in coastal regions often lead to significant losses, and damage to agriculture is common. In some places, farmers still rely on traditional farming methods. Excessive rain and lack of sunlight cause plants to be affected by pathogens, leading to root rot and leaf fall, thereby destroying the plants.

"Due to old unscientific methods of farming, many farmers dig deep and cover the ground with soil, preventing the roots from getting enough air. The use of fertilizers and pesticides during the rainy season further damages the plants. In jasmine gardens, creating as many slopes as possible and ensuring there is no waterlogging is crucial. Covering the ground with plastic can prevent the growth of unwanted grass. By implementing a scientific system, jasmine plants can be well taken care of," says Nityananda Nayak, a progressive jasmine farmer from Palame.

He further added, “Nurseries have started cultivating jasmine in plastic bags and pots. Growing jasmine plants in pots at home has proven beneficial recently. While there is no problem with weeds, higher yields can be expected throughout the year. Applying manures and the convenience of easily changing the plant’s location are added advantages of plastic bag cultivation. Diseases and pests can also be prevented by this method. With the onset of the monsoon, it is beneficial to add lime along with other fertilizers to the plant roots. In November, adding manure again helps in the healthy growth of plants.”

Ramakrishna Sharma, district president of the Udupi District Agricultural Society and a jasmine agronomist, said, “The small mistakes we make are the reason for the damage to jasmine plants during the rainy season. Adding non-composting manures, using pesticides, along with constant rain, lack of sunlight, and the development of pests and diseases are the main reasons for plant damage. Therefore, proper care and maintenance are the only solutions.”