Introduction
These agromet advisories, sourced from the National Agromet Advisory Service Bulletin dated 14 August 2025, released by the Agricultural Meteorology Division, India Meteorological Department, Pune, provide essential guidance for farmers in East India to manage crops effectively under prevailing and forecasted weather conditions.
Bihar
Paddy
In the North East Alluvial Zone, prepare fields for transplanting and apply Pretilachlor at 1.5 liters per hectare within two to three days of transplanting to control weeds. In the South Bihar Zone, prioritize transplanting with 30 kg nitrogen, 60 kg phosphorus, 30 kg potash, and 25 kg zinc sulfate or 15 kg chelated zinc per hectare for medium and long-duration varieties. In the North West Alluvial Plain Zone, undertake weeding and apply 30 kg nitrogen per hectare in 25-30-day-old crops while monitoring for stem borer and leaf folder infestations.
Maize
In the North West Alluvial Plain Zone, arrange drainage to prevent water stagnation from heavy rainfall, which can damage maize crops.
Vegetables
In the North East Alluvial Zone, avoid water stagnation in pumpkin crops to prevent yield reduction and build scaffolding for creeper vegetables. In the North West Alluvial Plain Zone, ensure drainage in vegetable fields. In the South Bihar Zone, transplant 45-50-day-old onion seedlings at 15 cm row spacing and 10 cm plant spacing.
Sugarcane
In the North West Alluvial Plain Zone, provide propping to prevent lodging at the growth stage and spray Blitox-50 at 2.5 g per liter of water twice at 15-day intervals if leaf spot symptoms appear.
Pigeon Pea
In the South Bihar Zone, sow pigeon pea in upland fields under clear skies, applying 20 kg nitrogen, 45 kg phosphorus, 20 kg potash, and 20 kg sulfur per hectare at sowing.
Sweet Potato and Cauliflower
In the North West Alluvial Plain Zone, undertake planting of sweet potato and transplanting of cauliflower.
Jharkhand
Maize
In the Western Plateau Zone, tie bright ribbons in fields using poles to protect maize cobs from birds.
Tomato
In the Western Plateau Zone, uproot and destroy tomato plants infected with yellow mosaic virus to prevent its spread.
Odisha
Rice
In the North Western Plateau Zone, under the SRI method, ensure weeding every 10 days and maintain 1-2 inches of standing water. In the East and South-Eastern Coastal Plain, apply Cartap Hydrochloride 4% G at 8 kg per acre to manage yellow stem borer and Fipronil 5% SC at 400 ml per acre for leaf folder after rain. In the West Central Table Land Zone, apply Azadirachtin 0.15% EC at 800 ml per acre when pheromone trap catches reach 4-5 male moths for stem borer and leaf folder. In the Mid-Central Table Land Zone, apply Cartap Hydrochloride 4% G at 8 kg per acre for stem borer and dip seedling roots in Plantomycin at 10 g per 10 liters of water for 20 minutes to control bacterial leaf blight. In the North Central Plateau Zone, spray Hexaconazole 5% EC at 30 ml per 15 liters of water to prevent blast and Carbendazim 50% WP at 2 g per liter for stem rot.
Castor
In the North Western Plateau Zone, spray Quinalphos per liter of water during clear weather to control horsefly infestation.
Cotton
In the Western Undulating Zone, control sucking pests like aphids, jassids, thrips, and whitefly by spraying neem oil at 600-800 ml plus 200 g detergent powder per acre in 200 liters of water and installing eight yellow sticky traps per acre.
Maize
In the Western Undulating Zone, spray Emamectin Benzoate 5% SG at 80 g per acre for Fall Armyworm and Profenophos 50% EC at 400 ml per acre for stem borer in 200 liters of water. In the West Central Table Land Zone, spray Chlorantraniliprole at 0.4 ml per liter for stem borer. In the Mid-Central Table Land Zone, apply Beauveria Bassiana at 1200 g per acre in 200 liters of water for fall armyworm at the knee-high stage.
Brinjal
In the North Western Plateau Zone, monitor for early shoot and fruit borer and spray Emamectin Benzoate 5% SG at 1 ml per liter of water. In the East and South-Eastern Coastal Plain, install 20 pheromone traps per acre and spray Spinosad 45% SC at 75 ml per acre for shoot and fruit borer. In the West Central Table Land Zone, apply Carbendazim at 2 g per liter followed by Hexaconazole at 2 ml per liter one week later for wilting, and Emamectin Benzoate at 0.4 g per liter for fruit and shoot borers.
