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VOLUME 3 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2017 ` 100
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Fertilizer Availability: GLOBAL SCENARIO Luc M. Maene
Director, LM Agri Ltd. Luxembourg
Interview with K S Raju FAI Chairman
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Fertilizer Availability Global Scenario
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Interview with K S Raju, FAI Chairman
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2017 ` 100 PAGES 116 Editor-in-Chief
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Zinc in Food & Nutrition Security
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Fertigation in Horticultural Crops
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Role of Potassium in Cotton Fibre Quality
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smart nutrient management in vegetable cultivation
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Use of Fertilizer N in Rice Based Cropping System
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Integrated use of plant nutrients in SUGARCANE BASED CROPPING SYSTEMS
Nutrient Management in Freshwater Aquaculture
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Need for Unified Agriculture Market ntegrated with Agri Value Chains in India
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ertilizer is the key input in agriculture production. Agriculture production is the function of host of factors like weather conditions, good quality seeds, irrigation water, fertilizers, plant protection materials, skill, knowledge etc. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of United Nations(UN) more than 50 percent of increase in agriculture production is credited to the fertilizer use. Crop plants need 17 essential elements. These are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, boron, chlorine and selenium. The first three are abundantly available in nature. These are not applied externally. Nitrogen,(N) Phosphorus(P) and Potash(K) are the main elements externally applied through fertilizers. These are therefore, popularly known as fertilizer elements . Calcium, magnesium and sulphur are called secondary elements mainly because they are inadvertently added through NPK Fertilizers, Phospahtic fertilizer like single super phosphate (SSP) also adds calcium, magnesium and sulphur. It is an excellent fertilizer. There is another group of elements which are needed in small amount but they are also equally essential like NPK. These are called micro -nutrients. Zinc, iron, copper , boron, molybdenum, manganese, chlorine and selenium are micronutrients. About 200gms boron/ha is as essential as 150kg/ha N to produce 50 quintals of rice/ha/annum. December 2017 issue of Agriculture World (AW) is devoted to fertilizer use. It has 12 articles on fertilizer use. Five articles are from the International organisations. And the rest are authored by Indian experts of repute. Indian authored articles cover all important crops like rice,wheat, cotton , sugarcane, fruits, vegetables etc. One article deals with nutrient management in fisheries. Readers of all sectors like seeds, irrigation, fertilizer , plant protection, farm machinery etc would find the issue very interesting and useful. The Krishi Jagran and Agriculture World, a media group, recently appeared in Limca Book of Records wish their readers a Merry Christmas and Happy & Progressive New Year -2018.
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Agriculture in the 21st century has the daunting task of meeting food, feed, fibre and bio-energy targets sustainably for a growing population with limited natural resources. The role of manufactured fertilizers in ensuring global food security is well documented. The year 2016 was full of challenges for the fertilizer industry with uneven global nutrient demand, soft economic prospects, depressed crop prices, rising market competition and volatile energy prices. Small improvements are projected for 2017 and 2018. The mediumterm growth is largely driven by emerging markets and developing economies. At least up to 2021, supply of nutrients would be ample whereas demand growth would be relatively subdued. For the medium term, the fertilizer market will be supply driven. Some of the underlying factors are provided in this article.
Fertilizer availability
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GLOBAL SCENARIO Luc M. Maene
Director, LM Agri Ltd. Luxembourg
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lthough the world economic growth is slowly improving, medium-term prospects remain highly uncertain. Global growth is forecast to continue increasing beyond 2017 and is estimated to reach 3.8 percent by 2022. This trend is largely due to expectations in emerging and developing economies, where output is projected to increase to 5 percent annually by 2022. There will be differences between countries based, among others, on their reliance on energy or metal exports. Commodity prices are expected to stay low and will be an important factor in both the short and medium term. On the other hand, developed economies are expected to show more modest medium-term growth rates, reaching 1.7 per cent in 2022. An aging work force and the lack of significant efforts to achieve structural reform, in order to increase productivity, contribute to the lower growth rate. Policy developments will continue to have an important impact on the economic outlook. Globally, the result of recent negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and on climate change, together with discussions in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), UN Environment, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other entities may affect fertilizer use in general with a focus on nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P) management. Indeed, calls to improve N use efficiency and mitigate the impact of N and P losses to the environment are increasingly being made.
Agricultural production outlook Global cereal production is expected to decrease in 2017/18, but with limited impact on inventories. Favourable weather in major production areas was responsible for a record cereal output in 2016/17. At the same time, consumption remained below production for the fourth consecutive season and global stocks continued to increase. In the medium term, agricultural production is expected to grow more slowly. Population growth in developing countries will continue to drive global food demand. However, with population growth declining and income growth also slowing, the expansion of global food demand would be somewhat affected. Nevertheless, rising incomes and increasing urbanization in developing countries, inducing gradual diet changes, will favour certain foods. The consumption of meat, dairy products, fish, sugar, fruits and vegetables is observed as increasing faster than the consumption of cereals. Global inventories of most agricultural commodities are expected to contract during the next few years. Medium-term fertilizer demand outlook Favourable weather conditions and prospects for improving returns from farming in countries with supportive exchange rates contributed to the strong growth in world fertilizer demand
in 2016/17. Consumption of N, P and K has increased by 2.4 per cent to reach an estimated 186 Mt nutrients. Demand for P and K is anticipated to expand faster than for N. For 2016/17, fertilizer demand is expected to have dropped in North America and marginally contracted in Western and Central Europe. In East Asia, demand expansion is expected to remain modest with China’s zero growth policy strongly influencing the regional outlook. More positively, a sharp rebound is expected in Latin America, reflecting
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attractive returns from farming. In West Asia, improving weather and the removal of value added tax on fertilizers in Turkey have resulted in increasing demand. As far as Africa is concerned, demand is seen as rebounding firmly. More modest expansions are anticipated in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), Oceania and South Asia.
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Turning to 2017/18, the outlook is affected by ample inventories and low prices for most crops, improving economic prospects in developed countries, Russia, Brazil and Sub-Saharan Africa, and growing political uncertainty in several large fertilizer-consuming markets. Currently, world fertilizer demand is forecast to grow modestly by 1.2 percent to 188 Mt nutrients. Potash demand would grow more rapidly because of good prospects in China, India, Brazil and Indonesia, and a rebound in Belarus. Nitrogen and phosphate demand would expand moderately with drops in Turkey, Pakistan and Germany partly offsetting increases elsewhere. By 2021/22 global fertilizer demand is forecast to reach close to 200 Mt nutrients. The mediumterm outlook for agriculture would support modest fertilizer demand growth prospects over the next five years. Table 1 shows global fertilizer demand growing on average by 1.5 per cent per year between the base year (average of 2014/15 to 2016/17) and 2021/22. Aggregate world demand is projected to reach 198.9 Mt nutrients at the end of the outlook period. Potash demand would grow firmly (2.1 per cent per year). Phosphate demand would grow more moderately (1.5 per cent per year) and demand for nitrogen would continue to decline progressively (1.2 per cent per year). The different growth rates for the major nutrients reflect the progressive adoption by farmers of best management practices resulting in nitrogen use efficiency improvements, as well as the
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Currently, world fertilizer demand is forecast to grow modestly by 1.2 percent to 188 Mt nutrients. Potash demand would grow more rapidly because of good prospects in China, India, Brazil and Indonesia, and a rebound in Belarus. increasing recycling of organic nutrient sources. The highest growth rate is anticipated in Africa, followed by EECA and Latin America. Developed regions are expected to show weak demand growth, with better prospects in Oceania than in North America and Western and Central Europe. In volume terms, Latin America, South Asia and East Asia would account for 26, 24 and 22 per cent respectively, of the projected increase in global fertilizer demand over the next five years (Figure 1).
Table 1: Global fertilizer demand growth between the average of the Base Year* and 2021/22 * The Base Year is the average of 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17 Medium-term fertilizer supply and trade outlook Although the fertilizer industry was heavily challenged in 2016, global fertilizer production and imports were resilient and, in some cases, reached record levels. The near future is expected to show a growing imbalance with a massive wave of new capacity in all three of the main nutrients, driven by investment decisions made four to eight years ago. Supply will be ample, if not abundant, at least up to 2021. The potential imbalance appears to accelerate during 2017/19 with the bulk of capacity increments emerging in the very short term. A second wave of new capacity would come at the end of the five year forecast period, essentially relating to potash. Indeed, little capacity additions are anticipated in 2020/21 for nitrogen and phosphates. However, several large projects are up for completion after 2021 for all three nutrients. Challenges confronting the fertilizer industry include more stringent environmental regulations, increasingly volatile energy prices and competing uses of feedstock. These will impact trade flows and the ability of exporters to secure supply. Trade policy, restrictive trade measures and rising protectionism are emerging in many countries. However, opportunities also exist. Producers are increasingly diversifying their product range into speciality fertilizers with enhanced nutrient efficiency and nutritional added-value features. On average, the fertilizer industry operated at 81 per cent of its capacity in 2016. Fertilizer sales were estimated at 186 Mt nutrients, recovering 2.5 per cent over 2015. Global trade dropped by 1 per cent, to 53 Mt nutrients. Between 2017 and 2021, the fertilizer industry will invest some US$ 110 billion in more than 65 production units, increasing global capacity by 90 million tonnes product. If all planned projects are realized as announced, capacity expansions over 2016 would be 7 per cent for nitrogen, 10 per cent for phosphate rock and 20 per cent for potash. Nitrogen Despite massive reductions in China, global am-
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The consumption of meat, dairy products, fish, sugar, fruits and vegetables is observed as increasing faster than the consumption of cereals. monia capacity would expand by 8 per cent between 2016 and 2021. Some 45 new ammonia plants would be commissioned between 2017 and 2021, with large increases in EECA, North America and Africa. New urea capacity would emerge in Africa, North America and EECA, but decrease in China. A total of 40 new urea units are planned to come on stream between 2016 and 2021. On a regional basis, North America, EECA and South Asia will account for 70 per cent of overall capacity growth. Close to 90 per cent of the planned expansions would occur in 2016/18. Global urea supply is estimated to reach 200 Mt product in 2021, growing at 1.6 per cent per year over 2016. Potential surpluses over the period are expected to increase in the short term to reach 16 Mt
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product in 2019, decreasing to 13 Mt product in 2021. Phosphate There is a large supply of phosphate rock emerging, mostly for local uses. Global phosphate rock supply would grow by 10 per cent compared with 2016, to reach 249 Mt product by 2021. Large expansions are expected in Africa and West Asia, accounting for 80 per cent of the net increase. Over the next five years, two-thirds of incremental supply would be used locally for downstream added-value production. Close to 7 Mt of additional supply would become available for export. Global phosphoric acid capacity in 2021 is projected to have expanded by 12 per cent over 2016, to reach 64.1 Mt P205. Some 20 new acid
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Challenges confronting the fertilizer industry include more stringent environmental regulations, increasingly volatile energy prices and competing uses of feedstock. These will impact trade flows and the ability of exporters to secure supply. Trade policy, restrictive trade measures and rising protectionism are emerging in many countries
capacity between 2017 and 2021. Capacity is forecast to grow by 20 per cent over 2016, to reach 65.5 Mt K20 in 2021, with some 30 projects in Canada, Russia, Turkmenistan, Belarus and China. In product terms, global potassium capacity in 2021 would reach 111.2 Mt products, expanding by 19 Mt over 2016. North America and EECA account for 97 per cent of world incremental potash supply. Global supply would reach 53.3 Mt K2O in 2021, a net increase of 9.1 Mt over 2016. The bulk of the new capacity would come from North America and EECA. With a moderate potash demand growth, the potential surplus would exceed 6.3 Mt in 2018 to reach 7.7 Mt of K2O in 2021. The growing imbalance is largely driven by big capacity increments against relatively moderate demand growth. Global potash trade is expected to increase by an overall 16 per cent between 2016 and 2021.
units are currently planned for completion, of which two-thirds are outside China. Large additions are expected in Morocco and Saudi Arabia. Global supply of phosphoric acid would increase by 2.4 per cent per year while demand would grow at 1.8 per cent per year, indicating a rising potential surplus from 2017 to 2019 and stabilizing up to 2021. A total of 25 units of processed phosphates are planned to come on stream in 10 countries during the 2017/21 period. Global capacity of the main processed phosphates would grow by 6.9 Mt to 52.5 Mt P205 in 2021. The largest increases are expected in Morocco and Saudi Arabia. Potash Large capacity projects would add 17 Mt of MOP
The world is facing a slow economic recovery with significant downside risks. Global agricultural production is expected to grow more slowly in the medium term. Environmental policies and regulations will continue to tighten. Global demand for the three major plant nutrients is anticipated to reach close to 200 Mt nutrients by 2021/22. Latin America will become the third largest consuming region. In terms of fertilizer supply, a massive emergence of new capacity for all three major nutrients is expected with the bulk of it in the short term. For the next five years, the industry will operate in a supply – driven market. As far as the supply/demand situation is concerned, surpluses are expected in all major nutrients. (Based on an annual analysis made by the International Fertilizer Association (IFA) and presented at its 2017 conference in May at Marrakech, Morocco.)
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Urea Should be brought under Nutrient Based Subsidy : K.S. Raju
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ndia witnessed tragic famine during 1942-43 which claimed lives of millions. Countries like China, Ethiopia, Somalia etc have also experienced severe food shortage and malnutrition. Nature provided solution of hunger and malnutrition through the ushering of Green Revolution (GR) which was piloted by the Divine manifestation of man called Dr Norman Borlaug who won Nobel Peace Prize in 1971. Fertilizer has been a key input of GR and expected to play the pivotal role in increasing food production in future too. Fertilizer Policies have played very important role in the health and growth of the fertilizer industry and fertilizer consumption in the country. Government of India regularly reviews the fertilizer policies and also makes necessary changes. In this context Krishi Jagran team had a word with K S Raju, Chairman, FAI. He has shared the Government policies and other issues related to the fertilizer industry, different fertilizer products, fertilizer consumption etc. Excerpts:
What is the govt. policy on fertilizers? Fertilizers play a critical role in enhancing agriculture productivity thereby ensuring food security of the country. Historically, Fertilizer policies in India were formulated with twin objectives of promoting balanced use of fertilizers and ensuring reasonable return on the investment of fertilizer producers. Urea is sold at statutory notified uniform sale price and decontrolled Phosphatic and Potassic fertilizers are sold at indicative maximum retail prices (MRPs). The statutorily notified sale price of urea and indicative MRP are less than the cost of production and the difference between the cost of production and the selling price/MRP is paid as subsidy/concession to manufacturers. As the consumer prices of both indigenous and imported fertilizers are fixed uniformly, subsidy is also provided on imported urea and decontrolled Phosphatic and Potassic fertilizers. Annual Fertilizer subsidy budget of the government of India is Rs. 70000 crores.
What is Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS)? In the context of the Nation’s food security, the declining response of agricultural productivity to increased fertilizer usage in the country and to ensure the balanced application of fertilizers, the Government has introduced Nutrient Based Subsidy Policy (NBS) for decon-
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trolled P&K fertilizers, with effect from 1.4.2010. Under the NBS scheme a fixed rate of subsidy of nutrients namely Nitrogen (N), Phosphate (P), Potash (K) and Sulphur (S) is announced by the Government on an annual basis in terms of rupees per Kg of nutrients. The rupees per Kg subsidy rates of nutrients N, P, K, S are converted into per MT subsidy on the various P&K fertilizers covered under NBS Policy. At present only 21grades of P&K fertilizers namely DAP, MAP, TSP, MOP, Ammonium Sulphate, SSP and 15 grades of NPKS complex fertilizers are covered under the NBS Policy. Any variant of the fertilizers covered under the subsidy scheme with micronutrients namely Boron and Zinc, is eligible for a separate per MT subsidy to encourage their application along with primary nutrients. Under the NBS regime, MRP of P&K fertilizers has been left open. Fertilizer manufacturers/marketers can fix the MRP at reasonable rates. In other words, domestic prices are determined by demand supply mechanism.
What is your opinion on NBS Scheme as Urea was not included in the Scheme?
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In my view, Urea should have been included in NBS. Non�inclusion of urea in NBS is creating distortion in N subsidy. N subsidy through urea is 70%,
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whereas N subsidy in NBS is 30% of total cost of sales. In other words, MRP of urea is 30% of cost of sales of urea, whereas MRPs of NPKs are 70 % of cost of sales. This results in overuse of urea. Excessive use of urea creates soil degradation, environment related issues of air and water and skewed N: P: K ratio, which ultimately effecting agriculture productivity and food grain production. Urea should be brought under NBS at the earliest.
It is said that efficiency of urea producing companies is very high, but no new company has come into production in last 10 years? What is your comment on this? One of the objectives of Fertilizer policies is to provide reasonable return on the investment. Under Retention Price Scheme (RPS) 12% post tax return on net worth (Equity+ Reserve) was provided. New capacities come during this period. The subsidy burden has increased due to additional urea consumption and high input costs. Recent policies such as New pricing Scheme (NPS), New Urea Pricing (NUP) are targeted to reduce subsidy. As subsidy is difference between normative cost of production and statutorily notified MRPS, reduction subsidy leads to shortfall in actual cost recovery and affected bottom lines of the urea companies. Many of urea
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units are running in losses or marginal return of plus minus 2%. According to me this is main reason, no new capacity is added in last 16 years.
DAP is very dominant product in India, and it supplies the lion share of P 2 O 5 consumption. What is your opinion about the Government policy on DAP? Of the total P2 O5 consumption in India 60% P2 O5 is from DAP, 30 % of P2 O5 comes from NP NPKS and balance 10% P2O5 is contribution from SSP. DAP is coming under NBS policy. The current policy on DAP is appropriate but pricing correction is required for balance use of P2 O5 as compared to N and K2O
NPK Complexes are also very important fertilizers. Do you think that they should enjoy the kind of policy the govt. has now? My answer to this question is also yes. NPK complexes are under NBS policy. What is required to correctly price all nutrients so that there is balanced use of fertilizer nutrients N P K and S.
There are sizeable unit of Single Super Phosphates (SSP) in India but the quality of phosphatic fertilizer has a questionable merit. As Chairman of FAI what will be your step to improve its quality? The quality issues of phosphatic fertilizers are reasonably addressed after NBS is introduced. One of the main reasons of the quality problem was the quality of rock phosphate. This problem was more in SSP as inferior quality of rock phosphate was used. The government of India has notified that all SSP manufacturing units are required to use only specified grades of rock phosphate for production of SSP and said grades of rock phosphate strictly imported from approved source. The department of fertilizers approves the sources of such purchases imports as well as indigenous rock phosphate. The State Agriculture Department certifying quality P&K in prescribed proforma is done mandatory. P&K Fertilizers including SSP have to get monthly certification of quality from state Governments. Proforma B2 for P&K Fertilizers excluding SSP and Proforma B2S
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for SSP is prescribed by central government.
Rock phosphate can be used gainfully in acid soil particularly in acid loving crop like tea. Do you think that India should encourage the direct use of rock phosphate in acidic soil areas? 18
Rock phosphate is mined rock that contains limestone, clay and high concentration of phosphorous between 16% and 20%. Phosphorous is as plant nutrient is obtained from phosphate rock. It is present mainly as tricalcium phosphate which is not water soluble. India has very little deposits of rock phosphate and that too inferior quality. The domestic rock accounts for less than 10% of use of phosphorous in the country. The Rock phosphate is as an inorganic fertilizer. The rock phosphate is classified as straight phosphorous fertilizer in FCO if total phosphorous as P2O5 as per cent by weight, minimum18%. Directly applying rock phosphate (in powder form) to acidic soil may provide a valuable source of plant nutrient. Its direct application avoids extra cost of processing and conversion cost. It is a cheap source of phosphorous but there are several complicating factors and limitations. Its suitability depends on mineral impurities.
It is understood that as we don’t have any potash mine, we have to input the entire amount o f ‘ K ‘ for our agriculture consumption. What is your opinion to have balanced use of fertilizers incorporation of organic manure? Use of organic manure along with inorganic manure is essential to improve carbon content in soil. But deficiencies of K cannot be made up by organic manure. Indian soils are deficient in K. India
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is 100% dependent of import of potash. Potash is required to be imported to meet our nutrient demands. Though some alternative sources are being explored, no much progress is made in this regard so far.
Fertilizer subsidy policy is strongly criticized, and it is said that the subsidy is given to the companies and not to the farmers. What is your opinion on this? The fertilizer subsidy is routed through industry in the form of subsidized retail prices. The fertilizer company is not a beneficiary of fertilizer subsidy. The subsidy is given to fertilizer companies is a wrong perception. Subsidy is given to fertilizer companies as cost of production is higher than retail prices. Subsidy does not cover full cost and there are under recoveries leading to losses.
What are the roles of secondary and micronutrients in balanced nutrition in your opinion? The role of secondary and micronutrient is very important. They are very vital for food chain and presence in animal and human food consumption. Achieving nutrition security is most important as we nearly achieved food security. Apart from nutritious food the scientific studies have established that their presence as input of fertilizers along with other major nutrient such as N, P, K, and S etc. improves agriculture productivity. Interviewed by – Dr. B. C. Biswas and Ruby Jain www.krishijagran.com
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“PlantbiotiX” – Turning a new leaf for Bio-Agriculture.
