one day national training workshop/seminar on Prospects of High Efficiency Irrigation System for Quality Citrus Production"

FAISALABAD Nov 24: Experts at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad have called for adopting high efficiency irrigation system for citrus production in the wake of water scarcity challenges as one mature citrus plant required from 18000 to 28000 liter of water per annum whereas in drip irrigation system, it uses only 6000 to 9000 liter. They addressed the inaugural session of one day national training workshop/seminar on Prospects of High Efficiency Irrigation System for Quality Citrus Production" at Landscape studio, Institute of Horticultural Science, University of Agriculture Faisalabad on the directives of Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali. This training workshop is sponsored by Higher Education Commission (CPEC_CRG-2-447), Islamabad. They also suggested developing disease free nursery and Budwood certification system to make citrus varieties free from known graft- and insect-transmitted pathogens. Citrus greening may wipe out citrus industry in the decade if tangible measures were not taken. Addressing the gathering, Faculty of Agriculture Dean Prof. Dr. Ghulam Murtaza said that over the past ten years, the area under citrus cultivation in Punjab has steadily decreased. This decline can be attributed to poor grove managements, exotic insects/ pest/ disease incidence, expansion of housing societies, postharvest storage issues, and substandard marketing, etc. He said that citrus is one of the major fruit crops worldwide, cultivated in over 140 countries. The majority of citrus production around the world comes from oranges, which account for more than half of the global citrus production. Over the last decade, the citrus industry in Pakistan has witnessed notable shifts in production trends, with varying impacts across different provinces. Punjab province accounts for 94% of Pakistan’s total citrus acreage and production. Institute of Horticulture Sciences Director Prof Dr. Ahmad Sattar Khan said that the national acreage under citrus cultivation has decreased from approximately 194 thousand hectares to 156 thousand hectares However, citrus production remains consistent, due to several factors including the introduction of improved farming technique and modern trends . IHS Associate Professor Dr. Muhammad Azam (P.I),said that Pakistan has a tremendous potential for the expansion of the citrus industry due to suitability of soil and climatic conditions for citrus production. He said that the prospects for high-efficiency irrigation systems (HEIS), such as drip irrigation, in revolutionizing Pakistan's citrus sector are substantial yet contingent upon strategic implementation. The adoption of HEIS presents a transformative solution by enabling precise delivery of water and nutrients directly to the root zone. Muhammad Irfan Nawaz, Manager Horticulture, Jaffer Agro Services (HEIS), Shadid Iqbal, Senior Zonal Manager – Center, Jaffer Agro Services delivered talks on Installation, establishment and maintenance of high efficiency drip irrigation system in citrus orchards.