India stands as a major contributor to global agriculture, With the second-largest agricultural landholding in the world, the sector sustains a large share of employment and positions farmers at the core of the nation’s food security and sustenance. Agriculture has long been a key driver of India’s economy by ensuring food production, generating rural employment, and supporting GDP growth. However, its role has gradually shifted over the years under the influence of industrialization, urbanization, technological advancement, and government interventions. Currently, the agriculture and allied sectors provide livelihood to about 42.3% of the population and contribute approximately 18.2% to India’s GDP at current prices. Agronomic practices include all operations from sowing to harvesting and storage of crops. A survey was carried out to study the agronomic practices of 60 farmers across seven villages—Barauli, Dumcheri, Nogawan, Fatehpur Jatta, Gandhuan, Thablan, and Dholan Majra—in the Kharar block of SAS Nagar district, Punjab. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and farmer interviews, then analyzed using suitable statistical methods.
The study revealed that 89.13% of farmers cultivated rice, while wheat was grown by 88.04% of farmers. Besides these major cereal crops, 76.09% of farmers cultivated maize, and 92.39% raised sorghum and 78.26% berseem for fodder. Additionally, sugarcane and potato are also cultivated by farmers. It was also noted that the majority of farmers used higher-than-recommended doses of fertilizers and pesticides. The average yields were 22 q/acre for wheat and 25 q/acre for paddy. In wheat cultivation, 90% of farmers reported Phalaris minor as the most problematic weed. Major diseases identified were blast and sheath blight in paddy and rust in wheat, while the main pests were stem borer and grasshoppers in rice and aphids in wheat.