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lantbiotiX is a Bio Agri business division of Zytex Biotech Pvt Ltd Mumbai, a pioneer in bio technology .Its expertise in fermentation and microbial strain selection has played a significant role in various industries like textile, food, cosmetic, neutraceuticals and many more. Zytex thus emerged as the leading organization in Biotechnology domain in India. Zytex have well-equipped stateof-the-art technology manufacturing facilities and testing capabilities to produce world class quality products at Silvasa and Baroda in Gujarat state which are ISO 9000, ISO 22000, GMP and FAMIQS certified and R &D lab which is recognized by government of India and has the recognition of DSRI Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India. At PlantbiotiX, we believe that microbes and plants are intimate partners in virtually every life processes. So, it’s a probiotic in plant science. These biological products are effective, eco-friendly, cost-effective for the farmers. PlantbiotiX is committed to be the agricultural input industries preferred provider of Microbial based crop protection inputs, growth enhancement and soil health improvement products. PlantbiotiX rely in ‘Innovate safe and sustainable biological solutions for improving livelihood of farmers’. Microbes’ helps plants by improving availability of crop nutrients, enhancing plant root growth and neutralizing toxic compounds in soil, it also helps plants in improving resistance against diseases, deterring pathogens and mitigates abiotic stress in totality assist in cultivating crops in a more sustainable way. PlantbiotiX product ranges have been extensively and successfully tested by knowledgeable progressive fruits and vegetable growers of Nasik area of Maharashtra as well in Gujarat, CG & MP states for more than three years under differ-
ent agro-climatic conditions. PlantbiotiX business operations are mainly in Western & Central region of India comprises of primarily Maharashtra , Gujarat , Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh states & they could successfully launched its range of high class Bio nutrition, Bio-control and Soil health improvement microbe based agri- inputs during 2015-16 which has been very well received by farming community and our channel partners / business associates across these indicated states. Our team’s enthusiasm enhanced manifold due to this overwhelming response in such a short period of time. PlantbiotiX also entered in overseas potential markets such as Iran, Mauritius, and Vietnam other SEA countries & shortly would be making foray into many more agriculturally potential countries soon. PlantbiotiX field teams have adopted unique approaches in their product promotion by creating mass awareness amongst all stakeholders be it farmers, business associates about correct usage of microbial based agri inputs & its assured deliverables thereof by using audio visual high definition technical film, short video clips, flip charts, Customized local area specific crop based workshops for farmers , retailers and recently we launched smartphone enabled app which could provide disease and crop specific solutions & have been well appreciated by all stakeholders PlantbiotiX is committed to provide the green solutions in Bio Agriculture space to improve yield, improve soil health and offer biological disease control. A PlantbiotiX core philosophy remains the same as its group “Better Technology Better World” and contributes significantly to sustainable agriculture. “PlantbiotiX “A step towards creating the future of Bio Agriculture “, To learn more about Bio Ag products its application please do visit www.PlantbiotiX. com
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Country would be self-reliant in urea by 2022 Manoj Mishra, Co-Chairman, FAI
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ertilser use came into practice in a big way in the world to usher Green Revolution which made India and many other countries self sufficient in food grains production and remove hunger and malnutrition. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)of United Nations conducted simple fertilizer trials all over the globe to promote fertilser consumption And according to the FAO about 50 percent of increase in food grains production is credited to fertilser use. Pragmatic fertilser policies of government of India (GOI) has helped to the growth of fertilser industry and fertilizer consumption in the country. And has made the country second in the world in fertilizer production and consumption. To have the insight of current scenario of the different facets of fertilser production, marketing and consumption in India, KJ team had a talk to Mr Manoj Mishra , Co-Chairman of FAI. The highlight of the conversation follows:
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What is the govt. policy on fertilizers? For sustained agricultural growth and to ensure availability of food grains at affordable prices, Fertilizers policies of the GoI are aimed at providing chemical fertilizers to the farmers at affordable prices. With this objective, Urea, a nitrogenous fertilizer, is being manufactured and distributed in a regulated environment and fully controlled in terms of its pricing and distribution to the farming community. However, other fertilizers such as Phosphatic and Potassic fertilizers are partially de-controlled and sold at indicative maximum retail prices (MRPs) determined infree market mechanismbut subject to intervention of GoI to rationalize pricing. Regarding Urea Manufacturing, GoI notified the New Pricing Policy (NUP2015) on 25-05-2015 applicable w.e.f.
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01-06-2015. The underline objectives of this new policy include maximizing indigenous Urea production; promoting energy efficiency in urea production and rationalizing subsidy burden on the government. In order to meet another objective of GoI to ensure balanced application of fertilizers, to improve growth of indigenous fertilizer industry, to contain the subsidy bill and to leave open MRP to be fixed by fertilizer manufacturer/importer at a reasonable level, GoI implemented a Nutrient Based Policy (NBS) w.e.f 0104-2010 for Phosphatic, Potassic and Complex Fertilizers. It was expected that the partial decontrol of the sector would promote competition leading to efficiencies in production and import. In the long run, the policy is expected to stabilise demand and supply situation and also contain the subsidy outgo, besides promoting balanced fertilization of soil. What is your comment on NBS Scheme as Urea wasnot included in NBS? Balanced fertilization of soil was one of the main objectives of NBS Scheme but it has not been achieved due to various reasons beyond the NBS Scheme such as higher consumption of Urea due to its low administered price, own method of fertilizer application by farmers, illiteracy of farmers, improper application of fertilizers without proper soil testing etc. However, The Department of fertilizers is following various strategies/mechanisms, in association with Department of Agriculture cooperation and Farmers welfare, to promote balanced use of fertilizers such as Neem Coating of Urea, introduction of 45 kg bag of Urea, issuance of soil health cards, grant of additional subsidy for micro-nutrients like Boron & Zinc, introducing DBT in fertilizer sector and promotion of City Compost. It is said that efficiency of Urea producing companies is very high but no new company has come into production in last 10 years. You may kindly comment. It is true that there has not been any growth in domestic fertilizer sector in last more than a decade, however the present Government of India is
leaving no stone unturned to make the country self-reliant in Urea under “Make in India� initiative. In this regard, NFL in joint venture with EIL, FCI and State of Telangana is already reviving the closed Urea plant at Ramagundam (Telangana) with a capacity of 12.71 LMT per annum which is expected to be commissioned by March 2019. One more Joint Venture Company HURL (Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Limited) comprising of CIL, NTPC and IOC is in the process of reviving three closed Urea plants at Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni. It is expected that country would be self-reliant in Urea by 2022. DAP is very dominant product in India, and it supplies the lion share of P2O5 consumption. What is your opinion about the govt. policy on DAP? So far, GoI has been partially successful in addressing the problem of balanced application of fertilizers due to unfavorable price of DAP which are still significantly higher than Urea. Imbalanced use of fertilizers isa serious challenge to GoI and need to be addressed through rationalization of pricing of NPK Fertilizers. In my opinion, either increase in MRP of Urea or coverage of Urea under NBS could be an appropriate solution for this problem. NPK Complexes are also very important fertilizers. Do you think that they should enjoy the kind of policy the govt. has now? The NBS scheme meant for NPK complex fertilizers has partially addressed the problem of imbalanced application of fertilizers mainly due to huge difference in prices of Urea and other fertilizers which needs review. There are sizeable Units of Single Super Phosphatic fertilizers in India but the quality of it has a questionable merit. As a Co-Chairman of FAI what will be your step to improve the quality? Due to cheaper source of P2O5, large number of SSP Units has come up after NBS policy and number of SSP units increased from 73 in 2008-09 to 100 in 2014-15. The quality of SSP produced in the country has always remained an issue as a large number of small-scale SSP manufacturers operate locally without
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INTERVIEW
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modern technology and machinery. Moreover, powder SSP is prone to adulteration due to its color and local use. For this,Department of Fertilizers is already considering a proposal to provide subsidy only to granulated SSP. What role NFL has played for the development of farming Community?
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NFL is 2nd largest producer of Urea in the country, contributing 16% share in overall Urea production in the country having major presence in agriculture rich states like Punjab, Haryana & M.P. NFL is undertaking various activities for the development of farming Community which not only include making availability of various fertilizers and agro products under a single roof through manufacturing &marketing of Neem Coated Urea, three strains of Bio-Fertilizers, Certified Seeds, Import & sale of non-Urea fertilizers, Domestic trading of Agro Inputs such as Certified Seeds, Agrochemicals, Bentonite Sulphur, City Compostbut also provide them various agriculture extension services including soil testing, field trials. What is the Strategy of NFL for future growth? Are you planning for any international merger or collaboration? In order to grow the top & bottom lines of the company in future, NFL has adopted the various strategies which include maximization ofUrea production at optimum energy levels, setting up of fertilizers plants in the country / abroad in a Joint venture mode under buy back arrangement, Improving imports of Non-Urea fertilizers,domestic trading of Agrochemicals, diversification and
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leveraging idle assets of the company. NFL is already exploring the possibility of setting up a DAP plant of 10 LMT per Annum along with Phosphoric Acid Plant in Algeria in joint venture with GSFC, RCF and NMDC. Fertilizer subsidy policy is strongly criticized and it is said that the government gave the subsidy to the Companies not the farmers. What is your opinion on this? GoI is already in the process of implementing Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for payment of fertilizer subsidy. This DBT is slightly different from the normal DBT being implemented in LPG subsidy. Under the DBT in fertilizer sector, the subsidy will be released to the fertilizer companies instead of the beneficiaries after the sale is made by the retailers to the beneficiaries. At present direct transfer of subsidy to beneficiaries like in LPG cannot be introduced in fertilizer sector as the beneficiaries and their entitlement is not clearly defined. As the amount of subsidy in some fertilizers, particularly in case of Urea is more than double the MRP, it will be a huge financial burden on the farmers to pay the MRP and subsidy upfront and receive the subsidy amount subsequently.
Interviewed by
B C Biswas Imran Khan Krishijagran, New Delhi
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BOARD MEMBERS
The Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) was established in 1955 with the objective of bringing together all the activities concerned with the production, marketing and use of fertilizers. It comprises of 1502 members of different organizations associated with fertiliser. It is a non-profit organisation.The Association was established in 1955 with the objective of solving problems of fertiliser industry,efficient use of fertilizer to ensure food security etc.It is managed by the 33 member directorial board.. Activities of FAI are associated with different aspects like Marketing,,Agricultural sciences,Technical,Statistics etc. Regional offices of FAI are located in Mumbai,Chennai,Delhi & Kolkata. FAI has 1287 members in India and overseas comprising of Manufacturers, Professionals, Technocrats etc. FAI members are involved in all activities related to the production and distribution of plant nutrients, their raw materials and intermediates
Shri K. S. Raju Chairman - FAI & Chairman Nagarjuna Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd. Nagarjuna Hills, Punjagutta Hyderabad - 500 082 Andhra Pradesh ksraju@nagarjunagroup.com Founded in 1973 by Shri K V K Raju with a modest investment of Rs.50 million, the Nagarjuna Group today is a prominent industrial house in India with an asset base of Rs.43 billion. The Group has since then come a long way to become a diversified conglomerate with an asset base of Rs. 43 billion. Shri H. S. Bawa Emeritus Director - FAI B 3, Maharani Bagh New Delhi 110 065 hs.bawa@chambal.in Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited is one of the largest private sector fertilizer producers in India. It was promoted by Zuari Industries Limited in the year 1985. Its two hi-tech nitrogenous fertiliser (urea) plants are located at Gadepan in Kota district of Rajasthan. Shri Manoj Mishra Co-Chairman - FAI & Chairman and Managing Director National Fertilizers Ltd. A-11, Sector-24 Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar Noida – 201 301 manojmishra@nfl.co.in NFL, a Schedule ‘A’ & a Mini Ratna (Category-I) Company, having its registered office at New Delhi was incorporated on 23rd August 1974. Its Corporate Office is at NOIDA (U.P). NFL produced 38 lakh MT of Urea with an overall capacity utilization of 118% in 2015-16., which is highest ever. Dr. P.S. Gahlaut Managing Director Indian Potash Ltd. Potash Bhawan 10-B, Rajendra Park, Pusa Road New Delhi 110 060 gahlaut@potindia.com; mdofficeipl@yahoo.co.in Indian Potash Limited was incorporated under Indian Companies Act with the objective of import-handling, promotion and marketing of Potash in the entire country.
Shri Rajiv Chopra Chairman & Managing Director State Trading Corporation of India Ltd. Jawahar Vyapar Bhawan Tolstoy Marg New Delhi 110 001 cmd@stclimited.co.in The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd. (STC) Incorporation 18th May, 1956 under Indian Companies Act, 1956 Ministry of Commerce and Industry Government of India Central Public Sector Enterprise of the Govt. of India. A MiniRatna Category-I Company,recognised by the Govt. of India as a Four Star Export House.
Shri O. P. Gupta Managing Director Kribhco Fertilizers Ltd. KRIBHCO Bhawan A-10, Sector 1, Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar Noida 201 301 opgupta@ksfl.in KRIBHCO Fertilizers Limited manufactures nitrogenous fertilizer viz. urea through our integrated urea and ammonia manufacturing facility at Shahjahanpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. Shri A. K. Jain Vice Chairman Kanpur Fertilizers & Cement Ltd. Jaypee Corporate Office “NIRMAN SADAN” Tower-2, Ground Floor, Sector – 128 Noida 201 304 Uttar Pradesh ashokk.jain@jalindia.co.in The JP Group has made investment in Fertilizer business through its subsidiary, namely, Jaypee Fertilizers & Industries Limited (JFIL). Shri Anil Kapoor Managing Director Chambal Fertilisers & Chemicals Ltd. Corporate One, First Floor 5, Commercial Center, Jasola New Delhi 110 025 anil.kapoor@chambal.in Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited is one of the largest private sector fertilizer producers in India. It was promoted by Zuari Industries Limited in the year 1985. Its two hi-tech nitrogenous fertiliser (urea) plants are located at Gadepan in Kota district of Rajasthan. Shri Shailesh Khaitan Chairman & Managing Director Khaitan Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited 207, Sewa Corporate Park Sector 28, M. G. Road Gurgaon 122 002 Haryana chemfert@gmail.com KCFL began its operation in 1987 at Nimrani near Indore, West Madhya Pradesh and has earned cash profits each and every year, since its inception, even though Single Super Phosphate (SSP) Industry has gone through tumultuous times. Today KCFL has earned the distinction of being the largest manufacturer of Single Super Phosphate (SSP) in India.
Shri Rahul Kohli CEO (Fertiliser Business) Grasim Industries Ltd. (Unit- Indo Gulf Fertilisers) 312-A, World Trade Centre Barakhamba Lane New Delhi - 110 001 Rahul.kohli@adityabirla.com
Indo Gulf, the agri input business of Aditya Birla Nuvo, manufactures and markets urea, agricultural seeds and agrochemicals. Indo Gulf Fertilisers is the 8th largest urea
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BOARD MEMBERS the globe.
Shri J. C. Laddha CEO - Birla Copper Hindalco Industries Ltd. Aditya Birla Centre S. K. Ahira Marg, Worli Mumbai - 400 025 Maharashtra jc.laddha@adityabirla.com
Hindalco Industries Limited, metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, is the industry leader in aluminium and copper. With a consolidated turnover of US$15 billion, Hindalco is the world’s largest aluminium rolling company and one of Asia’s biggest producers of primary aluminium. Shri Manish Nagpal Chief Executive Officer Greenstar Fertilizers Ltd. No.5, 3rd Floor, Sun Plaza 19, G. N. Chetty Road Chennai - 600 006 Tamil Nadu m.nagpal@greenstar.net.in Greenstar Fertilizers Limited is a leading manufacturer and marketer of fertilizers in India. Greenstar manufactures phosphatic fertilizers from Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. Greenstar also imports fertilizers for sale in India. Shri Ved Prakash Chairman and Managing Director MMTC Limited 7, Institutional Area Core-I, Scope Complex, Lodhi Road Pune 411 006 New delhi 110 003 vp@mmtclimited.com
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manufacturer in India.
Corporate giant growing in leaps and bounds, MMTC Limited is the largest international trading company in India and has been in existence for almost five decades. India’s largest international trading house has always strived to outperform its own past records. Shri S. R. Ramakrishnan Whole Time Director Southern Petrochemical.Industries Corpn..Ltd. 88, Mount Road, Guindy Chennai 600 032 Tamil Nadu srr@spic.co.in Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation (SPIC) Limited is one of the leading fertilizer manufacturing companies in the country located at Thoothukudi in the State of Tamil Nadu. It is a joint venture founded by Dr M A Chidambaram and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO), a state-owned industrial development institution. Shri Sunil Sethy Managing Director Paradeep Phosphates Ltd. Tower “A”, 5th Floor, Global Business Park, MG Road, Sector-26 Gurgaon 122 002 Haryana sunil.sethy@adventz.com Leading fertiliser company: Incorporated in 1981, Paradeep Phosphates Limited (PPL) is a joint venture of Adventz Group. The Group has established a formidable pan-India presence as one of the country’s largest fertiliser conglomerates. Shri. D. K. Sundar Chief Operating Officer (Urea Business) Tata Chemicals Ltd., “The Corenthum” Tower B 3rd Floor, A-41, Sector-62 Noida 201 309 dsundar@tatachemicals.com A part of the over $100 billion Tata Group, Tata Chemicals Limited is a global company with interests in businesses that focus on essentials for LIFE: Living, Industry and Farm Essentials. Tata Chemicals has evolved into a market-leading international business, with operations across four continents, and businesses that touch the lives of millions across
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Shri S. P. Yadav Senior Vice President (Agri-Business) Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd. Fertilizernagar - 391 750 Vadodara Gujarat spyadav@gsfcltd.com Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited is one of the largest Joint Sector Chemicals, Fertilizers and Petrochemicals complexes in India. GSFC started with a commitment of twin objectives of selling the fertilizers and services for improving productivity of various agricultural activities for overall development.
Shri Ajay Shriram Emeritus Director - FAI Chairman & Sr. Managing Director DCM Shriram Ltd. Kanchanjanga Building 5th Floor, 18, Barakhamba Road New Delhi - 110 001
Mr. Ajay S. Shriram is Chairman and Sr. Managing Director of DCM Shriram Consolidated Limited (DSCL) and Chairman of its subsidiary company, Shriram Bioseed Ventures Ltd. He is currently the President Designate of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Presently, Mr. Kapur holds the position of Joint Managing Director in IFFCO and is responsible for planning, managing and monitoring all finance and accounts related functions of IFFCO. He has also been extensively involved with all the new Projects, Acquisitions, Joint Ventures and Diversification initiatives of IFFCO from their stage of inception. Shri Rakesh Kapur Jt. Managing Director Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited IFFCO Sadan C-1, District Centre, Saket Place New Delhi 110 017 rkapur@iffco.in Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) is one of India’s biggest cooperative society which is wholly owned by Indian Cooperatives.. Presently, Mr. Kapur holds the position of Joint Managing Director in IFFCO and is responsible for planning, managing and monitoring all finance and accounts related functions of IFFCO. He has also been extensively involved with all the new Projects, Acquisitions, Joint Ventures and Diversification initiatives of IFFCO from their stage of inception. Shri Sameer Goel Managing Director Coromandel International Ltd. 1-2-10, Sardar Patel Road Secunderbad 500 003 Andhra Pradesh goels@coromandel.murugappa.com Coromandel International Limited is an Indian corporation founded in the early 1960s by IMC and Chevron Companies of USA. Originally named Coromandel Fertilisers, the company is in the business of fertilizers, pesticides and specialty nutrients. Shri Sameer Goel is responsible for the business of Coromandel international with business in fertilizers, crop protection, specialized nutrition and retail. Turnover of nearly $ 2 bill USD with business in over 60 countries.
Dr. Rajiv Kumar Gupta Managing Director Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd. P.O. Narmadanagar Dist. Bharuch -392015 Gujarat md@gnfc.in
Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited. (GNFC), is a joint sector enterprise promoted by the Government of Gujarat and the Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd.(GSFC). It was set up in Bharuch, Gujarat in 1976. Dr. Rajiv Kumar Gupta, IAS, has been the Managing Director and Executive Non-Independent Director of Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (GNFC) since May 2, 2013.
BOARD MEMBERS
www.krishijagran.com Shri K. K. Kaul Whole Time Director DCM Shriram Ltd. Kanchenjunga Building 5th Floor, 18, Barakhamba Road New Delhi 110 001 kkkaul@dcmshriram.com Dcm Shriram Limited is a Public incorporated on 06 February 1989. It is classified as Non-govt company and is registered at Registrar of Companies, Delhi. Directors of Dcm Shriram Limited are Narendra Jeet Singh, Kuldeep Kumar Kaul, Vimal Bhandari, Sunil Kant Munjal, Ramni Nirula, Ajay Shridhar Shriram, Vikram Shridhar Shriram, Ajit Shridhar Shriram, Pradeep Dinodia, Pravesh Sharma, Sharad Shrivastva, Vikramajit Sen. Shri A. B. Khare Chairman & Managing Director Madras Fertilizers Ltd. Post Bag No. 2 Manali Chennai - 600 068 Tamil Nadu abkhare@hotmail.com; cmd@madrasfert.co.in Established in 1966, Madras Fertilizers Limited (MFL) is a Public Sector Undertaking under administrative control of the Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. MFL has been serving the Nation for the past 41 years since plant commissioning in 1971 and is proud to be part of Green Revolution.
Shri N. Suresh Krishnan Managing Director Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd. No. 5, Crescent Road High Grounds Bangalore -560 001
With 28 years of corporate experience in fertilizer, energy and cement sectors, Mr. Krishnan has been associated with the Adventz Group for over two decades and has been widely acknowledged for his leadership, vision and commitment. Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (MCF) is a subsidiary of Zuari Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited, an Adventz group company, which holds 53.03% equity shares. The ‘Adventz’ Group, is an Indian conglomerate with global ambitions that participates in and contributes to India’s economic growth and prosperity through transformational change.
