Here is an essay on ‘Plant Clinic in India’ for class 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Plant Clinic in India’ especially written for school and college students.
Essay on Plant Clinic
Essay # 1. Introduction to Plant Clinic:
PAU has established a plant clinic at University Campus under the administrative setup of Directorate of Extension Education to provide the diagnostic services to the farmers about the plant health problems. Plant Disease Clinic was earlier established in 1978 under the Department of Plant Pathology with the main objective of providing diagnostic service about plant diseases.
In 1993, it was re-designated as Plant Clinic under the control of Directorate of Extension Education to cover all aspects of plant health problems. After realizing its importance, it was made a part of Farmers Service Centre (FSC) in a separate building during 1999 and presently FSC is known as Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC). At present twenty two Plant Clinics are functioning in the Punjab State for the benefit of the farmers under the control of PAU.
Among these, one is located at PAU, seventeen in the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) at Amritsar, Bahowal (Hoshiarpur), Bathinda, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Goneana (Sri Muktsar Sahib), Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Kheri (Sangrur), Langroya (SBS Nagar), Mallewal (Ferozepur), Mansa, Moga, Nurmehal (Jalandhar), Rauni (Patiala), Ropar, Samrala (Ludhiana) and four at Regional Research Station, Abohar, Bathinda, Gurdaspur and Department of Fruit Science, PAU, Ludhiana.
Plant Clinic is a place where diagnosis and remedial measures for plants are provided to the farmers. This building is also famous among the farming community under the name of PAU Clock Tower or Ghanta Ghar, located near the gate No. 1 at PAU premises. A multi-disciplinary team of expert scientists of Plant Pathology, Entomology, Soil Science, Agronomy and Animal Science are available at all times in the Plant Clinic for the quick redressal of day-to-day problems of the farmers.
The main objectives of Plant Clinic are to address the field problems, deliver improved agricultural knowledge and inputs under single window delivery system. Proper remedial measures are suggested to the farmers after thorough examination of the plant sample by the team of expert scientists.
Essay # 2. Activities of Plant Clinic:
The various activities of plant clinic are listed below:
1. Live Sample Diagnosis
2. Telephone helpline
3. Mobile helpline
4. E-mail service
5. Whats App. diagnosis
6. Blow-ups/Hex charts
7. Touch Screen Kiosk
8. Mobile Diagnostic-cum-Exhibition Van
9. PAU Doots
10. Preserved live sample
11. Kisan Mobile Advisory Service (KMAS)
Farmers can also get their problems resolved while sitting at their home through telephone helpline 0161-2401960 Ext. 417, Mobile No. (94630-48181) and e-mail plantclinic (at)pau(dot)edu. Farmers can also use Whats App facility on mobiles for quick solution of their problems by sending picture of the problematic parts of plant.
The KVKs are also providing Kisan Mobile Advisory Service (KMAS) to the farmers for the adoption of agricultural related practices at their field. Eight messages per week are sent to fellow farmers on mobile for the faster spread of technology.
For the dissemination of improved agriculture knowledge to the farmers, the technology developed by the scientists of the university has also been exhibited in the form of colored blow ups/flex charts of the live specimen of the disease/insects/deficiencies/weeds problems and preserved life samples for the proper understanding of queries of the farmers. Pictures depicting the symptoms of diseases and pests etc. are also available in plant clinic for quick diagnosis of problems of the visiting farmers.
The Clinic also has a Computerized Touch Screen Kiosk called Information Booth, which depicts the production and protection technology of Rabi and kharif crops from sowing till harvesting. In addition, the specialists also provide the information on production and protection technologies of various fruit, vegetable and flowers grown under Punjab conditions. The most peculiar and important feature of this Clinic is that these services are being provided to the farmers free of cost by the University.
Recently, a new service has been introduced in the Clinic for the quick dissemination of agriculture technology in which the farmers have been enrolled as ‘PAU Doots’. In this, 2-3 messages per week regarding production and protection technology to be followed well in time are regularly communicated through e-mails.
These doots are further requested to disseminate the information to the fellow farmers through public address system/loudspeaker of the Gurudwaras or Temples for the faster and timely spread of technology. One can also avail this service by sending their email address to plant clinic (at)pau(dot)edu.
In addition, the expert scientists also disseminate the information regarding the appearance of any insect or diseases in the area along with remedial measures through newspapers, magazines, TV or radio for the timely adoption of control measure by the farmers.