Groundnut
In the East and South-Eastern Coastal Plain, spray Chlorothalonil 75% WP at 400 g per acre after rain to control Tikka disease. In the Mid-Central Table Land Zone, apply Chlorothalonil 75% WP at 400 g per acre for Tikka disease.
Chilli
In the Western Undulating Zone, apply Fipronil 5 SC at 1.5 ml per liter to manage thrips. In the North Central Plateau Zone, spray Imidacloprid 17.8 SL at 2 ml per liter for thrips and Carbendazim or Mancozeb at 2-3 g per liter for leaf blight.
Red Gram
In the Western Undulating Zone, spray neem-based pesticide (1500 ppm) at ter of water during clear weather to manage aphids and thrips. In the Mid-Central Table Land Zone, spray Chlorpyriphos 50% + Cypermethrin 5% EC at 400 ml per acre to control leaf webber.
Cucurbits
In the East and South-Eastern Coastal Plain, spray Thiamethoxam at 80 g per acre after rain to manage cucumber mosaic virus. In the Mid-Central Table Land Zone, spray Spinosad at 2.5 ml per 10 liters for fruit fly in severe cases.
Okra
In the North Central Plateau Zone, spray Copper Oxychloride at 3 ml per liter for cercospora leaf spot and Quinalphos 25 EC at 2 liters per hectare for yellow vein mosaic virus.
West Bengal & Sikkim
Rice
In the Hill Zone, maintain a 3-5 cm water layer in rice fields and ensure proper bunding to reduce nutrient losses during rainfall. In the Terai Zone, avoid irrigation due to expected moderate to heavy rainfall. In the Old Alluvial Zone, maintain a 2-3 cm water level and spray Propiconazole or Hexaconazole at 0.6-1 g per liter on a clear day to prevent blast and brown spot diseases. In the Coastal Saline Zone, apply urea at 12 kg per bigha as a first top dressing 2-3 weeks before transplanting in lowland areas. In the Laterite and Red Soil Zone, ensure proper puddling and drainage to prevent water stagnation. In the New Alluvial Zone, apply light nitrogen top dressing two weeks after transplanting if needed.
Ginger
In the Hill Zone, monitor for rhizome rot, remove infected plants, and spray 1% Bordeaux mixture to prevent fungal infections.
Chilli
In the Hill Zone, spray Bavistin at 1 g or Dithane M-45/Copper Oxychloride at 1.5 g per liter to control Anthracnose disease.
Jute
In the Terai Zone, avoid retting matured jute in running water and use stagnant water with CRIJAF SONA at 4 kg per bigha or NINFET powder at 6 kg per bigha. In the Old Alluvial Zone, maintain proper drainage channels. In the New Alluvial Zone, start harvesting and retting using recent rainfall.
Pumpkin
In the Terai Zone, use pheromone traps and spot spray molasses at 200 ml plus Malathion 50% EC at 20 ml during clear weather to control fruit fly.
Okra
In the Terai Zone, remove and burn infected plant parts, install light and pheromone traps at 1-2 per bigha, and spray Bacillus thuringiensis 5% WP at 1.5 g per liter during clear weather to control fruit and shoot borer.
Brinjal
In the Old Alluvial Zone, spray Cartap Hydrochloride 50% SP at 1 g per liter during clear weather to manage fruit and shoot borer.
Groundnut
In the Laterite and Red Soil Zone, spray Carbendazim at 1 g plus Mancozeb at 2 g per liter at 15-day intervals to control tikka disease.
Vegetables
In the Coastal Saline Zone, spray Planktomycin at 2-3 g per 10 liters of water for bacterial wilting due to water stagnation and heavy rain.
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Banana
Apply cow dung slurry at the base of banana plants during dry spells to enhance soil microbial activity and nutrient availability.
Brinjal
Apply 5% neem seed kernel extract during rain-free periods to control shoot and fruit borer, and destroy infested shoots and fruits to break the pest life cycle.
Ginger
Maintain mulch with crop residues or dry leaves to prevent soil splash and suppress weed growth in ginger fields.
Animal Husbandry
Odisha
Keep livestock and poultry sheds clean, dry, and well-ventilated to prevent infections like mastitis, use smoke to repel insects, and seal crevices in poultry sheds to block predators. Vaccinate cattle against FMD every six months with a booster 28 days after the first dose, preferably post-deworming, and ensure timely vaccinations against HS, BQ, and Enterotoxaemia. Vaccinate poultry chicks against Ranikhet at 1-7 days and again at 20-28 days, and provide balanced feed to small ruminants.
Bihar
Complete vaccinations against Hemorrhagic Septicemia and Foot-and-Mouth Disease this month.