Shri S. C. Mehta Chairman and Managing Director Smartchem Technologies Limited (A fully owned subsidiary of DFPCL) Jail Road, Opp. Golf Course Shastri Nagar, Yarawada Pune 411 006 Maharashtra
Smartchem Technologies Limited is a Public incorporated on 21 January 1987. It is classified as Non-govt company and is registered at Registrar of Companies, Pune Shri U. P. Jhaveri has 30 years experience in project management, plant operation, troubleshooting, reliability and productivity improvement, etc. in two of the prestigious Fertilizer & Petrochemicals manufacturing companies in India viz. Gujarat State Fertilizer Co. Ltd. and Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizer Co. Ltd. and a leading precious metal processing unit i.e. Parekh Platinum Ltd. Considering, Shri. U. P. Shri Akshay Poddar Director Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd. Tower ‘A’, 5th Floor, Global Business Park, M.G. Road, Sector-26, Gurgaon 122 002 Haryana akshay@adventz.com Zuari is a single-window agricultural solution provider. We partner with Indian farmers for progress and prosperity. Zuari enables agricultural self-sufficiency and economic independence by providing fertilisers that are both affordable and effective. Mr. Akshay Poddar served as the Managing Director at Adventz Investments and Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd. He serves as the Compliance Officer of Adventz Securities Enterprises Limited. He had been with Gillette India Ltd. since 2000
Shri D. S. Sudhakar Ramaiah Chairman and Managing Director Projects & Development India Ltd. P. O. Box No. 125 A-14, Sector-1, Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar Noida 201 301
We are a premier design engineering and consultancy organization, committed towards technological excellence and self-reliance in the growth of the fertilizer and allied chemical industries with associated off site and utility facilities, Oil & Gas Sector viz. Product pipelines, LPG Terminals, Oil terminals, LPG Bottling Plants, LPG mounded Storages, Methanol Plants, Hydrogen Plants and various acid Plants. Shri D.S. Sudhakar Ramaiah joined PDIL as Director (Finance) w.e.f. 6.10.2016 and took additional charge of Chairman & Managing Director(CMD) w.e.f. 08.11.2016. Shri N. Sambasiva Rao Managing Director Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd. A-8/A, 10, Sector-1 Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar Noida 201 301, Uttar Pradesh mdoffice@kribhco.net; nsrao@kribhco.net Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd (KRIBHCO) is a Multi-State Cooperative Society deemed to be registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002. Mr. N. Sambasiva Rao serves as Managing Director of Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited and served as its Marketing Director. Mr. Rao serves as a Senior General Manager of Marketing at Nagarjuna Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited. Mr. Rao served as Senior General Manager of Marketing at Nagarjuna Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited. Shri S. D. Singh Chairman and Managing Director Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corpn. Ltd. Namrup P.O. Parbatpur Distt.Dibrugarh– 786 623 Assam sdsingh@bvfcl.co.in The Namrup Fertilizer Complex was renamed as Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited after bi-furcation from Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Limited from 01/04/02. It is the first factory in India, who use natural gas as basic raw material for producing nitrogenous fertilizer. Shri. S. D. Singh serves as the Chairman and Managing Director of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited and served as its deputy General Manager of (MM)- Namrup Unit. Shri. Videh Kumar Jaipuriar Wholetime Director Jubilant Agri and Consumer Products Ltd. Plot No. 15, Knowledge Park - II, Greater Noida 201 306 U.P. rmpl@ranadey.com Jubilant offers a range of products in Crop Nutrition, Crop Growth Regulator and Crop Protection areas under the brand “Ramban”, which is a widely accepted brand in the market. Mr. Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, aged 51 years, is a Whole-time Director on our Board. He has over 25 years of rich experience in FMCG, Retail and Consumer Durables, in both MNCs as well as Indian companies. He has worked at both strategic and operating levels in his previous assignments as Business Head and Functional Head levels. He has been closely associated with the areas of Business strategy, Sales and Marketing, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Operations.
Shri Satish Chander Director General The Fertiliser Association of India FAI House 10, Shaheed Jit Singh Marg New Delhi 110 067 dg@faidelhi.org
Mr. Satish Chander is the Director General of the Fertiliser Association of India since June 2008. He has been associated with a large number of High Level Committees constituted by the Government of India in addressing the issues concerning Indian farmers and fertilizer sector. As Director General, FAI, he has been actively associated with the government in the reform process of the fertilizer sector.
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International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) International fertilizer association is an international body working for fertilizer. The International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) is a nonprofit organization that represents the global fertilizer industry, on issues related to the promotion of plant nutrients, improvement of the operating environment of the member companies and the collection and compilation of industry information. IFA members serve farmers everywhere as they meet the world’s growing food, feed, fibre and bioenergy needs in a sustainable manner. IFA is based in Paris, France, has 525 members in 85 countries. About half of the membership is based in developing countries. IFA member companies represent all activities related to the production, trade, transport and distribution of every type of fertilizer, their raw materials and intermediates. IFA’s membership also includes organizations involved in construction, engineering, consulting, agronomic research and training.
IFA’s current President is Esin Mete of Agri-Industry Group. The purpose of IFA is to serve its members, policy makers, farmers, the scientific community and the interests of the general public by:
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Actively promoting the efficient and responsible production and use of plant nutrients to maintain and increase agricultural production worldwide in a sustainable manner;
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Influencing the formation of public policy relevant to crop nutrition and soil fertility management;
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Improving the operating environment of the fertilizer industry in the spirit of free enterprise and fair trade;
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Collecting, compiling and disseminating statistics and other information relevant to the fertilizer industry, and providing a platform for the discussion of all aspects of the production, distribution and consumption of fertilizers, their intermediates and raw materials.
IIFA is managed by its Board of Directors, composed of senior representatives of companies from different regions of the world. The number of Board members per region is calculated according to that particular region’s share of global fertilizer consumption and production, as well as its share of membership fees of IFA’s total membership fees.
Africa
Eastern Europe & Central Asia
26 A. Lakhotia ETG Inputs, Tanzania
S. A. El Maaty Abu-Qir Fertilizers & Chemical Ind. Co., Egypt
A. Guryev OJSC PhosAgro, Russia
East Asia
M. Prawiro P.T. Pupuk Sriwidjaja, Indonesia
D. Konyaev UralChem OJSC, Russia
Chairman Communications and Public Affairs Committee
Latin America
A. Thayoob Petronas, Malaysia
R. Downey Vale Fertilizantes S.A., Brazil
P. De Solminihac SQM, Chile Chairman Agriculture Committee
Oceania
Zhai Jidong Kingenta Ecological Engineering Group, China P.R.
Liao Hui Kailin Group, China P.R.
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I. Hansen Wesfarmers, Australia
J. Fazzino Incitec Pivot, Australia
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North America
C. Magro Agrium Inc., Canada
J. Tilk PotashCorp, Canada
Western Europe & Central Europe
J. Goni del Cacho Fertiberia, Spain
Chairman Finance Committee
S.T. Holsether Yara International ASA, Norway
Member of the Executive Board
A. Will CF Industries, Inc., United States
Chairman PIT Committee
South Asia
R. Kapur IFFCO - Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd, India IFA Chairman
S. Ahmed Fauji Fertilizer Company Ltd, Pakistan
Y. Caprara Prayon S.A., Belgium
B. Heimann APC, Jordan
Chairman Technical & SHE Committee
Rakesh Kapur IFFCO - Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd, India
West Asia
Dr Abdulrahman Jawahery GPIC - Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co., Bahrain J. Al Sarayrah Arab Potash Company, Jordan
K. Al Mudaifer Ma’aden, Saudi Arabia
Sven Tore Holsether Yara International ASA, Norway
Charlotte Hebebrand (ex officio)
Dr Mostafa Terrab OCP, Morocco
Chuck Magro Agrium Inc., Canada Compiled by: Dr.Sangeeta Soi, Associate Editor, Krishi Jagran,New delhi
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FERTILIZER
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Efficient Use of P & K Fertilizer
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T. Satyanarayana Sudarshan Dutta, Kaushik Majumdar International Plant Nutrition Institute
P
hosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are two major essential nutrients for plants, other than nitrogen (N). Both P and K are found in abundance in the earth’s crust and are mined to produce fertilizers for use in crop production. The use of both the nutrients varies across space and time. Several factors, such as weather, global policies, economic considerations, etc. are drivers of such variability. Use of these two fertilizers in crops and their offtake from farms, at local, regional or continental scale, influence crop yield, farm profitability and substantiality of the production systems. Careful assessment of nutrient balances, the difference between nutrient additions and removals at different scales, indicates the merits of current practices and provides guidance on nutrient use efficiencies.
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Importance of Phosphorous Phosphorus (P) is one of the major plant nutrients that directly or indirectly affects all plant physiological processes. It is a key component of energy metabolism and biosynthesis of nucleic acids and membranes. Many basic biochemical processes such as photosynthesis and respiration are energized by inorganic phosphate or its organic derivatives. In spite of its importance in biology, plants strive hard to obtain this essential nutrient from the crop rhizosphere. This is primarily owing to low availability of P in many natural ecosystems. Potassium (K), often called potash, is a key plant nutrient in the soil. The essentiality of K as a plant nutrientwas recognized as early as 1840 through the work of Justus von Liebig. Plants require a large quantity of K to complete their lifecycle,
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Phosphorous is a key component of energy metabolism and biosynthesis of nucleic acids and membranes. Many basic biochemical processes such as photosynthesis and respiration are energized by inorganic phosphate or its organic derivatives
depletes over time, largely through plant uptake, but a significant part is also lost through volatilization (especially for N), leaching and erosion. Assessing source-sink dynamics of plant nutrients in the soil eventually determines the nutrient status of soils at any given point of time. Assessing nutrient additions and removals at field, region or country scale generates useful information on whether the nutrient application is efficient and whether the soil nutrient reserves are being maintained, built up or depleted.
Nutrient Budgets and NPK Use Ratios Inequalities between nutrients applied to soil and the nutrients removed by harvested crops give rise to imbalances that can impact crop productivity and pose environmental risks. Regional or national patterns of nutrient imbalances reflect different cropping system management, economics, and government policies. Studies on P balances at global scale highlights that in most of the cases P fertilizer and manure application exceeds crop removal in 70% crop land area while in 30% area deficit prevails. There was a vast variation across the regions. The largest share of moderate surpluses occurred in South Asia (India, Pakistan and Thailand) and North and Central America (United States, Canada and Mexico). Moderate deficit largely occurs in Eastern Europe (Russia and Ukraine) and West Africa as well as Southern Australia.
more than any other nutrient except nitrogen (N). The nutritional importance of K for animals and humans are known since the time when the science of nutrition was in its infancy. However, K use are generally low in most production systems and mining of K from soils around the world is prevalent.
Scientists have recently reviewed K balances for several regions across the world. They reported substantial negative K balance in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Cone- Latin America while China, Brazil and the U.S.had slightly negative to positive K balances. The K balance in Sub-Saharan Africa shows consistent negative balance due to continuous cultivation with low or no input of K.
Spatial and temporal variations in P and K fertilizer consumption alter their use pattern in different geographies. Availability of fertilizer and their timely access to farmers’ limit whether a crop would be adequately fertilized by P and K to achieve optimum yield. The lack of access to these two nutrients promote nutrient imbalance in several regions of the world. Besides influencing yield and farm profitability, the process of access and application of P and K fertilizer fundamentally change their status in soils that has far-reaching impact on sustainability.
The NPK use ratios are often used as a general index of balanced fertilization when comparing large regions of diversified crops and soils or countries. A target N:P2O5:K2O use ratio of 4:2:1 based on a crude average nutrient removal of cereal crops has frequently been recommended. Although the global NPK ratio ranges around 3.4:1.3:1, the ratio could vary up to 11.7:3.5:1 in West Africa. In India, the NPK ratio in 2011-12 was near to ideal as 4.3:2:1 in 2009 -2010 and then it went up to 6.5:2.9:1 in 2011-12 which is an alarming situation.
Plant nutrient application to the soil through fertilizers contributes to overall plant available nutrient reserve in the soil. The nutrient reserve of the soil
It is noteworthy to mention that NPK use ratios are only a general indication of good fertilizer practice and do not reflect on the actual crop needs.
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Inequalities between nutrients applied to soil and the nutrients removed by harvested crops give rise to imbalances that can impact crop productivity and pose environmental risks This is because of the fact that nutrient removal and need is crop as well as field specific. The nutrient removal is best assessed by the crop type, expected yield, and fertilizer response data, nutrient removal and nutrient availability from the soil. Nevertheless, NPK use ratios provide a broad indication of balanced fertilizer use over large geographic areas. Balanced fertilization is a key to efficient nutrient use that optimizes crop yields and quality which improves farm income. Imbalanced fertilizer application leads to inefficient nutrient use resulting in excess nutrients that can contribute to soil, water and air pollution and mines nutrients from soil that leads to soil degradation.
30 Nutrient Management to Improve Nu-
trient Balance
Nutrient stewardship is the application of fertilizer best management practices for the efficient and effective use of plant nutrients in ways that benefit the farmer, the environment and the society. The idea of a global framework for fertilizer best management practices and supporting principles were suggested 10 years ago. IPNI and the global fertilizer industry associations such as
International Fertilizer Association (IFA), The Fertilizer Institute (TFI),and Fertilizers Canada adopted 4R Nutrient Stewardship as a global approach to efficient and effective nutrient management practices. The 4Rs are an easy to understand and simple concept that includes application of right source of nutrient, at right rate, at right time and in the right place; but their implementation is knowledge intensive and site-specific. It connects the economic, social and environmental dimensions of nutrient management and sustainability.
Parameter
Unit
India
Indonesia
Philippines
(n = 412)
(n = 26)
(n = 190)
Grain yield
t/ha
+1.27
***
+0.92
***
+1.10
***
Fertilizer N
kg/ha
–6
ns
–12
ns
+3
ns
Fertilizer P2O5
kg/ha
–16
***
–5
ns
+18
***
Fertilizer K2O
kg/ha
+22
***
+15
***
+18
***
Fertilizer cost
USD/ha
–1
ns
+16
ns
+37
***
Gross profit
USD/ha
+256
***
+234
***
+267
***
Effect of NE (NE – FFP)
*** denotes significantly different at p ≤ 0.001 and ns denotes statistically not significant at same level
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Global P and K fertilizer consumptions are in continuous flux influencing the on-farm use of these nutrients. Comparison of how much these nutrients have been applied and how much have been removed from the soil provide the “farm-gate balance”, a recognized way of calculating nutrient use efficiency The 4R Nutrient Stewardship is being adopted across the world as means of optimizing nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and effectiveness. This will also lead to better nutrient balance. However, implementation of 4R Nutrient stewardship in small holder systems needs packaging the concept in a user-friendly decision support system .Recent development of the Nutrient Expert®(NE) fertilizer decision support tool has helped the on-farm application of 4R Nutrient Stewardship based nutrient management especially in Asia and Africa. Studies highlighted that use of Nutrient Expert® not only helped in productivity enhancement but also improved the nutrient use efficiencies. More specifically, use of Nutrient Expert® based fertilizer recommendations in countries of Asia and Africa, where on-farm yields of staple cereals are lower than the attainable yields, clearly highlighted the need for 4R-based P and K use to improve cereal yields and farm profitability. The NE field data from maize in different countries showed
significant increase in grain yield (Table 1) and profitability as compared to farmers’ fertilizer practices due to improved nutrient balance. Global P and K fertilizer consumptions are in continuous flux influencing the on-farm use of these nutrients. Comparison of how much these nutrients have been applied and how much have been removed from the soil provide the “farm-gate balance”, a recognized way of calculating nutrient use efficiency. Farm gate balances, determined by various methods, are not limited to farms but can be calculated at a variety of scales. Recent efforts in estimating nutrient balances provided information on highly variable P and K balances across the world. Table 1: Nutrient Expert® based fertilizer recommendations improved maize yield and profitability compared to farmers’ fertilizer practice (FFP) in India, Indonesia and Philippines
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POTASSIUM AN INTEGRAL PART FOR
QUALITY CROP PRODUCTION 32
Dr Patricia Imas International Potash Institute (IPI) Zug, Switzerland E-mail: patricia.imas@icl-group.com
I
ncreasing crop production while improving quality remains an important goal, particularly in the developing world. Among the major nutrients, potassium not only improves yields but also benefits various aspects of quality. Hence, potassium fertilization results in a higher value product and therefore in a greater return to the farmer.
Potassium - an essential nutrient Potassium (K), along with nitrogen (N) and phos-
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phorus (P), is one of the three essential plant macronutrients, and is taken up by crops from soils in relatively large amounts. Vegetal tissues contain in average 2 to 10% of K, therefore K is required in large proportions by the growing plant. Potassium increases yield and quality of agricultural produce, enhances the ability of plants to resist diseases, insect attacks, cold and drought stresses and other adverse conditions. It helps in the development of a strong and healthy root system and
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Potassium increases yield and quality of agricultural produce, enhances the ability of plants to resist diseases, insect attacks, cold and drought stresses and other adverse conditions
Potassium plays an essential part in the formation of starch and in the production and translocation of sugars, thus being of special value to carbohydrate-rich crops, e.g. sugarcane, potato and sugar beet. The increased production of starch and sugar in legumes benefits the symbiotic bacteria and thus enhances the fixation of N. Potassium not only increases yields, but also enhances crop quality. Potassium is the “quality nutrient�: it improves the nutritive value of grains, tubers and fruits by increasing the content of protein and oil in the seeds, the starch content in tubers and seeds and the vitamin C and sugar content in the fruits. With an adequate supply of K, cereals produce plump grains and strong straws. Potassium also improves the flavor and color of the fruits and increases tubers and fruits size. In addition, it increases the resistance during storage and transportation, thus extending shelf life. increases the efficiency of the uptake and use of N and other nutrients. In addition, K has an important role in livestock nutrition. The importance of K stems from its multiple role in the plant.It is involved in the activation of more than 60 enzymatic systems in the plant cell, in the synthesis of proteins, vitamins, starch and cellulose which are responsible for a normal plant metabolism, plant growth and strong vegetal tissues. Potassium helps in the photosynthesis process, during which the sugars and energy that the plant needs for its development are created. Potassium is also responsible for the opening and closing of the leaves stomata (tiny pores in the leaves’ surface), which regulate the water status in the plant.
The requirements for K to achieve better quality may be larger than those for highest yield. Such is the case for fruits, cotton, potato, tobacco, ornamentals and some food crops.
Potassium benefits Crops response to K should be measured not only in yield increments, but in quality and stress tolerance as well. Potassium regulates plant metabolism and promotes vigorous growth. This ensures a healthy and sturdy crop, which is more resistant to different stresses like drought, frost, pests and diseases.
Quality The quality of agricultural products comprises many characteristics, such as nutritional, organoleptic, hygienic and functional properties. Often
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Effect of potassium (K) on size of carrots at a farmer’s demonstration plot in Budgam, Kashmir, India. Courtesy: Potash for Life. July 2014
Effect of potassium (K) on grain filling and size of maize cobs at a farmer’s demonstration plot in Nashik District, Maharashtra, India. Courtesy: Potash for Life, October 2014
Effect of potassium (K) on chilli size and quality at a farmer’s demonstration plot in Belgaum District, Karnataka, India. Courtesy: Potash for Life, September 2017.
Potassium (K) application increased size of turmeric rhizome. IPI-Annamalai University project, 2006. The experiment was conducted in pots at a farmer’s field at Arachalur, Erode District, Tamil Nadu, India. Source: IPI Coordination India.
the amount of K required for optimum yield is also sufficient to secure good quality. However, the need to enhance fruit quality is sometimes more critical than other aspects of yield production, especially when quality secures the best economic return. In such cases more K is needed to ensure quality than is needed for maximum yield. Such is the case for fruits, cotton, potato, tobacco, turfgrasses, ornamentals and some food crops.
Drought Potassium controls water uptake, transport and utilization. It regulates plant transpiration by controlling stomatal opening, thus maintaining turgor, and reducing water loss and wilting. Plants adequately supplied with K wilt less under water stress because K has the major responsibility for turgor changes in the guard cells of stomata during stomatal movements. The better the K supply of plants the more rapid is the stomata movement. Potassium lowers the amount of water lost through the leaves (transpiration) through regulation of stomata opening and closure. While in good years response to K may be modest, in adverse years its contribution will be substantial. Potassium provides some insurance protection against difficult conditions. The positive effects of K application on crop yields under drought conditions was demonstrated in a groundnut experiment conducted in Junagadh, Gujarat (India) by the International Potash Institute (IPI) and the
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Potassium controls water uptake, transport and utilization. It regulates plant transpiration by controlling stomatal opening, thus maintaining turgor, and reducing water loss and wilting
Gujarat Agricultural University. Groundnut yields were lower in dry years than in wet years but the yield increases due to K application were higher in dry years. Potassium cannot protect against extreme droughts but helps to maintain yield levels in years of water stress. Good K management can help farmers to reduce risks related to drought.
Frost Potassium promotes growth of large xylem vessels and high content of sugars and reserve carbohydrates in the cell, resulting in improved frost .hardiness
Pests and diseases It has been recognized for decades that K enhances a plant’s ability to resist pest and diseases. This is not isolated to a few crop species, but comprises a wide range of both plants and pathogens. The role of K in crop resistance to diseases was extensively examined in an IPI review of 2450 literature references. The results showed that adequate amounts of K decreased the incidence of fungal diseases by 70%, of bacterial diseases by 69%, of insects and mites damage by 63% and of viruses by 41%. Potassium enhances plant growth, ensuring a healthy crop, free from stresses and much more resistant to attack from pests and diseases. Po-
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tassium promotes vigorous growth to help plants outgrow or escape damage, and also hasten early maturity, thus reducing ineffective time for disease organisms.
Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme April 2010 and subsequent increase in potash price reduced consumption of potash and distorted NPK consumption ratio at 8.7:3.4:1 (2012-13).
Adequate K nutrition provides thicker cell walls, stronger stems and stalks and avoids sugar and unused N accumulation in the leaves. Due to all these effects, plants are more resistant to entry and infection by fungi, bacteria and viruses and plants become less palatable to insects.
In past years there has been sharp decline in K consumption and kg per ha consumption dropped to almost half of 2009-10 level, which poses a threat to soil fertility. N:K ratio widened creating further imbalance in fertilizer consumption and endangers soil health.
Application of K fertilizer is not a substitute for fungicides, but an important component in the integrated pest management (IPM), allowing reductions in the fungicide doses and thus decreasing pesticide and hazardous residues in food crops. This is in tune with stricter pesticide residue regulations and the increased awareness of the consumers for healthy and residue-free food.
The removal of K from the farm ecosystem at harvest is larger as yields increase. Under sub-optimal fertilization rates, it is often observed that soils become K-deficient over time. At IPI’s field experiments in India we often find a negative K balance since the additions of K seldom matches K removals. There is an urgent need to budget K application in order to avoid further declination of soil fertility.