The Plant Clinic is also equipped with Mobile Diagnostic-cum- Exhibition Van for dissemination of different technologies of field, fruit and vegetable crops to the farmers with the help of KVKs and Farm Advisory Service Scheme (FASS).
It is provided with all kind of audio visual aids crop wise, enterprise-wise, CD’s of different crops, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), microscope, soil and water testing kits and literature for sale so that farmers may be well conversant with the need based technology from time to time.
It is being sent to the different districts of Punjab for the benefit of the farming community. For better understanding of problems, the small documentary movies are shown to the farmers and inspection and solution to the queries of the farmers are addressed on the spot. Agricultural literature is also sold to the farmers from this van.
Clinic is also imparting training to the B.Sc. (Agri.) students for the diagnosis of field problems of the crops. The training is also imparted to the extension functionary of State Department of Agriculture, Horticulture and other development departments for the quick diagnosis of plant problems on symptom basis.
The decision regarding spray of insecticides for control of insects should be taken on Economic Threshold Level (ETL). The ETL is the level or minimum population of insects at which sprays should be initiated to avoid economic damage to the crop. The decision regarding spray of insecticide for control of insect on ETL helps the farmers from unnecessary use of insecticides.
For example sprays against whitefly on cotton should be done before 10 AM only when their population reaches six adults per leaf in the upper canopy of plants. A performa for referring sample to Plant Clinic, PAU, and Ludhiana for diagnosis of disorder has also been developed for the benefit of the farmers. The farmers must fill the performa while bringing the plant sample to plant clinic. The farmers can also download the necessary Performa from PAU website i.e. www(dot)pau(dot)edu.
Essay # 3. Various Tools Used in Plant Clinic:
The major equipment and tools used in plant clinic are as follows:
1. Microscope:
It is used to look the things that are too small or invisible to human eye. After dissection of the plant in order to see the various symptoms of disease, we need a microscope. It helps in precise identification of insect and disease.
2. Magnifying Lens:
A transparent piece of glass used to see the smaller things of various specimens of plant, insects and other micro-organisms.
3. Knife/Forceps/Needle/Scissor:
These tools are used in collection and dissection of plant specimens for examination under microscope.
4. Incubator:
A piece of equipment used for keeping plant specimen or media after inoculation with pathogen under controlled temperature and humidity for the proper growth of pathogen. It is further used for identification of causal organisms.
5. Disinfectants:
Various chemicals like potassium dichromate solution, mercuric chloride, ethyl alcohol, formaldehyde, sodium hypochloride, silver nitrate are used for disinfecting the glassware, soil, diseased bits from plant parts prior to isolation and certain equipment.
The material for sterilization is dipped for 1-5 minutes in either of the chemicals and then washed with sterilized distilled water. Inoculation needles, scissors, scalpels, forceps etc. may be dipped in 95 per cent ethyl alcohol and passed through a flame.
6. Preservation of Wet/Dry Specimens:
Various types of wooden boxes or cabinets are required in which various wet/dry specimens are preserved for further use. Various chemicals are also used to preserve fresh symptoms of various plant diseases in glass containers or jars. These specimens play an important role in training and teaching of students and staff.
Formaldehyde, copper chloride, copper acetate, glacial acetic acid, ethyl alcohol, uranium nitrate are required for preservation of specimens. The fresh diseased specimen are put in boiling mixture of 1 part of glacial acetic acid and saturated with copper acetate crystals and 4 parts of water till the green colour reappears and then kept in 5 per cent formalin in glass jars/containers. These solutions preserve the disease specimens more or less in normal condition.
7. Computer:
It is electronic device used for storing and processing information. Various types of specimens especially showing deficiency symptoms cannot be preserved in wet or dry condition Therefore, either their images are taken or they are scanned by a scanner to save them in computer for further use. The computers and its accessories are also very important part of plant clinic.
8. Camera and Projector:
These are used to take the images or prepare the slide of diseased plants which are stored in clinic itself. Scientists usually use these images and slides for correct identification for diseased specimen for education purposes. Presently, this is important means of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in which these images are displayed through projector for teaching the students.
Various laminated coloured photographs and flex charts are also prepared from the live specimen of diseased plants/parts and displayed in the clinic for the benefit of the visiting farmers.
9. Books:
Various books like Rabi, kharif, fruits and vegetables crops are available in the form of Package of Practices at plant clinic. The books are available in English and Punjabi languages for the benefit of the farmers.
These books serve as hand tool for the identification of symptoms of various plant problems. The important information regarding identification and management strategies of various diseases, insect pests, nutrition deficiency in plants, etc. is available in these books.