Taitung Farmers Advised on Post-Typhoon Recovery Amid Hot Winds

Following the departure of Typhoon Bary, Taiwan's Taitung Agricultural Research Institute is urging farmers to implement crucial recovery measures. The institute emphasizes the need for post-typhoon rehabilitation, focusing on clearing fields of fallen branches and fruit, proper pruning, and robust disease prevention to stop pathogens from infecting crops.

Farmers are particularly advised to enhance irrigation and pruning, especially in orchards affected by hot winds and salt spray. The institute recommends increased spraying to replenish moisture lost by fruit trees and to wash salt residue from leaves. For trees with broken branches due to strong winds, prompt pruning of damaged limbs is advised, with protective agents applied to larger wounds. Removing fallen branches, leaves, and fruit from orchards is critical to reduce sources of pest and disease transmission.

Specific crop guidance includes intensifying artificial pollination for custard apples during their flowering period to ensure fruit set. For citrus and pomelo varieties, vigilance against bacterial canker is recommended after the storm. In rice paddies, any damage to field ridges or ditches, or accumulation of debris, should be promptly repaired to facilitate drainage management. Farmers should also pay attention to announcements from the Water Resources Agency regarding irrigation channel damage.

For pigeon peas and roselle, the institute suggests moderate fertilization to promote growth. It advises against immediately straightening up flattened plants, recommending instead to mound soil at their base and prune broken branches. Both crops require attention to prevent blight. Additionally, farmers are urged to quickly inspect their fields and reinforce or straighten trellises for vegetable crops.