Need of potassium fertilization in India In India, consumption of K grew faster than consumption of N and P during 1971-1991 and N:P:K consumption ratio improved from 6.3:2.3:1 in 1971 to 5.9:2:1 by 1992 (before decontrol of P&K). Decontrol of P&K fertilizers in December 1992, led to sharp deterioration in NPK consumption ratio at 10:3:1.The consumption of Potash after de-control remained static for many years. Concession scheme helped in improving the NPK ratio to 4.3:2:1 in 2009-10. Implementation of
The nutrient balance sheet in Indian soils shows a negative balance of almost 6 million tons of K2O in a calculation done in 2009 (addition – removal by crops), showing a K mining in Indian soils. Potassium balance in India’s farming system indicates a large deficit. K output (K removed in crops’ yield, animal produce, K leaching) is higher than K input (FYM, composts, crop residues). Simple calculation shows that if organic manures need to supply all K requirements, there is a need for a very large application rate as K content in these materials is
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Application of K fertilizer is not a substitute for fungicides, but an important component in the integrated pest management (IPM), allowing reductions in the fungicide doses and thus decreasing pesticide and hazardous residues in food crops
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as low as 0.5-3%. Usage of K fertilizer (potash) is very low leading to mining of soil K to meet crop demand for K. Combined application of NPK has proven to be advantageous in increasing crop yields over NP. Absence of K in fertilizer schedule over a period of time declined crop productivity as observed in long term experiments conducted in India. Sustainability of farm systems depends largely on soil’s fertility and health. Mining of soil K may lead to lower nutrient use efficiencies of N and P and reduced fertility, thus negatively contributing to sustainability. Urgent notice is essential on K management for sustainable agriculture to meet food and fiber demand of India.
Q UO
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S E T
F
or those of us on the food production front, let us remember that world peace will not and cannot be built on empty stomachs. Deny farmers access to modern factors of production such as improved varieties, fertilizers and crop production chemicals, then the world will be doomed, not from poisoning as some say, but from starvation and social chaos� - Dr. Borlaug
I
am the world’s biggest fan of fertilizer. I am endlessly fascinated by the stuff. Its a magical material that can transform the lives of the poor by helping them grow bigger harvests and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
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- Bill Gates
T
he catalyst of the miracle of Green Revolution was the newly introduced varieties, which were highly responsive to fertilizer and irrigation
- Dr. M.S Swaminathan AGRICULTURE DECEMBER 2017
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Zinc in Food and Nutrition Security 38
Soumitra Das* and Andrew Green**
Z
*Director, South Asia - Zinc Nutrient Initiative, International Zinc Association, New Delhi, India (sdas@zinc.org) and **Director, Environment, Health & Sustainability and Zinc Nutrient Initiative, International Zinc Association, Durham, NC, USA (agreen@zinc.org)
inc is one of the 17 essential elements necessary for the normal growth and development of plants. It is among eight micronutrients essential for plants. Zinc plays a key role in plants as a structural constituent and regulatory co-factor of a wide range of different enzymes and proteins in many important biochemical pathways. These are mainly concerned with carbohydrate metabolism, both in photosynthesis and in the conversion of sugars to starch, protein metabolism, auxin (growth regulator) metabolism, pollen formation, maintenance of the integrity of biological membranes and resistance to infection by certain patho-
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gens. Zinc deficiency in plants retards photosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism, reduces flowering and fruit development, prolongs growth periods, resulting in delayed maturity, results in lower yield and poor produce quality and results in sub-optimal nutrient-use efficiency. Some of the common deficiency symptoms of zinc in plants are, light green, yellow or bleached spots in interveinal areas of older leaves, the emerging leaves are smaller in size and often termed as “little leaf�, in case of severe deficiency, the internodal distance becomes so short that all the leaves ap-
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Almost half of the soils in the world are deficient in zinc. India is not an exception. About 40 per cent soil samples analysed for available zinc were found deficient in India. Zinc has emerged as the most widespread micronutrient deficient in soils and crops worldwide, resulting in severe losses in crop yield and deterioration in nutritional quality, adversely impacting human health pear to come out from the same point, termed as “rosetting�. Zinc in Soils Zinc has emerged as the most widespread micronutrient deficiency in soils and crops worldwide, resulting in severe yield losses and deterioration in nutritional quality. It is estimated that almost half of the soils in the world are deficient in zinc. Since cereal grains have inherently low concentrations, growing these on the potentially zinc deficient soils further decreases grain zinc concentration. India is not an exception. About 40 per cent soil samples analysed for available zinc were found deficient in India (Fig.1). There is a significant response to applied zinc in the soils deficient in zinc. In India, zinc is considered the fifth most important yield limiting nutrient after N, P, K & S in upland crops, whereas in lowland crops like
removals due to high crop yields and intensive cropping systems, lesser application of organic manures, use of high analysis fertilizers, increased use of phosphatic fertilizers resulting in P induced zinc deficiency and the use of poor quality irrigation water. Zinc in Human Health Zinc is an essential nutrient for human health. There is no life without zinc. Recently, zinc deficiency - especially in infants and young children under five years of age - has received global attention. Zinc deficiency is the fifth leading cause of death and disease in the developing world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 800,000 people die annually due to zinc deficiency, of which 450,000 are children under the age of five. It is estimated that 60-70% of the population in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa could be at risk of low zinc intake, in absolute numbers, this translates into about 2 billion people in Asia and 400 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. There is a high degree of correlation between zinc deficiency in soils and that in human beings (Fig.2). It is estimated that about one-third of the world’s population suffers from zinc deficiency.
rice, it is next to N. Fig.1.Soil zinc deficiency status in India. The reasons responsible for the increase of incidences of zinc deficiency include large zinc
Fig.2. Worldwide zinc deficiency in soils and hu-
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Table 1.Response of different crops to Zn application S.No.
Crop
Location
On-farm Trials (No.)
Mean grain yield (t ha-1)
% Response
Zn 0
Zn 5/Zn 10
Zn 5 / Zn 10
1
Rice
Assam
43
5.08
5.58
12.00
2
Rice
Jharkhand
46
3.75
4.02
9.30
3
Rice
West Bengal
6
4.79
5.31
10.20
4
Chickpea
Maharashtra
5
1.00
1.12
9.41
5
Cotton
Maharashtra
25
1.34
1.47
9.80
6
Maize
Maharashtra
5
2.65
2.91
10.08
7
Soybean
Maharashtra
36
1.14
1.24
8.80
8
Wheat
Maharashtra
16
3.88
4.22
8.76
9
Cabbage
Tamil Nadu
2
39.54
42.46
7.30
40
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Zinc deficiency in plants retards photosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism, reduces flowering and fruit development, prolongs growth periods, resulting in delayed maturity, results in lower yield and poor produce quality and results in sub-optimal nutrient-use efficiency Table 2.Yield increase and benefit-to-cost ratio on some key crops in India
S.No.
Crop
Zn rate (kg Yield increase Value of increase kg ha-1) (Rs) ha-1)
1
Wheat
5.25
2
Rice
3
Maize
4
Benefit : Cost Ratio 24:1
1430
20,735
8.40
1102
14,987
11:1
6.30
1521
19,925
19:1
Chickpea
10.00
855
32,063
18:1
5
Lentil
2.62
440
16,500
38:1
6
Groundnut
5.50
690
25,875
28:1
7
Mustard
6.30
230
8,625
8:1
8
Cotton
5.60
430
16,125
17:1
mans. Zinc is vital for many biological functions in the human body. The adult body contains 2-3 grams of zinc. It is present in all parts of the body, including organs, tissues, bones, fluids and cells. It is vital for more than 300 enzymes in the human body, activating growth - height, weight and bone development, growth and cell division, immune system, fertility, taste, smell and appetite, skin, hair and nails and vision. Some of the reported symptoms due to zinc deficiency in humans, especially in infants and young children, are diarrhoea, pneumonia, stunted growth, weak immune system, retarded mental growth and dwarfism, impaired cognitive
function, behavioural problems, memory impairment, problems with spatial learning, and neuronal atrophy. The widespread zinc deficiency has led to zinc malnutrition in the humans, especially in the developing nations, like India. The country-wise deaths from diarrhoea and pneumonia in children under five depicts that the casualty due to zinc deficiency in India is alarmingly high, even higher than the Sub-Saharan African countries or the neighbouring countries (Fig.3). This has drawn the attention of the government and policy makers in India and generated the awareness on the critical role of zinc in human health. Fig.3.Deaths from diarrhea and pneumonia in children under the age 5. Zinc Malnutrition Feasible Solution
-
The possible solution to the zinc malnutrition in the humans may be i) Food supplementation, ii) Food fortification or iii) Bio fortification. The former two programmes require infrastructure, purchasing power, access to market and healthcare centres and uninterrupted funding,
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The reasons responsible for the increase of incidences of zinc deficiency include large zinc removals due to high crop yields and intensive cropping systems, lesser application of organic manures, use of high analysis fertilizers, increased use of phosphatic fertilizers resulting in P induced zinc deficiency and the use of poor quality irrigation water.
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which have their own constraints. In addition, such programmes will most likely reach the urban population, which is easily accessible, especially in the developing countries. Alternatively, the latter programme, Bio fortification - fortification of crops especially food crops with zinc - is the best option for alleviating zinc deficiency. It will cater to both the rural and urban populations. It could be achieved through two approaches, Genetic bio fortification and Agronomic bio fortification. There is a developing field of research on the bio fortification of plant foods with zinc. This involves both the breeding of new varieties of crops with the genetic potential to accumulate a high density of zinc in cereal grains (genetic bio fortification) and the use of zinc fertilizers to increase zinc density (agronomic bio fortification). Although the plant breeding route is likely to be the most cost effective approach in the long run, the use of fertilizers is the fastest route to improve the zinc density in diets. In order to replenish the zinc taken up by the improved cultivars, higher and sustainable use of fertilizers is inevitable. Crop Response to Zinc Fertilizers Crop response to zinc has been observed in all crops under almost all types of soils and agro-climatic conditions. While the response was found to be higher in grain crops like rice, fruit and vegetable crops also responded well to applied zinc. Extent of crop response depends on the status of zinc in that soil. Higher the zinc deficiency in soils, higher the crop response would be to applied zinc. Based on over 15,000 on-station field trials conducted all over India, the overall range
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of crop response to zinc was of the following scale: •
Cereals: 420 – 550 kg ha-1 (15.7 – 23.0 %)
•
Pulses: 170 – 460 kg ha-1 (7.3 – 28.2 %)
•
Oilseeds: 110 – 360 kg ha-1 (11.4 – 40.0 %)
•
Fodders: 90 – 4620 kg ha-1 (5.0 – 34.0 %)
Crop response to applied Zn varied widely on the basis of soil type, type of crops and deficiency level of Zn. A large number of experiments and on-farms trials were conducted in Zn deficient **ZNI estimates Fig.4. ZnSO4 fertilizer consumption trend in India.
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Zinc is an essential nutrient for human health. There is no life without zinc. Zinc deficiency is the fifth leading cause of death and disease in the developing world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 800,000 people die annually due to zinc deficiency, of which 450,000 are children under the age of five. 8.8 and 7.3%, respectively in chickpea, cotton, maize, soybean, wheat and cabbage crops at different locations. The results of these experiments are depicted in Table 1. The zinc fertilizer consumption trend in India(Fig.4) depicts that there was a significant increase in consumption in the last couple of years, precisely, after 2009-10, when additional subsidy on zinc fertilizers was announced through the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme by the Government of India. This is the same year when Zinc Nutrient Initiative (ZNI) of the International Zinc Association (IZA) was launched in India. Zinc and Crop Quality
soils on farmers’ fields at various locations in different states, to assess the response of Zn application on cereals (rice, wheat and maize), pulses (chickpea), oilseeds (soybean), fiber crops (cotton) and vegetable (cabbage). Depending upon the crop need and level of Zn deficiency in soils, two levels of Zn, 5 or 10 kg ha-1 were applied in different crops. Zn application resulted in increase of rice yield, which varied from 12%, 9.3% and 10.2%, respectively at different locations. The crop response to Zn application varied from 9.4%, 9.8%, 10%, 8.8%,
Application of zinc not only increases the crop yield but also improves its quality. In potato, it increased ascorbic acid in tubers, reduced phenol content and enhanced reducing sugars, sucrose and total sugar. Zinc was also found to increase the phenol tannin content of leaves, kernels and seed coat of cotton. An increase in the energy value, as well as total lipids, crude protein and carbohydrate content in rice, maize, wheat, mustard, chickpea and black gram, was accounted for zinc application. Improvement in amino acids in cereals was also observed. Sucrose recovery and juice quality were improved in sugarcane. Zinc Nano Fertilizer To replenish the zinc taken up by the crops and to enrich the grains or edible parts with zinc, Zn fertilizers, such as zinc sulphates (hepta and mono hydrates), Zn-EDTA, fortified fertilizers, customized fertilizers, micronutrient mixtures, etc. are being used. However, the zinc fertilizer use efficiency is abysmally low and does not exceed 2-5% in crops, which continues to be
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The uptake, translocation and fate of Nano-particles in plant system are largely unknown resulting in the rise of various ethical and safety issues surrounding the use of Nano-fertilizers in plant productivity. A systematic and thorough quantitative analysis regarding the potential health impacts, environmental clearance and safe disposal of Nano-materials can lead to improvements in designing applications of Nano-fertilizers no-fertilizers. Economics of Zinc Fertilizer Use Many reports are available showing significant cost-benefit effects of zinc fertilizers for resource-poor farmers, especially in regions where soil zinc deficiency is of particular concern. Table 2 shows that the benefit-to-cost ratio was as high as 38:1 on a lentil farm in India, revealing that zinc application was remunerative to the farmers.
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Zinc Fertilizer Policy
a challenge and, therefore, sustained research initiatives are needed to enhance the uptake of zinc through development of innovative fertilizer products. Application of Nano technology in developing new innovative products like Zn-nanoparticles may be possible. It may also address the so called antagonistic effect of Zn with P. Nanoscale or nanostructured materials as fertilizer carrier or controlled-release products for building of the so-called ‘smart fertilizers’ can enhance the nutrient use. Nano-fertilizers can precisely release their active ingredients in responding to environmental and biological demands. However, the uptake, translocation, and fate of Nano-particles in plant system are largely unknown resulting in the rise of various ethical and safety issues surrounding the use of Nano-fertilizers in plant productivity. A systematic and thorough quantitative analysis regarding the potential health impacts, environmental clearance and safe disposal of Nano-materials can lead to improvements in designing applications of Na-
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The role of zinc has been specially targeted through additional subsidy @ Rs. 500 per ton under the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme launched in 2010. The government is promoting the use of zinc under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) also by providing an additional subsidy to the farmers @ Rs. 500 per hectare for use of micronutrient fertilizers. In addition, the large fertilizers players are also coming into manufacturing and marketing of zinc fertilizers in India. However, as we are aware, urea is out of the gambit of NBS Scheme. If it is considered in the scheme, the balanced fertilizer use would be encouraged. In addition, zincated-urea is not being produced or marketed in India due to some minor price disparity, which should be considered by the government keeping in view the widespread zinc deficiency in soils and crops, causing zinc malnutrition in humans. Off late, in the recent launch of GST, a historic tax reform in India since independence, the rate on fertilizer has been reduced from 12% to 5%. This is a welcome move by the government which is benefiting the farmers. However, this is
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restricted to N, P, K fertilizers only and the secondary and micronutrient fertilizers are left out. The GST rate on micronutrients is not less than 12%. In fact, the GST rates should be at par for the micronutrient fertilizers mentioned in the FCO in order to encourage the balanced fertilizer use and extend the benefit to the farmers in the country. The key challenges in promoting zinc in balanced fertilizer use for ensuring soil health as well as food and nutrition security are: 1) Urea not included in Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme, discouraging balanced fertilizer use 2) Zincated
urea included in FCO but not produced due to minor price disparity 3) Higher GST rates on micronutrient fertilizers that are mentioned in FCO 4) Quality of zinc fertilizers available in the market 5) Availability of zinc fertilizers at the time of need of the farmers 6) Development of new and innovative zinc fertilizer products for higher fertilizer use efficiency e.g., Nano zinc fertilizers 7) Generating site specific database on ‘Soil – plant – animal – human continuum study on zinc’ (a multidisciplinary approach) 8) Awareness of the extension & promotional workers and farmers – the last mile delivery.
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WATER MANAGEMENT
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Block Buster Technologies For Increasing Profitability of even small / marginalized farmers Leaders In Fresh Water Enhancement & Hard Water management
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Probably no company in the world possess technologies, such as the one’s pioneered by Magnetic Technologies L.L.C, a Russian origin company, successfully operating globally from Dubai, for benefitting the vast farming fraternity of India, as the technology spectrum, not only addresses hard water limitations but also assures and increases rainfall percentages and even prevent unseasonal rains. How does these technologies work? “Praesidium”- Air ionization technology for enhancing rains through Local Atmospheric Modifications With a network of Ion generators, very high amount of moisture can be attracted even from distant seas to hinterlands, for saturating the upper atmosphere, over catchment regions, for facilitating rains. By locating our ion generator stations strategically, unseasonal rains during harvest can be prevented too. The technology also addresses air pollution, fog, humidity, dust storm shielding. The stations can be relocated
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for its designed tasks and used round the year. The range of influence varies as per its tasks and usually upto 2000 Sq.Km’s. Structural Modification of Irrigation Water Through Magnetism: Water is used primarily for its abilities to dissolve nutrients and transport them for absorption of plant cells to facilitate growth. But this simple and important task, is greatly reduced due to: water molecule clusters: Limited surface area of molecule clusters limit nutrient absorption and restrict passage of water molecules carrying nutrient through selectively permeable cell membrane. Hardness Causing Salts: Due to intense water demand, farmers are forced to use ground water high in hardness causing salts. By doing so, each irrigation of crop using hard water adds salt deposits in soil, thereby promoting soil encrustation’s in soils making soils compact,
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limiting nutrient mobility, preventing roots from absorbing nutrients and even strips water from plants due to osmosis principals.
•
Thus by addressing these limitations, true genetic potential of plants can be achieved. And this is done by passing irrigation water through inline bespoke magnetic water treatment devices.
•
Due to the action of Lorentz force, cluster formation of water molecules are broken and the water molecules exist independently for a certain period of time.
•
•
• •
•
Reduces fertilizer consumption by 50% to 70% Reduces water usage by 30% and seed consumption upto 30% Hardwater upto 8000 P.P.M can be used for crop irrigation. Water saving drip irrigation systems can be used without scaling problem. Growth cycle is reduced easily by 7 days and shelf life is extended. Even salt intolerant crops can be grown using hard water. Agriculture can be carried even in
Due to higher surface area of individual water molecules, nutrients are effectively absorbed and transported successfully through narrow cell membranes. Infact, Aquaporin, the protein carrying channel in the cell membrane, facilitates nutrient transportation, only when they come dissolved in single water molecules. Further, in such a water, the structure of hardness causing salts in water too gets altered. They disintegrate and become tinier and hence slips below root zone. Thus facilitating better nutrient absorption through roots, etc. Magnetic Water Treatment Device Fixed To Borewell
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marginalized lands. Benefits to Animal Husbandry & Fishery sector • Animals grow faster eating less feed. Hence improves feed conversion ratio. • Milk production and fat content increases • Diseases will be less and mortality rates reduced • Taste property improves. Magnetic seed Magnetizer Now is the time for the wider farming industry within India to pick up the technology and reap the many benefits in food production and water management.
• •
Increase in yields by 35% to 100% and more. Crops will have higher nutritional content and lower toxins.
For Details Contact: 07004101972, 09386065694 Email: khawazaagro@gmail.com www.magneticeastcom
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FERTIGATION
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Fertigation in Horticultural Crops 48
AN.Ganeshamurthy and TR Rupa
F
ertigation is the technique in which fertilizers go with the irrigation to plants. When combined with an efficient irrigation system both nutrients and water can be manipulated and managed to enhance the efficiency of fertilizer use and obtain the maximum possible yield of marketable production from a given quantity of these inputs. Often, solid fertiliser top-dressings are timed to suit management constraints rather than the horticultural requirements of the crop. Most growers will have experienced the dilemma of spreading fertiliser the day before heavy rain and then wondering how much of the fertiliser is either washed from the crop in run-off or leached below the root zone. Continuous small applications of soluble nutrients overcome these problems, save labour, reduce compaction in the field, result in the fertiliser being placed around the plant roots uniformly and allow for rapid uptake of nutrients by the plant. To capitalise on these benefits, farmers should be made aware of the need to take care in selecting fertilisers and injection equipment as well as in the management and maintenance of the system. Horticultural crops in national economy The horticulture sector covers fruits and nuts,
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vegetables and tubers, plantation crops, flowers,medicinal and aromatic crops, condiment and spices, mushroom, honey production etc. In India ,fruits and vegetables together contributes about 87 per cent of the total horticultural production of about 300 million tons during 201617. Under fruit crops – banana, mango and citrus fruits contribute 70 % of overall fruits production while in vegetables- potato, tomato, onion, brinjal and cabbage contribute 80 % of overall vegetable production. Amongst states – Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha are major contributors to horticultural production. Trends in horticulture production in India: Overall trends in horticulture growth between 1991-2013 are presented in figure 1. But the growth pattern in the recent decade is impressive. In the past one decade between 2003-04 and 2013-14, the area under horticulture increased by 26%. At the same time the productivity showed a spectacular increase by 81%. The trends in key horticultural crops production during the past one decade is presented in table 1-3.Within the horticulture, the fruit crops sec-
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tor increased by 55% and production by 94%. Vegetables sector increased by 55% and 84%, respectively. Aromatic& Medicinal Plants sector showed a spectacular increase by 276% in area and 463% in production and that of floriculture sector by 153% and 296% respectively. The respective figures for plantation Crops sector are 19% and 24% and for spices sector 0.3% and 16%. Figure 1- Area and Production Growth Trends for Horticulture Crops Estimation of fertilizer requirement of different horticultural sectors:
The projected figures of horticulture production
for 2040 are 340 million tons. To achieve this a tremendous effort is needed to enhance the productivity of crops. One of the major points in enhancing the production is through maintenance of soil health and enhanced use of fertilizers. Application of fertilisers to plantation, fruits and vegetable crops, though not uncommon, has not been considered adequately. Singh and Kalloo (1999) had projected 744 thousand tons N, 372 thousand tons of P2O5 and 272 thousand tons of K2O for vegetable crops. The decade after 2000 has seen a significant jump in the area, production and productivity of horticultural crops. Particularly the area has increased from 15 million hectare in 2001-02 to 25.0 million hectares in 2016 and the production from 146mt to 300 mt. and proportionately the fertilizer consumption has increased and hence there is need to reassess the requirement of fertilizers for horticulture sector in the country. Recently Ganeshamurthy et al. (2016) estimated the sector wise fertilizer consumption in horticulture. These estimates showed that today horticulture sector requires(Table 1) about 9.30 million tons of NPK fertilizers. The decadal trends haveshown that the consumption of NPK fertilizers in horticulture sector increased by 119%. Individual sector wise the fruit crops showed an increase by 153%, vegetables by 109% and plantation crops by 17%. Soil and plant analysis Fruit crops ,because of their deep root ramification, can take nutrients from deeper soil layers. Therefore, the general soil testing programme in which fertility status of 15 cm soil layer is assessed is not useful for fruit crops. Soil sampling from different layers up to 1.5 m will provide a better assessment of soil fertility status for fruit crops. Nutrient status of plant leaf is a better indicator of proper plant nutrition. Sampling of the particular plant portion provides better diagnosis of nutrient deficiency in the fruit crops. The plant
part to be sampled and other conditions related
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FERTIGATION
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Table1- Horticulture sector wise NPK requirement(Kgs) during 2003-04 and 2013-14 2003-04 Sector
Total
% increase over the decade
2013-14
N
P2O5
K2O
Fruits
738857
393080.5
683162
Vegetables
475215
450647.5
Flowers
NA
Aromatic & Medicinal Plant Crops
Total
N
P2O5
K2O
1815100
1724261
1080930
1777036
4582226
153
506230
1432093
1032882
922450
1033186
2988518
109
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Plantation Crops
322500
157645
525940
1006085
383350
185130
607560
1176040
17
Spices
NA
NA
NA
NA
226785
151492.5
181486.5
559764
-
Grand Total
1536572
1001373
1715332
4253277
3367278
2340002.5
3599269
9306548
119
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Table 2 - Plant Tissue Sampling Guidelines for Horticultural Crops Crop
Plant part
Growth Stage/ Time
Fruit Crops Banana
Petiole of 3rd open leaf from apex
Bud differentiation stage.
Cashew
4th leaf from tip of matured branch
At beginning of flowering
Custard Apple
5 leaf from apex
2 months after new growth
Fig
Fully expanded leaves, mid shoot current July-August growth
Grapes
5th petiole from base
Bud differentiation stage for yield forecast. Petiole opposite to bloom time for quality
Citrus
3 to 5 month old leaf from new flush. 1st leaf of the shoot
June
Guava
3rd pair of recently matured leaves
Bloom stage (August or December)
Mango
Leaves + Petiole
4 to 7 months old leaves from middle of shoot
Papaya
6th petiole from apex
6 months after planting
Passion Fruit
Matured leaf opposite to last open flower
Bloom.
Pineapple
Middle 1/3rd portion of white basal portion 4 to 6 months. of 4th leaf from apex
Pomegranate
8th leaf from apex
Bud differentiation. In April for February crop and August for June Crop.
Sapota
10th leaf from apex
September
Phalsa
4th leaf from apex
One month after pruning
Ber
6 leaf from apex from secondary or tertiary shoot
Two months after pruning
th
th
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Vegetable Crops Bean
Upper most recent fully developed trifoliate leaves
Cabbage
Wrapper leaf
2-3 months old
Carrot
Most recent fully matured leaf
Mid-grown
Cauliflower
Most recent fully matured leaf
At heading
Peas
Most recent fully developed leaflet
First bloom
Cluster bean
1 fully developed leaf
Cucumber
5th leaf from tip
Brinjal
Leaf blades with midribs minus petioles from most recent fully developed leaf
Garlic
Most recent fully matured leaf
Pre-bulb
Onion
Top-no white portions
1/3 to ½ grown
Tomato
Leaves adjacent to inflorescence
Mid bloom
st
Flower bud start to small fruit
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Table 2 - Plant Tissue Sampling Guidelines for Horticultural Crops (Contd.,) Crop
Plant part
Growth Stage/ Time
Plantation Crops Coconut
Pinnal leaf from each side of 4th leaf
Oil palm
Middle 1/3rd minus midrib of 3 upper and 3 lower leaflets from 17 frond of mature trees and 3rd frond of young trees
Coffee
3rd or 4th pair of leaf from apex of lateral shoots
Tea
Third leaf from tip of young shoots
Clove
10th to 12th leaves from tip of non fruiting shoot
End of blooming period
Ornamental crops
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Jasmine
Most recent fully developed leaf
Chrysanthemum
4th leaf from tip, omit unfurled
Hibiscus
Most recent fully developed whole leaves
Lilly
Most recent fully developed leaf
Rose
Most recent fully developed compound 5th leaflet leaf
Bud burst
Flower bud pea size
Source: Ganeshamurthy and Raghupathi 2014
to their sampling is presented in Table 2. Nutrients removed by horticultural crops: Horticultural crops may absorb 500 to 1000 kg of NPK per hectare per year or even more under good management conditions. Many horticultural crops are heavy feeders and high yields can only be sustained through the application of optimal doses in a balanced proportion. Approximate quantities of nutrients removed by some important horticultural crops are given in Table 3. It is a general observation that the crop removal exceeds nutrients applied leading to mining of nutrients from soil in most of the cases. Only a part of the depleted plant nutrients are supplied through manures and fertilisers. Nutrient management for horticultural crops is complex, requiring the integration of biological, chemical, and economic factors. Nutrient management for a sustainable horticultural production must include consideration of environmental, economical and social components. There is a need for integrated, balanced and effective fertiliser management to take care of proper replenishment and compensa-
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tion of nutrient losses from soil and locked-up nutrients in the canopy of horticultural crops. Fertilizer delivery techniques in fertigation of horticultural crops are sought for two reasons: (i) Application of fertilizer in small doses spread across the entire growing season in an effort to match the crop nutrient requirements, to improve nutrient uptake efficiency, minimize losses, thus to maximize the returns per unit amount of fertilizer. (ii) minimize nutrient leaching below the root zone, particularly of nitrate form of nitrogen, which can have negative impact on raising its concentration in the groundwater above the maximum contaminant limit that is recommended for drinking water quality. In the case of large spacing planted tree crops, drip or under-the-tree micro sprinklers (micro irrigation) provide an opportunity to irrigate a certain portion of the total planted area, thus contribute to increased water uptake efficiency. The advantages of localized soil fertigation include: combined application of water, fertil-
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izers and pesticides with high precision and uniformity; improved distribution and control of water and nutrients in the soil; and the potential for application of water and nutrients in accordance with the demands of the plant. Why fertigation in horticultural crops: The advantages of fertigation are many. Among them the major are enhanced nutrient use efficiency and saving on water. For example if 100 kg of nitrogen is applied to soil then only 30 to 50 kg of this nitrogen can be used by the crop(Table 4). The same if applied through fertigation 95kg can be utilized. Similarly if water is applied through drip irrigation a lot of water can be saved even to an extent of 70% in many cases(Table 5).
There are different methods of fertigation. Unlike other methods of fertilizer application, fertigation is a bit complicated and farmers need to learn the technique before adapting to fertigation. The methodology adopted in the estimation of different parameters, including amount of fertilizers, frequency of fertigation, capacity of fertilizer tank, water requirement, capacity of drip system, injection rate and injection duration, has been discussed here: Modern fertigation should be able to regulate:
• • • •
Quantity of fertilizer applied Duration of fertilizer applications Proportion of fertilisers Starting and finishing time.
Table 3 - Nutrient removal by some important horticultural crops Crop
Yield, ton/ha
Mango
Nutrient removal (kg/ha) N
P2O5
K2O
15.0
100.0
25.0
110.0
Banana(Robusta)
57.5
322.0
73.0
1180.0
Citrus
20.0
22.0
12.0
57.0
Apple
29.0
18.0
2.0
40.0
Pineapple
84.0
150.0
45.0
530.0
Papaya
80.0
225.0
60.0
180.0
Grape
20.0
160.0
40.0
180.0
Potato
28.0
202.0
50.0
225.0
Brinjal
60.0
175.0
40.0
300.0
Tomato
37.0
104.0
22.0
141.0
Cauliflower
50.0
250.0
100.0
350.0
Cabbage
37.0
112.0
28.0
112.0
Beans
35.0
130.0
40.0
160.0
Green peas
25.0
55.0
20.0
40.0
Lettuce
30.0
107.0
30.0
234.0
Spinach
25.0
120.0
45.0
200.0
Celery
20.0
140.0
55.0
220.0
Onion
30.0
73.0
36.0
68.0
Fruits
Vegetables
Source: Ganeshamurthyet al., 2015
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simple and allows for increased fertigation during periods of high water demand when most nutrients are required.
Mainly there are four systems in use. They are: 1. Continuous application- Fertiliser is applied at a constant rate from irrigation start to finish. The total amount is injected regardless of water discharge rate. 2. Three-stage application- Irrigation starts without fertilisers. Injection begins when the ground is wet. Injection cuts out before the irrigation cycle is completed. Remainder of the irrigation cycle allows the fertiliser to be flushed out of the system. 3. Proportional application-The injection rate is proportional to the water discharge rate, e.g. one litre of solution to 1000 litres of irrigation water. This method has the advantage of being extremely
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4. Quantitative application- Nutrient solution is applied in a calculated amount to each irrigation block, e.g. 20 litres to block A, 40 litres to block B. This method is suited to poly house grown crops and also for automation and allows the placement of the nutrients to be accurately controlled. Fertilizers for fertigation Only water soluble fertilizers can be used in fertigation. The important water soluble fertilizers are given below: Speciality fertilizers
•
Poly feed (19-19-19)
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Table 4. A comparison of Fertilizer use efficiency under different application methods Nutrients
Fertilizer use efficiency (%) Soil application
Drip
Fertigation
N
30-50
65
95
P
20
30
45
K
50
60
80
Table 5. Water saving and Yield under fertigation Crop
Water saving (%)
Yield(%) Conventional
Drip
Fertigation
30
37
Method Banana
35
26
Sugarcane
29
120
160
207
Tomato
32
45
56
65
Methods of fertigation
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• • •
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MAP (12-61-0) Multi –K (13-0-46) MKP (0-52-34) SOP (0-0-50)
Normal Fertilizers
• • •
Urea (46-0-0) Muriate of Potash (0-0-50) Sulphate of Potash (0-0-60) Injection methods and equipment The selection of the correct injection equipment is very important. Incorrect selection of equipment can damage parts of the irrigation equipment, affect the efficient operation of the irrigation system and reduce the effectiveness of the nutrients. There are mainly three usual methods of injection: 1. suction injection 2. pressure differential injection 3. pump injection. Suction injection:
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This is the simplest method in which fertiliser is sucked through the intake of the pump. The pumping unit develops a negative pressure in its suction pipe (unless the suction is flooded). This negative pressure can be used to draw fertiliser solutions into the pump. A pipe or hose delivers the fertiliser solution from an open supply tank to the suction pipe. The rate of delivery is controlled by a valve. This connection must be tight to prevent air entry into the pump. Another hose or pipe connected to the discharge side of the pump can fill the supply tank with water. A high-pressure float valve can be used to regulate this inflow into the tank. If necessary the system can be automated with a direct-acting solenoid valve. For multiple block usage, two or more tanks can be set up in series and operated when required. Advantages
• • •
Very simple to operate; a stock solution does not have to be premixed. Easy to install and requires little maintenance. Ideal for dry formulations.
Disadvantages
•
• • •
Concentration of solution decreases as fertiliser dissolves, placing most of the nutrients below the effective root zone if tank is operated when irrigation is commenced. Proportional fertigation is not possible unless several tanks are used. Limited capacity. Danger of suction air entering the pump unless all fittings are airtight.
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•
Risk of corrosion of pump bowl. Flushing the system is necessary. • Risk of contamination of water supply if chemicals flow back down suction pipe when pumping unit stops. A check valve is necessary. Pressure differential injection A pressure differential tank system is based on the principle of a pressure differential being created by a valve, pressure regulation, elbows or pipe friction in the mainline, forcing water through a bypass pipe into a pressure tank and out again, carrying a varying amount of dissolved fertiliser. This system has the following advantages
•
Very simple to operate as the stock solution does not have to be premixed. • Easy to install and requires little maintenance. • Changing fertiliser is easy. • Ideal for dry formulations. However this system also has the following disadvantages
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•
Concentration of solution decreases as fertiliser dissolves, leading to poor placement of nutrients • Requires pressure loss in main irrigation line. • Tank must be able to withstand irrigation line pressure. • Proportional fertigation not possible. • Limited capacity. • Accuracy of application is limited and determined by volume rather than by proportion. Venturi system: A pressure differential venturi system can be installed as a bypass or inline. The venturi causes a rapid change in velocity producing a reduced pressure (vacuum) which draws the fertiliser solution into the line.Injection rates of 2 litres to 3000 litres per hour can be achieved.
Advantages
• •
Simple in design with no moving parts. Easy to install, requiring little mainte-
nance. Fertiliser rates can be controlled with some accuracy. • Low labour, as a month’s supply of stock can be mixed in an inexpensive tank. • Low cost. Disadvantages
•
• •
Quantitative fertigation is difficult. Requires pressure loss in main irrigation line (can be 33%). • Automation is difficult. Pump injection This is the most common method of injection of fertiliser into irrigation systems. Injection energy is provided by electric motors, impeller-driven power units and water-driven hydraulic motors. The pumps are usually rotary, gear, piston or diaphragm-type which deliver fertiliser solution from the supply tank into the pressurised mainline. This method can be very accurate. Pumps are generally not simple in design and can include a number of moving parts, so wear and breakdown are more likely. The three systems available are:
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Electric injection pumps Piston-activated pumps Diaphragm-activated pumps. Piston-activated and diaphragm- activated pumps These are both hydraulic injection pumps and dominate the fertigation market at present. Electric injection pumps include single or multiple piston, diaphragm, gear and roller pumps. These can be regulated to achieve the desired rate by:
•
Adjusting the length of the stroke of piston pumps • Selecting the appropriate pulley diameter • Using a variable-speed motor • Semi-automation to adapt pump to receive electrical impulses from a water meter which can then be used to apply precise amounts of fertiliser. Advantages
• • • 58
• •
Simple and effective. Relatively easy to install and maintain. Either proportional or quantitative fertigation is possible. No pressure loss in the main irrigation line. Suitable for high head systems. Automation is relatively easy.
Disadvantages
• • •
Pumps must develop a minimum mainline pressure to operate. Need electric power source to operate. Injection rate not easily adjusted.
Piston-activated pumps These are systems in which irrigation water operates a hydraulic motor that pumps the fertiliser solution into the system. Since the pump’s maximum rate of injection is proportional to the pressure in the mainline, the required injection rate is easily adjusted by throttling the injection line by means of a valve fitted to the water main, and as the injection rate per pulse is known, the exact application of nutrients can be readily calculated. For high injection rates, two or more units can be operated in parallel. Injection rates of up to 320 litres/ hour are possible. Diaphragm-activated pumps In this ,the water is pumped into the lower chamber that activates a rubber diaphragm in the drive unit which forces the diaphragm up, and in doing so via a drive rod, forces the fertiliser out of the injec-
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tor into the irrigation system. On the return stroke the spent drive water is discharged from the lower chamber of the drive unit while simultaneously fertiliser solution is drawn into the injector. The cycle is automatically repeated. Injection rates from 3 litres to 1200 litres per hour are possible. There is an upper limit to the pressure available and they might not operate on high head systems. Advantages
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Fertigation is the technique in which fertilizers go with the irrigation to plants. When combined with an efficient irrigation system both nutrients and water can be manipulated and managed to enhance the efficiency of fertilizer use and obtain the maximum possible yield of marketable production from a given quantity of these inputs •
Very simple to operate, install and maintain. Either proportional or quantitative fertigation is possible.
•
Rate of injection is easily adjustable.
•
System is easily portable between paddocks. No pressure loss in main irrigation line. Automation is very easy. Not labour intensive.
• • •
Disadvantages
• •
Large number of working components. Sensitive to air pockets and needs a continuous water discharge to operate the piston or diaphragm. Pumps require a minimum line pressure. • Spent ‘drive water’ is lost and discharged from the system. Management The effectiveness of fertigation is often dependent on the effectiveness of the irrigation system. The full advantages of irrigation and fertigation only become evident if the correct irrigation design is employed to meet plant requirements and to distribute water and fertiliser evenly. Because of the corrosive nature of many fertilisers, the components of the irrigation system that come into contact with corrosive solutions should consist of stainless steel, plastic or other non-corrosive materials. Concentrations of total nutrients in the mainline should not exceed 5 grams/litre. Always mix fertilisers in sufficient volume of water. The following formula can be used to determine the injection rate: Maximum injection rate = (5 × Q × L) ÷ (F × 60) where:Q=irrigation pump discharge in litres per second, L = fertiliser tank volume in litres and F = amount of fertiliser in grams For each crop there are many fertiliser programs. Fertigation allows you to change your program during the growing season, adjusting it to suit fruit, flower, shoot and root development. A program should be developed on the basis of leaf and soil analysis and tailored to suit the actual crop
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requirements. The majority of injectors available today can generally incorporate automatic operation by fitting pulse transmitters which convert injector pulses into electric signals. These signals then control injection of pre-set quantities or proportions relative to flow rate of the irrigation system. Injection rates can also be controlled by flow regulators, chemically resistant ball valves or by electronic or hydraulic control units and computers. If fertilisers are not completely dissolved and mixed prior to injection into the system, this may result in varying concentrations applied or blockages within the system. Suitable anti-siphoning valves or non-return valves should be installed where necessary to prevent backflow or siphoning of water, fertiliser solution, chemical solution etc. into fertiliser tanks, irrigation supply, household supply, stock supply and so on. System hygeine ertigation increases the quantity of nutrients present in an irrigation system and this can lead to increased bacteria, algae and slime in the system. These should be removed at regular intervals by injection of chlorine or acid through the system.
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Chlorine injection should not be used while fertiliser is being injected into the system as the chlorine may precipitate these nutrients making them unavailable to the plant. Systems should always be flushed of nutrients before completion of irrigation. Before commencing a fertigation program, check fertiliser compatibilities and solubility. During the irrigation season it is important to monitor:
• • • •
pH effects over time in the root zone soil temperature effect on nutrient availability corrosion and blockages of outlets reaction with salts in the soil or water.
Amount of Fertilizer Required The amount of nutrients to be applied during any given fertigation and the total amount to be applied during the crop season depend on the frequency of fertigation, soil type, nutrient requirements of the crop and its availability in the soil. The nutrients applied to soil by the fertilizers are not fully available to the plant due to leaching, runoff, volatilization and adsorption losses. Therefore, a correction factor suggested by Tisdale is used to compensate for these losses. Required amount of fertilizers can be estimated as follows:
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Horticulture sector requires about 9.30 million tons of NPK fertilizers. The decadal trends have shown that the consumption of NPK fertilizers in horticulture sector increased by 119%. Individual sector wise the fruit crops showed an increase by 153%, vegetables by 109% and plantation crops by 17%. Fn =R × Fcf where, Fn is the nutrient requirement, kg/ha; R, recommended dose of fertilizer for the crop, kg/ ha; and Fcf is the fertilization correction factor. If nutrient content of a given fertilizer is n%, then the actual amount of fertilizer (RF, kg/ha) required to meet the nutrient requirement can be estimated as follows. RF=b Fn × 100g/n Frequency of Fertigation The frequency depends on irrigation scheduling, soil type, nutrients requirement of crop and the farmer’s preference. Fertilizers can be injected into the irrigation system at various frequencies such as once a day, once on alternate days or even once a week. In any case, it is extremely important that the nutrients applied in any irrigation are not subject to leaching either during that irrigation or during subsequent irrigations. Capacity of Fertilizer Tank The stock solution is prepared by dissolving the granular fertilizer in water. The amount of water needed to dissolve the required amount of granular fertilizer depends on its solubility. Depending upon the compatibility of the granular fertilizers, either one stock solution of N-P-K fertilizers or different stock solutions of N, P and K fertilizers are prepared separately. Stock solutions could be prepared for each fertigation or for injection during fertigations over a period of time. The capacity of fertilizer tank is calculated on the basis of frequency of fertigation, area irrigated in one application, application rate and concentration of stock solutions prepared for fertigation using the following formula: Vt = RF b ×Ag/bC×nfg
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FERTIGATION
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Horticultural crops may absorb 500 to 1000 kg of NPK per hectare per year or even more under good management conditions. Many horticultural crops are heavy feeders and high yields can only be sustained through the application of optimal doses in a balanced proportion WhereVt is the capacity of fertilizer tank, l; C, concentration of the fertilizers in the stock solution, kg/l; nf , number of fertigations during the crop season and A is the irrigated area, ha. Irrigation water requirement Irrigation water requirement is estimated on the basis of monthly pan evaporation data and crop coefficient as follows. V = Ep×Kp×Kc×Cc×A×10
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where V is the total irrigation water requirement, l; Vd = (V/N), average daily water requirement, l/ day; Kc , crop coefficient; Cc , canopy factor, (Cc = wetted area per plant area = 1.0 for field crops); Kp , pan coefficient (generally it is 0.8); Ep , total pan evaporation during the crop period, mm; and N is the crop duration, days. Capacity of drip system Capacity of drip system depends on the irrigation water requirement, daily operating hours, irrigation interval and water application efficiency. Drip irrigation system can be operated even for 24 h but only the required quantity of water is to be given. For the purpose, appropriate dripper capacity should be selected based on the infiltration rate of the soil and the water demand of the crop. It is advisable to irrigate through drip irrigation daily to avoid moisture stress to plants. Capacity of drip system is estimated using the following relationship. Q=Vd×T/(b ηa ×tg) where Q is the capacity of drip system, l/h; T, irrigation interval, days; La , water application efficiency (in fraction); and t is the duration of each irrigation, h. Injection duration and rate of fertilizer solution The fertilizer injection duration depends on the type of soil, nutrient and water requirements of the crop. A maximum injection duration of 45 min to 60 min is generally recommended with enough time for flushing of fertilizer residues from the drip lines before shutting the pump off. Injection rate refers to the volume of fertilizer solution injected during a specific period of time. To inject
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the fertilizer solution at predetermined injection rate, the selected fertilizer applicator should be calibrated before starting the fertigation. After calibration, the duration of injection for different fertilizers may change as it depends on the concentration of the fertilizers in the stock solution and the desired quantity of nutrients to be applied during any fertigation. The discharge through the applicator depends on the duration of irrigation as well as on fertigation. The following equation may be used to determine the injection rate of fertilizer injector. Qi=(RF×A)/(nf×C×tf) where Qi is the injection rate of fertilizer solution, l/h; tf , duration of each fertigation, h. If different stock solutions are prepared for supplying different nutrients, their respective injection rates may be determined separately. Selecting injection rate of any one nutrient, fertilizer injector is calibrated and then revised injection periods for different stock solutions are determined. Concentration of nutrients in irrigation water The actual concentration of nutrients needed in irrigation water depends on the fertilizing material and the crop requirement. The nutrient concentration in irrigation water can be determined as follows. Cf=Fn×106 Vd×nf×Rt e j/b g whereCf is the concentration of nutrients in the irrigation water, ppm; and Rt , is the ratio between fertilization time and irrigation time (tf /t). Fertigation is a very efficient method of nutrient supply to horticulture crops. The method requires initial investment and farmers require learning about this method for applying in their fields. Fertilizers used in this method are not the same used in general agricultural crops. They must be fully water soluble. Different methods of fertigation are available. Farmers may choose any of the methods depending upon the nature of crop, soil and terrain. By using this method of nutrient application farmers can save water and reduce the expenditure on fertilizers.
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Role of Potassium in Cotton Fibre Quality 64
D. Blaise
Head, Crop Production, ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur Tel: 07103-275536 Email: blaise_123@rediffmail.com
I
n cotton, the fibre is the main commercial product and the farmer gets returns based on the quality of the cotton produced. Potassium (K), though not a direct constituent of the plant; it is involved in enzyme activation, translocation of starch, drought and disease tolerance and improvement in fibre quality. Though the cotton crop removes K from the soil in quantities equivalent to that of nitrogen, it is seldom applied. Considering its importance as a nutrient that confers tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses and improves the fibre quality, application of K in a balanced proportion is an ideal approach to sustain the cotton production. Potassium (K) is a macronutrient because the crop removes substantial amounts of the nutrient from the soil to meet crop demands. It removes quantities equivalent to those of nitrogen (N) and sometimes even greater. But this nutrient is not replenished to that extent as done in the case of N and phosphorus (P). This is mainly due to the
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presumption that our soils are rich and can meet the crop K requirement. Furthermore, no dramatic influence is observed in crop response on K application. Nevertheless, K plays several major roles such as the activation of enzymes, aids in photosynthesis, ion balance, helps in translocation of starch. It also plays an important role in the regulation of stomata and water use and maintains the turgor and reduces water loss. Therefore, it is often referred to as a nutrient that confers tolerance to drought. In cotton, too, like in fruits and vegetables, it affects the quality; and therefore it is described as a ‘fibre quality nutrient’.
Peak K demand – when and why? Peak demand for K is when the crop enters flowering and boll formation stages. During this span of 100 days, substantial amount of K needs to be taken up by plant. K from the leaves is then translocated to the fruiting parts with most of it concentrated in the carpel wall also called as the ‘bur’.
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Potassium plays an important role in the regulation of stomata and water use and maintains the turgor and reduces water loss. Therefore, it is often referred to as a nutrient that confers tolerance to drought. In cotton, too, like in fruits and vegetables, it affects the quality; and therefore it is described as a ‘fibre quality nutrient’. How then, do we meet K requirements of the crop?
Approximately 10 to 15 kg is the K requirement for every kilogram of lint produced. A crop with an average yield of 500 kg lint removes about 60 to 75 kg potash from the soil. In terms of supply, even at recommended rates of application (45 kg potash per hectare) for the hybrid cotton, there is a deficit of 15 to 30 kg potash. In case of high crop yield, the magnitude of soil mining would be greater. This is not a healthy sign from the viewpoint of soil fertility and productivity. Therefore, it is important to apply K at least equivalent to the amount removed. When the crop reaches flowering, approximately 60 days after sowing, K demand is on the rise till the boll set. Most of our cotton grown in our country, boll set and opening is a continuous process. Thus, the period of nearly 100 days, K should be present in the soil ready to be taken up by the plant. However, this is not the case as root growth ceases after the crop starts to flower. In addition, the rainfed cotton experiences a cessation of monsoon around the period of boll set. This type of situation leads to K becoming less available as the soil dries out.
This can be met through foliar application. At several locations in the country, foliar application of K has been found to improve the seed cotton yield. To offset any soil mining that may occur, as discussed in the previous paragraph, it would be prudent to meet crop needs through soil and foliar application. For the soil application, it may be through a combination of fertilisers and organic sources. Recycling of cotton stalks is a possible option that can contribute significantly to K recycling.
Potassium deficiency – symptoms Potassium deficiency is easily recognized by the ‘firing’ of leaf edges with choruses spreading over and the leaf dries and sheds prematurely. It is also referred to as the ‘cotton rust’. Cotton stalks are also brittle and susceptible to breaking. This mostly occurs during the heavy fruiting phase. When the plant demand is high, K gets stripped from the leaves and to meet the K demand, K from the stalks moves over to the fruiting points i.e. the bolls.
How much K is recommended? The quantity of K that is recommended depends on whether the crop is irrigated or rainfed and the yield potential of the crop. For the high yielding hybrids and the Bt transgenics, 45 to 60 kg potash is recommended per hectare. For the American cotton varieties, it is around 30 kg of potash; while the desi cotton varieties, K application rates recommended are as low as 15-20 kg per hectare. Some states, do not recommend K on the basis
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Potassium deficiency is easily recognized by the ‘firing’ of leaf edges with choruses spreading over and the leaf dries and sheds prematurely. It is also referred to as the ‘cotton rust’ that soils are rich in K. Under rainfed conditions, K application as a foliar spray when the soil dries to meet the late season demand is recommended.
How does K influence fibre quality?
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Fibre is the main commercial part of the cotton crop apart from the seed which is used as cattle feed and also for edible oil. After the flower opens, fertilization takes place and within a few days of anthesis, the fibre process gets initiated. This goes on for about 50 days. The fibre grows (elongation) and the cellulose gets deposited during this process. As this process goes on, K is intricately involved because of its role in maintaining the turgor pressure. Furthermore, K plays an important role in the translocation of solutes from the leaves to the developing fruits. During this phase, K helps in the cellulose deposition and the thickening of the fibre. The way the secondary wall deposition takes place governs the strength of the fibre. Thus, fibre quality is intricately involved with the K supply to the plant and the K status of the leaves. Fibre quality of cotton is measured in terms of span length, fibre strength, micronaire and the uniformity ratio. These fibre traits are strongly influenced by K supply and the K status of the plant leaves. Deficiency of K affects the translocation of solutes and consequently deposition of cellulose. Thus under K stress conditions, the micronaire is affected the most resulting in fibre with low micronaire. Because less cellulose is deposited in the fibre, low micronaire fibres are prone to the formation of neps. When the yarn is produced from a field grown on K deficit soil, the yarn has more neps. More number of neps results in an inferior quality fabric due to unevenness in the dye being absorbed. Since most soils in our country have sufficient exchangeable K reserves in the soil, the poor fibre quality may not be of consequence in the irrigated cotton. But under the rainfed situations, the late formed bolls have poor quality because of low micronaire and poor length and strength. In spite of the cotton grown on deep black soils with high K reserves, the quality is poor.
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Presently, two solutions are available to overcome this constraint namely, (i) taking up a foliar spray of K through muriate of potash or sulphate of potash or nitrate of potash and (ii) growing short duration varieties with a synchronous fruiting habit. It is well known that our soils are having high K content, but its availability is a constraint. In such a scenario, we can think of using K solubilizers for making K available to the crop and reducing K stress. However, this is a researchable issue to identify suitable microorganisms that could be used for solubilising K. Potassium plays a significant role in conferring tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses and improves the fibre quality. Since fibre is the main commercial product, K application is important so that the farmer gets the right price for his produce.
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
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Smart Nutrient Management
for Vegetable Cultivation
68
Dr. Subhadeep Nath
Asst. Director of Horticulture, Murshidabad& Subject Matter Specialist-Vegetables, State Kisan Call Centre & e Kisan Portal
For vegetable cultivation,a SMART (Specific, Measured, According to Availability, Result driven & Tailor-made) management of plant nutrients should be the key matra for higher yield & quality with enhancing soil health.
O
f late, we are in production surplus in every sector of crop production. and it is more so with enterprising horticultural crops. And among horticultural crops, vegetables are most important. By virtue of different agro-climate condition and cafeteria of vegetables available , India is already in an advantageous position. We have several good hybrids and HYVs from private and government sectors but their improved agro-techniques for high quality production are yet to be developed.The challenge of increasing productivity with balancing soil health is the key issue. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) system is to be adopted to obtain the best result. As the vegetables are mostly of short duration and cash
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providing crops, we have to formulate a very up to date and cost effective nutrient management schedule for farmers of different agro-climate zones. SMART nutrient management is one such innovative method of plant nutrient management where S = Specific; M = Measured; A = According to Availability; R = Result given & T = Tailor-made. The data presented in table 1 indicate the high removal of plant nutrient by vegetable crops. A critical analysis of the data in table 1 indicate that the K removal is higher than the N & P but unfortunately farmers apply more urea & DAP because of ignorance and it creates soil health problem.
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TABLE 1: PLANT NUTRIENTS UPTAKE BY DIFFERENT VEGETABLES (gm/ quintal of yield) N
P
K
Tomato
Vegetables
330
110
440
Brinjal
290
80
500
Cabbage
530
160
500
Cauliflower
400
160
500
Knolkhol
500
420
850
Carrot
420
180
670
Radish
600
300
600
Beetroot
240
160
450
Onion
300
130
400
Cucumber
180
130
300
Pumpkin
180
140
320
bottlegourd
150
160
160
Pea
1250
450
900
French-bean
870
270
1070
Okra
300
130
450
Spinach
500
150
300
Sweet potato
480
190
850
Elephant foot yam
340
80
490
Source: From Book “Sabjibigyan” by C. K. Mondal& P. K. Garain; Ed. Dr. N.J. Moitra
Vegetable culture to cope up with high cropping intensity and demand for quick income through modern hybrids, nutrient management is the key concern for better yield and quality. Organic Fertilizers & Chemical Fertilizers are the two main sources of plant nutrients.For vegetable in general, about 4-5 tons/acre of rotten FYM or 1-2 tons/acre of vermi-compost may be applied before land preparation or along with first deep plough . Higher dose is needed in sandy soil or soil with constraints of salinity or acidity. Mixing Trichoderma and Pseudomonas with FYM/vermin-compost is proved to be beneficial. •
•
•
Add 3 Kgs of seed weed extract granules and 10 Kgs of VAM powder along with FYM/vermin-compost as basal. Different vegetables have different land preparation structures and so after first deep ploughing to final preparation, a gap of couple of days to 1-2 week(s) may generally occurs. Vegetable farmers should keep 5-7 days gap after organic fertilization and then apply chemical fertilizers before final land finish-up. In case of almost all vegetables and especialy
for those susceptible for sucking pest attack with viral diseases, mix 2.5-3 quintals of Neem Cake dust or 7-8 Kgs of concentrated of Neem Granules/acre. Higher dose in warm-humid climate area and with previous virus attack crop history is needed. •
Tailor-made and measured chemical fertilizers for different vegetables are mentioned in table 2.
For better result INM is recommended. And the SMART management is as follows – •
For all vegetables apply ½ N + all P + ½ K in basal with final land preparation.
•
In first top-dressing at 21-25 DAT/DAP apply ¼ N + ¼ K with earthing up.
•
In second top-dressing at 42-45 DAT/DAP apply rest ¼ N + ¼ K with send earthing up.
A specific note for all vegetable growers: You may main-
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NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
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A cost effective handy package as SMART technique relating to INM can satisfy the need of vegetable growers and extension functionaries . Keep watch for micro-nutrients and apply as per recommended dose or spray Grade II micronutrient mix after 1st top-dressing.
TABLE 2: SMART FERTILIZATION OF VEGETABLES (Kg per Acre basis) Vegetable
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N-P-K Ratio
Tomato
70:35:35
Capsicum
40:35:35
Chilli
36:24:24
Summer Brinjal
48:24:24
Winter Brinjal
60:40:40
Cabbage
80:40:40
Cauliflower
60:40:40
Knolkhol
40:40:40
Carrort, Beetroot, turnip & garlic
30;24:24
Onion
60:40:40
Cucurbits
50:25:25
Pea
25:30:40
French-bean
20:25:30
Okra
40:20:20
Spinach
50:25:25
Sweet potato
32:20:40
Colocasia
60:40:40
Elephant foot yam
80:40:60
Micro-nutrients application Check for micronutrient status. At land preparation, apply Zinc Sulphate 10 Kg; Borax 4 Kg and Ammonium Molybdate 400 gms.
•
In case you are not sure then after first top dressing, spray Grade-II micro-nutrient mix of any good company 2-3 gm/ ml per litre of water or according to the dose mentioned in the packing.
In case of onion , garlic, capsicum and tomato apply Calcium, Magnesium and Sulphur fertilizer tain Tailor-made ratio according to available fertilizers in your locality and your purchase preferences but try to give N-P-K through urea, SSP and MOP for best result and for ease to cope with recommendation. It’s always better to use SSP as source with phosphate fertilizers as it also includes Calcium, Magnesium &Sulphur which are beneficial for vegetables fitted to intensive cropping habit with uninterrupted
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tireless production phenomena of vegetable growing areas. In case of micronutrient deficiencies in soil mapping as established already you must go in for SSP and use ½ with Zincated SSP and other ½ with Boronated SSP of the full dose as P as basal for best result to get quality vegetables with best use of what you purchase and ultimately leads to keep your soil asset safe.source.
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Rice-rice, rice-wheat, rice-chickpea, rice-lentil, rice-groundnut, rice-mustard and rice-sunflower are the important rice based cropping systems practiced in different part of the country. Rice, however, is cultivated in three distinct types of agro- ecosystems, rain fed , semi-dry and irrigated.
Efficient Use of Fertilizer N in Rice Based cropping Systems 71
R. L. Yadav Former Director, Directorate of Cropping Systems Research.
M
anagement of fertilizer N is the most important aspect of crop production technologies. However, cropping systems based specific fertilizer N recommendations are largely based on short term trials, which do not give precise idea on their long term impact, on resource based productivity, environmental quality and human health. Excessive and exclusive dependence on inorganic N nutrient over years have introduced new problems, threatening soil productivity on a sustainable basis. Efficient use of fertilizer N in rice under different agro ecosystem: There are three major systems of rice cultivation. These are Dry cultivation: This system is confined to rain fed ecosystem with no supplementary irrigation facilities. Semi-dry ecosystem: In this system ,seeds are sown in dry condition just after receiving first shower of rain. At 45-60 days after seeding when monsoon becomes active, rain water is impounded in the field. The crop is then cross- ploughed, laddered and treated
as wet land crop thereafter for all subsequent cultural operations. Wet cultivation: This system is prevalent in areas where adequate water supply is assured either through rain fall or irrigation or both. The land is ploughed thoroughly and puddle in 3-5 cm standing water. Irrigated transplanted rice: In all 80-100 kg N/ha is applied in 3 equal split doses, onehalf (40-50 kg) as basal dose, one-fourth (20-25 kg) as top-dress at early tillering stage and the remaining ( 20-25 kg) a week before panicle initiation. In areas where top dressing is not possible due to excess standing water, nitrogen is applied as a basal dose in the form of neem- cake or coal tar coated urea. Bio-fertilizers as blue-green algae or azolla provide 20-25 kg N/ha, if added as partial supplement to inorganic fertilizers. Growing Basmati Rice: India is known for its best quality basmati rice. It is one of the major agricultural commodities the country export every year to earn precious foreign exchange. Though nitrogen management practices are similar to non-basmati high AGRICULTURE DECEMBER 2017
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Chlorophyll meter method is one of the excellent techniques to measure N status of rice and wheat to synchronize N application with crop demand. The meter readings (SPAD values) are calibrated with leaf N concentration and critical meter values are established to determine the need for N application
yielding dwarf varieties, there are differences in respect of basmati varieties. In most locations, basmati rice respond well up to 40-45 kg N/ha. Higher dose of nitrogen makes the plants lodge at any stage of growth which aggravates disease (blast) incidence, affecting ultimately the yield and quality of rice. However, variety Pusa basmati 1 responds well up to 90 kg/ha. Growing hybrid rice: Hybrid rice has 15% yield advantage over the best variety. Therefore, 120-150 kg N/ha is recommended in 3 split application in hybrid rice. Growing rain fed upland rice: normally 45-60 kg N/ha is recommended in 3 splits. The first dose of nitrogen(15- 20 kg/ha) is given as basal dose before harrowing the field. If the native nitrogen availability is not too low the first application of N should be delayed till the first weeding ie. 20 days after germinaAGRICULTURE
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tion. The second dose of nitrogen should be applied as top dressing 40 days after germination and the third dose a week before panicle initiation. Adequate soil moisture is essential for top dressing of fertilizer N. Management of Fertilizer N in rice based cropping systems: Although nitrogen management in both the crop of the system is equally important but because the growing environment of rice favors losses of applied N in form of volatilization, de-nitrification and leaching, management of nitrogen in rice requires special attention. Addition of farm yard manure@ 10 tones/ ha to supplement 50% of recommended N dose is essential for maintaining soil fertility of rice fields. The practice of raising pre-kharif crops like green gram, cowpea, sunhemp
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ed urea, which releases N slowly, thereby reducing N leaching losses and increasing N use efficiency. Use of Dia-ammonium phosphate(DAP) as a basal dose has been found as an efficient source. Practical and easy to use diagnostic methods have recently been developed for major nutrients to predict the status of soil- nutrient supply and determine variable fertilizer need of the crop. Chlorophyll meter method is one of the excellent techniques to measure N status of rice and wheat to synchronize N application with crop demand. The meter readings (SPAD values) are calibrated with leaf N concentration and critical meter values are established to determine the need for N application. The author has calibrated these values for rice and wheat when grown in the system. Elsewhere, for example, 35 has been found to be the critical SPAD value for transplanted, semi-dwarf, indica variety in irrigated ecosystem during rabi season. Whenever, the meter reading fall below35, N should be applied @ 30-45 kg/ha. Use of IRRI developed color chart in place of chlorophyll meter is equally effective in assessing N need of rice crop. Recommendations for adoption: 1. Although, efficient management of fertilizer N is equally important in both the crops of the system but because the growing environment of rice is such that favors losses of applied N in the crop, therefore N management in rice has special significance. or sesbania for use as green manure helps production sustainability in rice based cropping systems. The agronomic efficiency of green manure nitrogen in terms of yield response is relatively more during the main cropping season (i.e. Kharif) than during second (rabi) season. In low lands, rice derives almost two-third of its total nitrogen requirement from native soil N pool even when recommended dose of fertilizer N has been applied. About 40-60% of the N applied through chemical fertilizers is lost through various pathways, 23% by ammonia volatilization, 15% by de-nitrification and 2% by leaching. Top dressing of N in such lowlands results in N losses due to excess standing water. Thus it should be added to the basal dose itself in form of either Neem cake or coal-tar coat-
2. Applied N in rice does not have residual effect therefore succeeding crop in the sequence should be fertilized as per its own recommendations. 4. Before sowing of rice, farm yard manure @ 10 tones/ha should be applied in the field. 5. Pre-kharif crops like green gram, cowpea, sunhemp, sesbania are grown for green manuring in the field. 6. In basmati rice fertilizer N should be applied only @40-50 kg/ha. 7. Fertilizer DAP is the efficient source to be used for basal application of N dose. 8. Chlorophyll meter and color chart should be used to determine N need of growing crop and synchronizing N application. Rattan Lal Yadav, A-703, Ash Deep apartment, Plot no. 3-B, sector-2, Dwarka, New Delhi-110075 AGRICULTURE DECEMBER 2017
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SUGARCANE
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Integrated use of plant nutrients in
SUGARCANE BASED CROPPING SYSTEMS T. K. Srivastava
ICAR-Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow – 226002 (UP)
74
C
ertain nutrient-elements are essential for plants to help them to complete their life cycle as they play direct and exclusive roles in the plant metabolism. Based on this criterion 17 elements are considered essential for all the plants including sugarcane. Being a C4 plant,
sugarcane produces huge quantity of biomass and therefore requires adequate supply of these nutrients through various sources. As estimated at ICAR-Indian Institute of Sugarcane research approximate quantities of various nutrients taken up by the crop to produce one tonne of sugarcane
Sl. No.
Particulars
Nutrient
1
Removal
280.17
71.39
377.16
728.72
2
Requirement
337.35
134.94
134.94
607.23
3
Consumption
263.40
67.73
9.28
340.41
4
Nutrient mining (1-3)
16.77
3.66
367.88
388.31
N
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Total P
K
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Table: Effect of integrated nutrient management on cane yield (t/ha) in plant-ratoon-ratoon system in different sugarcane growing zones of India Zone
Crop Plant INM
Total
Ratoon 1 RDF
INM
Ratoon 2
RDF
INM
RDF
INM
RDF
North west zone
95.9
79.3
88.7
75.1
83.8
71.3
268.4
225.7
North central zone
110.2
88.8
89.8
68.4
78
60.3
278
217.5
North eastern zone
82
63.6
65.3
53.8
44.7
34.1
192
151.5
Peninsular zone
140.9
107.3
115
94.3
105.6
87.5
361.5
289.1
East coast zone
102.2
86.7
106.5
90.2
100.9
87.5
309.6
264.4
INM, integrated nutrient management; RDF, Recommended dose of fertilizers
carbon, depletion of nutrients from soil, subdued soil physical and physico-chemical properties and continuous receding response to applied nutrients. Imbalanced use of nutrients in sugarcane in the largest sugarcane producing state of Uttar Pradesh has resulted in significant depletion of primary nutrients from sugarcane growing soils as evident from the annual mining of these nutrients in the state. Further, wide spread deficiency of secondary and micro-nutrients is being confronted in sugarcane growing areas. Table: Nutrient removal, requirement and consumption (‘000 tonnes) by sugarcane crop in Uttar Pradesh
works out to be 2.08, 0.53, 2.8, 0.034, 0.012, 0.006 and 0.30 Kg for N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn and S, respectively. It is obvious that the total quantity of these nutrients removed from sugarcane fields would depend on the productivity of the crop that is determined not only by the quantity & source of applied nutrients and their management but also by the factors like sugarcane variety, climate and soil of the location, irrigation regime and the overall crop husbandry. Any nutrient management schedule therefore, should be in tandem with all these growth and yield determining factors. However, an over emphasis on the use of high analysis chemical fertilizers of late, has played detrimental effect on soil health leading to loss of soil organic
In order to effectively address the issues of nutrient mining, ever increasing nutrient deficiencies, soil organic carbon depletion, and sliding factor productivity and also to raise the productivity of sugarcane, use of different sources of nutrients to meet the crop requirement is imperative. Different sources used in combination with each other not only add up to meet the crop nutritional needs but also improve the soil health by organic carbon enrichment and improvement in soil physical properties. Integrated nutrient management, thus holds the key for sustaining the productivity and profitability of high nutrient requiring systems like sugarcane based cropping systems. Sugarcane cultivation in India is concentrated in intensive farming regions occupied by almost all types of crops that are being grown in distinctive rotations/ inter-cropping systems. This leads to exhaustive nutrient depletion from various soil strata yet provide ample scope for the use of crop residues, bio-fertilizers and organic manures in conjunction with chemical fertilizers. Recent scientific advancements have indicated that there exists a mismatch between the nutrient acquisition capacity of sugarcane roots and the availability of nutrients in soil active pool, the former being significantly less especially under fertilized conditions. However, the inherent nutrient availability in
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SUGARCANE
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unfertilized soils falls short in meeting the uptake capacity of the roots as that with organic nutrient management. It has also been reported that sugarcane roots are capable of absorbing organic forms of nitrogen like glycine ranging from 15-20 % of the uptake capacity. Under such a scenario adoption of integrated nutrient management involving application of 50 % of recommended nitrogen through organic sources holds potential for both saving the N loss from soil and reduced use of chemical fertilizers. It is well known that release of nitrogen from organic sources takes place upon microbial mediation, a slow and steady process over a long period of time which can match the nutrient availability in soil solution with uptake capacity of sugarcane roots over a period of time.
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Sugarcane plant crop followed by one or two subsequent ratoons is the most prevalent of sugarcane based cropping systems in India. Recommendations for fertilizer application have been made based on soil fertility indices and crop response in different sugarcane growing regions. For plant crop of sugarcane 150- 250 Kg/ha of N, 60-125 Kg/ha P, 60-150 Kg/ha of K, 20-40 Kg/ha S and 15-25 Kg/ha ZnSO4 is recommended. Lower doses are for sub-tropical states while tropical states apply higher doses. In view of less efficient root system of ratoons and presence of undecomposed organic matter in the root zone an additional 25% N is recommended for ratoon crops. To save the expenditure incurred on chemical fertilizers, integration of residue recycling and use of bio-manures and bio-fertilizers need to be adopted. Experiments carried out at different locations under the AICRP on Sugarcane revealed that 50% of N can be easily supplied through sources like bio-manures (10 t/ha) including farmyard manure, vermi - compost or sulphitation press mud. A study conducted in sugarcane plant - ratoon 1- ratoon 2 system showed that use of 20 t/ha of compost along with application of NPK based on soil nutrient availability recorded 20-70 t/ha higher cane yield of the system over the use of recommended NPK through fertilizers alone. Addition of bulky organic manures improves the physical properties of the soil and creates ideal rhizosphere environment. This provides congenial soil-water relations for better nutrient release and availability. Besides supplying major plant nutrients, the organic manures play a key role in meeting the requirement of micronutrients. Nutrient management through legumes including green manuring Nutrients applied to crop are often partially utilized and enough residual and cumulative effects
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are carried over to second or third crops in the sequence. Legumes in sugarcane based cropping systems are accommodated as dual purpose intercropped grain legumes with incorporation of green plants in soil or as an intercropped green manure to supplement chemical fertilizers. Under National Agricultural Technology Project in situ incorporation of intercropped dual purpose cowpea (Pusan Komal) in spring planted sugarcane after picking the green vegetable pods added 70.61 kg N/ha followed by Sesbania green manuring (45.90 kg N/ha). In winter initiated ratoon inter-cropped berseem after cutting for fodder left the highest amount of available nitrogen in soil (249.33 Kg/ha in 0-15 cm and 240.50 Kg/ha in 15-30 cm soil layer). At the harvest of sugarcane, the bulk density of soil under sugarcane ratoon + berseem/ shaftal/ menthi was lower (1.28 g/cm3) as compared to that under sugarcane ratoon sole (1.38 g/cm3). Infiltration rate was more (5.5 mm/hours) in plots under sugarcane ratoon + shaftal due to addition of huge root biomass in top layer of soil. Crop residue recycling Crop residues are renewable and readily available
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of nitrogen. Gluconacetobactor diazotrophicus, a new class of bio-fertilizer has shown an excellent property of biological nitrogen fixation in sugarcane with non-inhibitory effect of NO3-N under micro-aerophilic conditions. An endophyte, this bacterium is found in sugarcane root, stalk, leaf and trash and is capable of fixing sizeable amount of nitrogen. In sugarcane based cropping systems inoculation of PSB has been found to meet the phosphorus needs of ratoon crop if adequate P was given to previous plant crop. Similarly inoculation with mycorrhiza adds to nutrient foraging capacity of roots and helps enhance the crop response to applied nutrients. Sugar factory by-products/wastes as source of nutrients The sugar factory by-products like press-mud from sugar industry and spent wash from distillery continue to be of economic importance. Press-mud cake (PMC) has a great potential to supply plant nutrients (1-2% N, 2-4% P2O5 and 0.5-1.5% K2O), besides having beneficial effects on physico-chemical and biological properties of soil. These in turn influence the availability and uptake of nutrients, cane yield and juice quality. An increase in sucrose content in juice was noticed by application of 12.5 t/ha of PMC over the recommended dose of NPK through fertilizer at Padegaon (Maharashtra).
but are scattered organic resources. Intensive sugarcane based production system besides adding huge quantities of biomass (13.32 million tonnes stubble, 37.59 million tonnes root and 35.52 million tonnes trash/year) of sugarcane per se, has the enormous potential for residues from cereals, pulses and oilseed crops grown in succession and/or association. Since nutrients absorbed by cane plants from soil do not form the constituents of its marketable commercial product ‘sugar’, there is good opportunity of organic recycling in this crop. The recycling of roots/ trash directly in the soil through vermi-culture, green tops/ molasses through ruminants in the form of cattle dung/urine, press-mud from juice as soil amendments/sulphur source and spent wash from distilleries as irrigation resource after dilution can return multi-nutrients to soil from sugarcane crop itself. Integrating bio-fertilizers with organics Bio-fertilizers make up a judicious combination with chemical fertilizers and organic manures. The cane and sugar yield could be increased up to 9.39 and 1.34 t/ha, respectively by inoculation of Azotobactor and Azospirillum under graded levels
Distillery effluent (spent wash) is another important organic waste that contains appreciable amount of plant nutrients. The use of liquid and semi-solid distillery effluent as an organic manure increases cane yield significantly. Application of sugar mills effluent up to 800 m3/ha did not show any adverse effect on germination, tillering and growth of cane. It increased tiller production by 7-10% and cane yield by 10-15%. Use of plant nutrients in sugarcane based cropping systems by integrating different sources, is pivotal for maintaining the soil fertility and harvesting remunerative yields. Both sugarcane plant and ratoon crops, the major components of any sugarcane based system, have been found to respond well to adequate supply of nutrients in general and addition of organics in particular. Multi location trials conducted at various locations in India indicated that addition of organic sources like farmyard manure, compost and bio-fertilizers with inorganic fertilizers where doses are based on soil test reports, result in cane yield enhancement by 20-40 t/ha in various sugarcane growing regions. It is therefore, recommended that integrated management of nutrients in sugarcane based cropping systems must be followed all across the country to raise cane productivity and farmers’ income.
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Nutrient and feed management
in freshwater aquaculture
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Pratap Mukhopadhyay Retired Principal Scientist, ICAR-CIFA (www.cifa.in ) e-mail : pratap_in2001@yahoo.co.uk
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rowth and economic potential of freshwater aquaculture is enormous .If aquaculture in India is expected to maintain its much needed growth rate using better fish culture techniques ,then there is a strong need to efficiently produce fish ensuring proper nutrient management and feeding strategy ( feed sources, preparation and schedule )influencing the production to achieve better returns to the farmers.This is because sustainability of aquaculture is directly related to supply of nutritionally adequate feed. While improving growth, health and reproduction of species under culture will have very little impact on the aquatic environment itself. There is thus a definite need to increase the utilization efficiency of such expensive input . Feed distribution practices should also be done at the right time corresponding to the endogenous feeding rhythm to improve feed utilization efficien-
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cy. The practice should be to feed when the fish needs and not when the farmer can or have time. This has relevance since unconsumed / undigested material and metabolic end products released by fish into ambient water has greater implications in aquaculture than in terrestrial production system. Farm –made fish feeds require processing methods that may provide special physical properties like smoothness, better water stability and right feed particle / pellet size enough to be highly digestible by the fish species corresponding to mouth opening to facilitate feeding in water to reap the benefit. Freshwater aquaculture is a viable rural activity in most parts of India .Its contribution towards provision of human food having very high biological value as well as in improving the livelihood option of local people hardly needs any emphasis.Farming system of various aquaculture species particularly the
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cyprinids have been standardised with fertilizer and feed applications. But, it is felt that to develop the sector further ,there is an urgent need for scaling up the production performance through large scale adoption of management practices and application of scientific principles related to nutrition and feeding gained over the past two decades or so. For example, while feeding fish in culture ponds, instead of broadcasting feed in mash form on pond water surface, use of pelletized or extruded form of compound feed can bring out substantial sav-
ings through reduction of feed conversion ratio (dry feed intake / wet weight gain called FCR). One of the major challenges is how to improve quality fish production at reduced cost of operation to make it remunerative over long term so as to achieve better returns for the farmers .This will have economic as well as ecological significance also. Since feed is the single largest and expensive input in aquaculture ,it has a strong bearing on its cost-benefit assessment of operation. Nutrition is often put forward as the key for strengthening aquaculture development programme both in small and large scale operations. Sustainability of aquaculture is directly related to supply of nutritionally adequate feed that improves growth, health and reproduction of species under culture . Periodic fertilization to improve primary productivity ( for example, putting hollow bamboo poles stuffed with organic manure in ponds ) and substrate-based autotrophic and heterotrophic organism production as food sources for fish species have been successfully tested. Feed distribution practices should therefore be conceived in an environmentally sound manner that would complement what is already available in pond and how much to provide exogenously so as to meet the nutrient requirement of cultured fishes .This has relevance since unconsumed / undigested material and metabolic end products released by fish into ambient water has greater implications in aquaculture than in any terrestrial animal production system where the impact is perceived with a lag time. In India at least 5.0 lakh hectare of water area is under freshwater aquaculture system in which carps are the major components. The important indigenous carps are : Catla catla , Labeo rohita, Labeo calbasu, Labeo fimbriatus, Labeo bata, Labeo gonius, Cirrhinus
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mrigala, Cirrhinus reba, Cirrhinus cirrhosa, Puntius carnaticus, Puntius pulchelus and Puntius sarana. The exotic carps include Cyprinus carpio, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Ctenopharyngodon idella. Besides there are catfish species -both air-breathing and non-air breathing including Clarias batrachus, Heteropneustes fossilis, Wallago attu, Pangasius pangasius, Ompok pabda ,Mystus vittatus and the like. There are also murrels (Channa sp), featherbacks (Notopterus sp.) , perch (Anabas sp.), cichlids (red and GIFT tilapia sp.) ,eels (Mastacembelus pancalus) ,prawns (Macrobrachium sp.) and added with these are the sought after small and medium indigenous fish species having immense culture potential in the sector compatible with other farming systems and flexible with regard to scale of operations .Despite the fact that freshwater aquaculture contributes to more than 90% of the total aquaculture production in the country with dominance of carps, , the yield gap is incidentally still very wide; 15 tonne/ha/yr at the experimental farm level, 10 tonne/ha/yr in pilot farms, 6-8 tonne/ha/yr in a well managed farm while currently between 2.0 to 2.5 tonne/ha/yr is the national average indicating that rational application of scientific principles in aquaculture is still inadequate.The potential of our water bodies is yet to be fully harnessed.
composition–like alternate use of sesame oil cake or ground nut cake in place of daily inclusion of mustard oil cake, occasional incorporation of feed additives like roasted and powdered fenugreek (methi)or natural pigments from spinach or beetroot extract or even powdered orange peels . A little
Optimization of nutrient utilization for improved feed efficiency Carps are grown in earthen ponds in a system of polyculture of species or mixed farming with varying culture practices and degree of intensification relying to a great extent upon natural productivity . Liming and organic manuring lead to enhancement in the natural food organisms in ponds and help the growth during early stages .Supplementary feeding is as diverse as the feed used. Generally farmers employ a mixture of locally available agro-based residues like rice bran and mustard oil cake. The neglected part in the culture system remains with regard to feeds and feeding. Timing to start feeding the fish, the quantity/quality of feed ingredients to be used or rather programming of nutrient constituents for feed formulation , its protocol for processing (simple grinding of ingredients –decrease in particle size , hence increase in digestibility and careful blending/mixing and compacting in form of pellets/noodles or semai ) is important for achieving efficient feed utilization efficiency. Similarly feeding frequency which is dependent on transit rate is positively related to temperature and negatively related to body weight are also often overlooked. Correct feeding rate to meet the appetite as well as metabolic needs is crucial. Employing such feeding strategies as alternate high ,medium and low feeding rates, making slight alterations in the feed
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common salt and molasses addition can also raise the palatability & feed intake level and thus lower the feed conversion ratios allowing for reduction in the cost of production. In fact, cost effectiveness of production should be considered desirable than using cheaper (low quality) feed materials that may ultimately lead to increased pollution load. Provision of adequate aeration in culture ponds contributes to better water quality and productivity, although this may apparently seem to be non-essential. A general survey indicated that farmers use selectively from nine major ingredients and five feed types. Ingredients are rice bran, mustard oil cake , groundnut oil cake ,sesame oil cake, sunflower oil cake , soybean meal, , maize meal, pulses hulls & residues and cotton seed meal. The feed types are rice bran , mix of rice bran & cotton seed, rice bran & groundnut oil cake,rice bran & sunflower meal, rice bran & mustard oil cake. The young ones feed on the natural food produced through pond manuring up to a certain size referred to as ‘critical standing crop’ (CSC). This is the point at which growth starts to decline from its maximum rate (secchi disc transparency optima with reference to plankton in culture pond- 30 to 40cm ; estimate of zooplankton population using plankton
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ICAR -CIFA has developed an effective carp broodstock feed CIFABROODTM fortified with certain key nutrients involved in vitellogenesis. It ensures quality carp seed production, advances in gonadal maturation and facilitates early spawning is thus crucial. Maintaining proper records is obligatory.
net (1.5 to 2.0 ml in 50 lit. water) .Beyond the CSC, the fish growth continues at an extremely slow pace because the supply of natural food becomes insufficient to meet fish’s nutrient requirements. This is when supply of exogenous feed should begin without delay to continue its normal growth rate. The feed needs to be properly formulated (Pearson’s square method) for balancing protein in the feed to contain desired amount of essential nutrients and energy (about 25% crude protein and 350 kcal in 100g feed in case of carp growers for example ); the form of the feed (cylindrical (pellet), spherical, flake or powder type) has an impact not only on the acceptance of the feed but also on the aquatic environment. A number of environmental as well as intrinsic factors affect voluntary feed intake (VFI). Of the biological factors, fish size, life cycle stage and genotype are known to influence VFI. Among the environmental factors, both temperature and photoperiod seem to govern feed intake level. Here salinity component is not important when compared to brackish water ecosystem. While providing feed when fish is below the CSC might be wasteful and thus an unnecessary increase in operational cost, delaying the supply of feed beyond CSC will cause reduction in fish growth and yield. Selecting the proper time and fish size to start feed application
Feeding is recommended to be done following a rigid schedule and in accordance with biological rhythm .The aspects like when to feed, which form of feed to choose ,how frequently to feed ,how periodic feed adjustment needs to be done and even the person responsible for feed delivery & tracking/ monitoring are all to be carefully decided. If demand feeder is used,the amount of feed provided daily should be limited to established daily feeding rate in the farm-no more and no less. The frequency of feeding depends on two major factors: body wt (negatively related) and water temperature (positively related) both these factors affect the rate of passage of feedstuff through the digestive tract .It is essential to know the potentiality of the fish species in terms of VFI and accordingly feed allocation should be adapted to nutrient/energy/needs, water temperature and growth rate. There are calculations but farmers’ wisdom seldom fails. Overfeeding is a strict NO. In case of larvae/spawn, the frequency of feeding may, therefore , be several times an hour, while in case of juveniles- feeding twice a day may be considered sufficient. Optimal feed supply decreases competition for feed and hence size heterogeneity. This is important from marketing point of view. The optimal protein utilization is again closely related to its concentration in the feed and the availability of dietary non- protein energy sources and therefore protein and energy concentration should remain balanced for maximum expression of the growth potential. This is why feeding practices should be in tune with biological rhythm of the fish species.For example, catfishes generally show better feeding activity in the dark, while carp feeds in the day time. Both attractiveness (texture in particular),natural aroma from fresh ingredients and finally palatability are vital for better feeding response, especially in weaning of young fish from live or natural food to formulated feeds. Even those who detect feed visually, taste is the final decision maker as to whether to swallow or eject a particular feed. Identification of the feeding stimuli (“chemical signal”), may sometimes be needed to obtain the full sequence of feeding behaviour, from initial recognition to feeding followed by ingestion and swallowing of the feed particles/granules. Understanding of feeding behaviour of aquaculture species is necessary to
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Freshwater aquaculture is a viable rural activity in most parts of India .Its contribution towards provision of human food having very high biological value as well as in improving the livelihood option of local people hardly needs any emphasis establish an optimal feeding regime leading to savings in feed costs and high survival of fish stock. Furthermore, rapid and positive feed uptake lessens its residual time in the aqueous system, thereby reducing leaching out of essential water-soluble nutrients present in the feed.
Farm-made feeds and feeding devices in small scale aquaculture practices
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In culturing fish in a successful manner, nothing can be more important than sound nutrition and adequate feeding. All the required nutrients -essential amino acids, fatty acids, carbohydrate, vitamins, trace elements and containing optimum protein are to be supplied . Energy balance in the formulated feed should be made available ( digestible )to realize full genetic potential of growth of the cultured fish in a given time. The ingredients should be locally available, versatile, cost-effective and may be procured freshly , ground to reduce the particle size / sieved, weighed ,mixed in the proportions decided and then cooked to form dough and then palletised using hand-operated or motorised( 0.25 HP) pelletizer with perforated disc varying in diameter-from 1.0 to 4.0 mm ,dried ( moisture level 10-12%); the noodles so formed are then cut to pieces of about 1.0cm length and stored for a longer shelf life ( 3-6 months) . Fish feeds require processing methods that provide special physical properties like smoothness, feed pellet diameter corresponding to mouth opening of the fish species to facilitate feeding in water to reap the benefit. Now simple and inexpensive hand operated and motor-driven small machines are locally obtainable which a farmer can make use of. From a nutritional perspective efficacy of a feed is evaluated in terms of its (a) biological performance in growth promotion, and (b) economic performance in terms of feed cost per unit production. This is why record keeping is vital in the whole process. Experiences have confirmed that the quality of feed is a function of how well it meets nutritional requirements of the cultured fish. Feeding fish also involves consideration of dissolved oxygen, temperature and other water quality factors including biotic characteristics. At several locations community feed mill is being developed including the grinding mill (like atta chakki ) on a co-operative basis and with government support. Solar drier for
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drying the prepared feed is also available at subsidized cost and can be taken to far flung areas for use. Adoption of nutrient resource management mainly by provision of well prepared formulated feed along with appropriate feeding strategies (feed sources, preparation and feeding schedule) for various production stages can surely enhance fish yield . A thumb rule goes like this- if the fish run to the feeding spot and finish feed in 10 minutes, then the feed is graded excellent; if the fish is less active, aggregate slowly and consume in 20 minutes, feed is good; if the fish appear sluggish, consume about 75% and take about 30 minutes, then it is fair but if approximately 75% remains even after 30 minutes of offering, then feed is of poor quality. A common dose-response curve (nutrient / energy supply versus fish growth) may indicate that as nutrient/ energy supply increases, a point is arrived at which the efficiency is maximum whereas the production plateaus off at a still higher level of supply. Maximum efficiency is thus not always at maximum return. Thus there is a definite need to increase the utilization efficiency of expensive inputs like feed rather than simply increase the quantum of outputs. The feed wastage in aquaculture is of common occurrence in most aquaculture farms and happens mainly due to either feeds badly prepared or due to mismatch between culture system, feeding behaviour and nutritional physiology of the cultured species. Thus the farmer is deprived of the profit due to him. Such a situation will have negative environmental impact and may also have consequences on human health. Minor improvements in feeding strategies can benefit both productive efficiency and protection of the environment specially in terms of N & P output. The logical steps may therefore be to i) supply of the acceptable quality of feed in tune with the appetite of cultured fish and its voluntary feed intake ii) such feeds having the required available nutrients and digestible energy are prepared in the proper form with due consideration to water stability, improved hygienic conditions and storage life. From the feed storage site, the bag which entered first should also come out first and for this, bag arrangement should be accordingly made. Unfortunately this rarely happens resulting in feed spoilage on many farms due to negligence. Feed conversion ratio or feed conver-
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sion efficiency and protein efficiency ratio are to be monitored periodically and recorded for annual profitability index calculation.
Protein economy - a critical aspect in aquaculture Since fishes including carps have a general tendency to utilize significant proportion of dietary protein to meet their energy demands, recent research promotes the concept that considerable protein economy can be achieved without adverse
effects on growth by increasing dietary non-protein energy supply. It leads to better protein utilization for growth with consequent decreased emission of catabolic end products such as ammonia into the ambient environment. Deficiency of non-protein energy sources results in catabolism of protein to generate energy while excess energy can suppress appetite, reduce growth and increase lipid deposition. To optimize protein utilization in fish, the concept of protein-energy interaction has received adequate attention and it is now known that significant di-
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Carps are grown in earthen ponds in a system of polyculture of species or mixed farming with varying culture practices and degree of intensification relying to a great extent upon natural productivity etary protein sparing can be achieved by increasing the dietary digestible energy levels through incorporation of lipid and carbohydrate constituents. Given that the nature of rapid transition from extensive to semi-intensive and intensive feed based culture systems, knowledge on the metabolic utilization of nutrients is recognized as fundamental for questions related to sustainability.
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Dietary carbohydrate utilization efficiency Indian major carps have very long intestine to facilitate utilisation of various plant derived feedstuff naturally rich in carbohydrates and they have very high intestinal amylase activity also. Some difficulties seem to arise with high levels of dietary starch as exemplified by high plasma glucose concentration and prolonged post-prandial hyperglycaemia. These phenomena were initially thought to be due to impairment of glucose phosphorylation capacity which is catalysed by a group of enzymes commonly called hexokinases. Until recently glucokinase was considered absent in fish but data now available confirmed existence of this enzyme in carp hepatopancreas as well as its regulation by dietary carbohydrate supply. Gluconeogenesis from dietary amino acids or from body protein degradation is also considered high in fish. Persistent gluconeogenesis is another possible mechanism by which high post-prandial hyperglycaemia is maintained in fish. Whether changes with dietary carbohydrate level, hepatic glucose 6 phosphatase activity and its gene expression get affected is, however, yet to be established in Indian major carps. Carps generally can adapt to high carbohydrate diet by increasing hepatic glycolysis and lipogenesis with concomitant decrease in gluconeogenesis and amino acid degradation. One of the major concerns is to achieve an understanding of the nutritional regulation of carbohydrate metabolism in fish since improvement in its utilisation will have practical implications in aquaculture.
Improvement in nutrient utilisation from plant derived feedstuffs High levels of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) such as cellulose, xylans and mannans found in cell wall materials reduce the nutritive value of many plant derived feed resources. The potential of bacterial cellulase pre -treatment of supplementary feed has been tested with success in carp feeding. The application and benefits of phytase in fish species is well documented now. There are a range
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of factors that can affect nutrient and energy utilization from feed ingredients. The anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) have the potential to cause problem in this context by interfering with digestion, palatability or even cellular function. There are simple means which can be applied to eliminate these depending on the mode of action of these factors .The common detoxification methods to overcome most of the anti nutritional factors are inactivation by heat and/or soaking in warm water. However, these physical processes are not conclusive in removing the deleterious effects of the wide variety of anti nutrients. Water-soluble nutrients may leach out, or heat may destroy some of the nutrients lowering the quality of feedstuffs. Suitable processing can increase the nutritive value of these ingredients. Phytic acid is the major phosphorus (P) storage compound in most plant feedstuffs. Again phytate forms compounds with a large number of minerals (K, Mg, Ca, Zn, Fe and Cu) and also forms complexes with proteins and basic amino acids like lysine and arginine, thereby reduces bioavailability of minerals and decrease digestibility of proteins in fish .This is due to the fact that fishes
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lack intestinal phytase. Several studies have been carried out showing the beneficial effect of microbial phytase supplementation in fish feeds. Commercial enzyme products are now indigenously available .Phytase addition to feed mash prior to steam pelleting is viable for mild processing conditions and thus phytase is a valuable tool for fish farmers and
also fish feed manufacturers as it helps releasing phytate bound P and protein from plant based ingredients. Phosphorus bound in phytate is otherwise released into the aquatic environment causing pollution. However, addition of phytase would seem to reduce the release of nutrients into the environment by making the bound phosphorus and other nutrients available to the fish. Such practice will increase bioavailability of nutrients and keep the ambient water free from eutrophication. As water is the receptacle of wastes and vital source of such production system as well , the need for quality control of the environment is crucial for sustaining the production. Protease inhibitors play a role to inhibit the proteolytic activity of certain enzymes (e.g. trypsin inhibitor). Basically these are proteins and found throughout the plant kingdom. Exogenous proteases may be effective in removing these protein antinutrients. Polyphenolic compounds like tannins and gossypol impair nutritional quality and decrease digestibility, thereby reducing feed consumption. Reaction of these compounds with protein reduces protein
quality, especially by reducing the bioavailability of lysine. Exogenous microbial enzymes having ability to degrade these compounds (eg., tannase) may be used to inactivate them. Non-starch polysaccharides (NPS) may also be addressed with microbial enzymes. Due to their hydrophilic nature NSPs impair the digestibility and utilization of nutrients either by direct encapsulation of the nutrients or by increasing the viscosity of the ingested material, thereby reducing the rate of hydrolysis and absorption of nutrients present in the feed. As fishes lack intestinal enzymes for the degradation of NSP, supplementation of degrading enzymes will result in better utilization of plant ingredients. Microbial cellulase is also good for supplementation, as it will make available more of the dietary energy from the plant feedstuffs, thereby allowing more scope for incorporating plantbased feed ingredients in fish feed formulation. Thus addition of microbial enzymes may improve nutrient utilization in fish. Feed enzyme preparation containing a consortium of arabinase, xylanase, amylase, protease, lipase, cellulase, tannase, phytase and pectinase would be more effective in breaking down anti nutritional factors at strategic points, making nutrients available and easier for digestion, absorption and utilization. One of the benefits of increasing the efficiency with which nutrients are absorbed from the feed ingredients is the reduction in faecal nutrient level. Fibrolytic enzyme supplementation in feed will improve the water quality in addition to the minimized waste generation in aquaculture. Mycotoxins are sometimes produced by moulds on improperly stored for long in plant products including groundnut and other oil cakes. This should be carefully noticed before being utilized for feed making.
Carp broodstock feed for quality seed production ICAR -CIFA has developed an effective carp broodstock feed CIFABROODTM fortified with certain key nutrients involved in vitellogenesis. It ensures quality carp seed production, advances in gonadal maturation and facilitates early spawning. It is also suitable for multiple / repeated breeding of carp in the same season. It has been validated through repeated multi-locational field trials and has been commercialized and marketed by M/s Aishwarya Enterprises at Naihati in West Bengal.
Digestive enzymes and fish feeding : The nutritive value of a feedstuff is related not only to its nutrient content but also on the availability of the nutrients in a digestible form. The study of digestive enzymes in fish is of great potential interest for a thorough understanding of digestive ca-
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In culturing fish in a successful manner, nothing can be more important than sound nutrition and adequate feeding. All the required nutrients -essential amino acids, fatty acids, carbohydrate, vitamins, trace elements and containing optimum protein are to be supplied pacities with regard to nutritional protocol during diet development programme. Several studies have been made on the major digestive enzymes of different fish species. In cultured fish, such information is essential in the selection of feed ingredients that should be ideally incorporated in compound feed. The digestive process is also correlated with composition of feed as well as size of feed particles. The enzyme activities only can justify the omnivorous/herbivorous/carnivorous feeding habit based on assay of protease, lipase, amylase and so on. It has been proposed that maximum growth rate of fish especially during early development depends on digestive capacity, oxygen availability and their metabolic capacity required supporting tissue protein synthesis.
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Growth rate is strongly related to protein deposition and fast growth must be sustained by sufficient supply of amino acids through digestion and absorption. For example, lower trypsin activity, a key enzyme in protein digestion may cause an insufficient supply of amino acids which, in turn, may lead to poor growth. Activities of digestive enzymes as well as length of action on feed consumed play an important role in determining final digestibility of nutrients. Activities of digestive enzymes have been found to be generally related to feeding habits of fish species. The digestive capacity depends both on digestive enzyme level as well as the time that nutrients are subjected to action of enzymes. In that respect, the cumulative enzyme activity could be related to the digestibility of nutrients measured. Cellulose being the main structural component of plants is the most abundant carbohydrate in nature. Dietary utilization of cellulose requires the presence of specific enzymes which may be either endogenous or exogenous. A herbivorous fish may benefit most from cellulose activity as more of the ingested dietary energy would be made available to fish from plant material thereby allowing aqua culturists to incorporate plantbased feed ingredients in the diet. The intestinal brush border membrane of herbivorous fishes is rich in characteristic digestive enzymes including trypsin, two aminopeptidases, chymotrypsin, amylase, lipase, alkaline phosphatase in particular. Their relative concentration and
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activity vary according to food preference and intestinal structure. The biochemical role of some of these enzymes both in young ones and adults has been investigated. Recent studies indicated that besides age factor, temperature and photoperiod, type of food preference have influence on digestive enzyme activities and that these enzymes correlate more strongly with phylogeny than with natural food. Most of the fishes lack certain digestive enzymes during early development or throughout their life. In the case of larvae lacking some enzymes, providing these enzymes can give better chance of thriving on feeds. While in fishes, lacking some enzymes even in adulthood, application of these enzymes result in better utilization of nutrient fractions that are digested by these enzymes. Thus ,application of enzymes is probably a solution to curb high larval mortality. The intestinal tract is not short but also remain under developed when compared to that of adults. Not all enzymes necessary for digestion are produced in the gut of larvae and it is thus suggested that enzymes present in live food consumed by the larvae aid in the digestion.
Enzymes at first feeding During first feeding of fish larvae, enzyme efficiency gives a better understanding of the physiological process that determines the performance of such fish. The existence of a strong link between performance and enzymatic activity in young ones could provide a valuable indication of fry quality at first feeding, enabling the prediction of growth rate and survival capacities. Growth rate is strongly related to protein deposition. Protein synthesis and protein turnover are energetically expensive processes. First growth rate must be sustained by sufficient supply of amino acids through digestion and assimilation. Lower proteolytic enzyme activity in fish larvae, may cause insufficient supply of essential amino acids, which in turn may lead to poor growth and survival. Clearly enzyme activity, mainly proteolytic enzyme activity has become a decisive point to establish the ability of first feeding larvae. With regard to health and disease resistance, certain nutrients and feed additives are known to affect immune response in fish. In this context, region-wise resource mapping of feed ingredi-
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ent availability, development of quality control guidelines and availability of infrastructure for proper processing and storage of feed will have relevance. A national facility for testing of feed and quality assurance has been set up recently at CIFA, Bhubaneswar to ensure consistency in feed quality and for analytical nutrition and physiological parameters. Appropriate technologies for evaluation of feed ingredient quality, exact formulation and right kind of feed management practices form the prerequisite for getting the best output from feed application in fish production. The biological performance of feed may be hindered in case of reduced availability of nutrients for lack of proper processing technology. The improved processing technological means like extrusion cooking may improve performance of feed through gelatinization of starch thereby increasing digestibility. Application of this technology not only helps in eliminating antinutritional factors and toxins and pathogens if any , but also improve physical properties like water stability and texture of the feed The utilisation of vegetable proteins is also enhanced by extrusion, reducing the impact of feed on ambient water. Therefore, long term sustainability and future aquaculture expansion should be aimed at development of farming system which improves the overall efficiency of resource use and are based upon primary renewable resources.
More than any other animal production system, overall management of undigested material and metabolic end products released by fish into the ambient water bear greater implications in aquaculture since the production itself is dependent upon water quality . Fish feeding has impact on fillet quality parameters like long chain w3 HUFA and several micronutrients including vitamin B12 having implications in human health and nutrition. Tailoring aquaculture product quality is now possible through rational application of nutritional principles. Application of such principles to tropical culture conditions require investigations of multidisciplinary nature involving nutrition, biochemistry and feed processing technology in particular. Further, in tune with the changing aquaculture scenario coupled with rapid development in the science of fish and shellfish nutrition, there is a strong need for optimal resource utilisation to efficiently produce fish for economic and ecological reasons. In the process, provision of feeds duly considering the nutritional evaluation strategies through ingredient palatability, voluntary feed intake(VFI) over time , capacity to utilise digested nutrients for accrual of desired daily growth coefficient ( DGC) & organoleptic characteristics, molecular factors like gene and/or specific protein expression (nutri-proteomics) bear significance.
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AGRI VALUE CHAINS
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Need for Unified Agriculture Market integrated with
Agri Value Chains in India
Manoj Rawat Head- Agribusiness & Rural Banking RBL Bank, Mumbai mkrawat@gmail.com
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ill Unified Agriculture Market (NAM) be a paradigm shift to develop free and competitive agriculture market in India, help in better price discovery and ensure “rightful price” to farmers for their produce? Agriculture continues to play a vital role in India’s economy Over 58 per cent of the rural households depend on agriculture as their principal means of livelihood in India. Agriculture along with fisheries and forestry, contributes to more than 17% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of country. Having said this India still remains and agrarian economy and a single bad monsoon takes toll on entire economy and can completely derail the projected growth plan. The demand for food is going to go up by 40% by next decade. Creating Income Security for farmers India has seen significant growth in its food production over the last few decades but a large part of population still remains deprived of the basic access to nutrition and the middle class highly vulnerable to food inflation. Above all farmer has been struggling to get the “minimum remunerative price” or even meet his “production expenses”. The credit flow to Agriculture has grown by more than 10 times in last decade however the income of farmers & share of farmer in “consumers” wallet has not seen any significant increase. The narrative has changed from “Doubling of Credit” to “Doubling of income of
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farmers” and rightly so. The intent of creating income security for farmers seems right, given the current state of India’s agriculture and the plight of its farmers. Creating Efficient Agriculture Markets While we have seen the real farm incomes have plummeted as compared to previous decade, it is not wishful thinking that incomes of farmers can be doubled by adopting a multipronged approach which efficient implementation framework. While this would involve high focus productivity, expanding irrigation facilities, augmenting the flow of investment credit to Agriculture Sector under a value chain approach and making investment in allied activities like livestock, poultry, beekeeping and fisheries, but the biggest challenge would 1.
To bring efficiencies in Agriculture markets,
2.
Curbing the number of existing intermediaries in the current Agriculture marketing system
3.
Building robust and sustainable Agri-value Chains
To enable this “Agriculture needs to be liberated from traditional policy framework and grossly inefficient marketing system”. We need to recognize and accept that existing Agri-marketing institutions and the regulations of agriculture
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markets have failed to keep up with times and provide an efficient agricultural marketing system to the country. These development oriented institutions (State Agriculture Marketing Boards, APMCs) have become revenue generating institutions rather than facilitating efficient marketing practices to benefit the farmers, buyers, consumers and other market participants. The non-transparencies in transactions, high markups, collusion and mushrooming of large intermediary players have added to further inefficiencies and woes. In India most of the agri-marketing ecosystem is controlled by public sector. The country needs to completely revamp its agriculture market management policies, create adequate marketing infrastructure especially at farm gate level, promote sustainable marketing linkages and ensure scientific pricing for agriculture products to foster true competition in the market to make them efficient. The existing Public and Private sector investments, Government schemes and subsidies need to dovetailed effectively and channelized efficiently to make this a reality. Unified Agriculture Markets and Robust Agri Value Chain in India are complementary Capturing the value created along the Agriculture chain from pre sowing to food harvest or in other words capturing value created from “Farm to Fork” will only ensure the farmer “rightful price for his produce” Why a Robust Agri Value Chain is needed?
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1. To prevent Colossal Wastage of Agriculture Produce “billions of dollars” loss to economy 2. To ensure that share of Farmer income in Consumers wallet may increase by at least 20% 3. Demand for MSP regime will fritter away when farmer will get rightful price for the produce 4. Ensure optimal management of natural resources and mother earth which is being abused Why we need for Unified National Agriculture Market? There is no dearth of market places in India but there is lack of efficient market linkages, basic grading sorting centers, logistics to ensure better participation of stakeholders primarily farmers and above all removing the infestation of intermediaries who “add no value”. Lack of efficient markets fails to facilitate the “Producer find the best Buyer and Buyer identify the best supplier”. We have more than 7000+ Regulated Markets, 22000 + Regular Periodic markets in primitive shape and thousands of un-organized Haats, fairs, assembly markets. In addition we have 6 National Commodity Exchanges and 24 Regional Commodity Exchanges, who could play an important role in rightful price discovery for farmers. Besides this we have State Marketing Boards, Warehouse Accreditation Agencies and Various Government Agencies to enable seamless integration of Agriculture markets and Agri-value
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Chain. Unfortunately the Agri-marketing System, its stakeholders and players are working in silos and working without any synergy to bring lasting improvement for the farmers, consumers and
economy as whole. The markets continue to follow a very subjective practice which has promoted monopolistic practices, procedures and market inefficiencies. There is lack of grading infrastructure, no premium for quality, unscientific post-harvest handling of produce and markets are being controlled by middlemen as who add little value or no value. The Linkage between farms to markets are grossly inadequate with no basic grading and sorting centres, preprocessing units and above all the Logistics and Information technology interven-
tions literally remain non-existent. Fundamentally the system is only production oriented and detrimental to preservation, processing & value addition. To develop efficient Agri Value Chains, there is urgent need for Reforms, better market information and use of Information Technology that can attract large capital and skill based investment in Agri-Supply Chain sector which estimated to multibillion dollars. The Unified Agriculture markets (e-NAM) is a step in the right direction but is not participative and has to make lot of efforts, policy changes, sensitization and incentivization to make it far more participative. As on today less 5% retail players/stakeholders/ farmers have registered on this platform which needs to be accelerated. We need to understand in very near future we will have more than 90% farmers as small and marginal, where soil quality will get further deteriorated, water scarcity will be more severe & population shall grow by another 15-20% and therefore it is critical we address the issues of farm, soil health, water management, productivity, mechanization, farm gate level remuneration, income security of farmers and food security of nation through a Robust and Sustainable Value chain approach with efficient markets for “rightful” price discovery for both producers and consumers. The situation in India demands to “needle” the various factors into a single thread that would provide end-to-end solutions for efficient agriculture markets and better price discovery for producer, processor and consumer. Unification of Agriculture markets and integrating them with Agri Supply Chains should continue to remain as “work-in-progress” and continuously evolve as per need of producer, consumer, markets and economy. We need to unify this market in the interest of farmers, consumers and economy of the nation. It’s not just a matter of income security for farmer but a matter of survival for all of us and food security of the nation. We have no other choice but to gear up ! The views expressed in this article are purely personal.
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WATER POLLUTION
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The greatest challenge lies in “ reconciling the need for achieving food and nutritional security of the growing and affluent population while restoring and improving the environment”. An equitable and fair philosophy is “ grains for the people and crop residues and animal manure for the soil”
Agriculture and Water Pollution in India:
Using Technology with Wisdom
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Rattan Lal
Carbon Management and Sequestration Center The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
F
ood grain production in India increased from 55 million ton(Mt) in 1950 to 273 Mt in 2016-17 by a factor of ~5 ,whereas its population increased from 376 million to 1339 million by a factor of 3.6. However, the fertilizer use in India increased 83-times between 1960 and 2010. It was 0.34 Mt in 1961, 1.98 Mt in 1970, 11.57 Mt in 1980, and 16.70 Mt in 2000. The fertilizer use increased to 18.40 Mt in 2004, 28.12 Mt in 2010 .While the fertilizer consumption decreased to 25 Mt in 2015,the food grain production reached the all-time high level of 273 Mt in 2016-17. The fertilizer consumption can be reduced by increasing eco- efficiency by reducing losses and improving soil health. Indeed, an excessive, indiscriminate and unbalanced use of
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fertilizers can stagnate crop yields, contaminate surface and ground waters and jeopardize human health .Yields of some crops in India are merely 25 to 50 % of those in developed countries. The problem is not with the technology per se but with the way it is used. It is an over and unbalanced fertilization, excessive plowing, in-field burning of crop residues, perpetual use of dung for cooking rather than as manure, and uncontrolled and excessive grazing , simplification of crop rotations for cutting corners and making quick returns etc. have exacerbated the environmental problems. Fertilizers are needed for increasing agricultural production and feeding India’s growing and increasingly affluent population ,but their ecological price must be minimized.
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The greatest challenge lies in “ reconciling the need for achieving food and nutritional security of the growing and affluent population while restoring and improving the environment”. An equitable and fair philosophy is “ grains for the people and crop residues and animal manure for the soil”. Because we have not given the mother earth its proper share of crop residues and manure for a very long time, it has rebelled against its own children. Therefore , we must go back to our roots, whatever those roots may be, and follow the wisdom narrated by the sages. Water, the greatest medicine, must never ever be polluted, contaminated, nor taken for granted. It must always be used (judiciously), improved (righteously), protected (ethnically) and worshipped
(spiritually). Similarly, the health of soil like of all mothers which are revered in India’s rich and diverse cultures; should never ever be taken for granted; and the bhumi or vasundhra must always be used, improved and restored by using the “The Technology with Wisdom”. “There is no such thing as a free lunch” — so said Barry Commoner in his book The Closing Circle published in 1971. Indeed, everything has a price. An economic price and an ecological price. The former is governed by the demand and supply equation at a given time, and the latter by the environmental footprint of a produce related to the impact of production systems on the environment (quality of air, water, soil, and biota). The ecolog-
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WATER POLLUTION ical price has a long-lasting impact and is often far more than the economic price because of the impairment of some critical ecosystem services un-provisioned because of the degradation of natural resources. Towards an attempt to achieve food self-sufficiency in India, the high ecological price of agroecosystems has been grossly overlooked.Yes, India’s agriculture has been a remarkably success story. Not only has India succeeded in achieving food self-sufficiency (as measured in terms of average grain production), it also became a net food exporter. While doomsayers expressed apprehension about India’s ability to be a food self-sufficient nation, agricultural scientists of India ushered in the Green Revolution during 1960s and 1970s and saved hundreds of millions from starvation.
Fertilizer Use in India
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The phenomenal increase in crop production, because of the modernization of agroecosystems and use of the Green Revolution technology, is attributed to the adoption of improved varieties and use of external inputs (fertilizers, tillage, irrigation). In 2014, the average rate of fertilizer consumption in India was 165 kg/ha or arable land compared with the world average rate of 138 kg/ ha. Similar to use of fertilizers, there was also an increase in the land area equipped for irrigation, from 25.9 M ha (million hectare) in 1961, 31.5 M ha in 1970, 40.8 M ha in 1980, 49.5 M ha in 1990, 60.4 M ha in 2000, 67.7 M ha in 2010 and 70.4 M ha in 2014. Consequently, the average yield of food grains in India increased from 0.9 Mg/ha between 1938-39 and 1951 to 2.07 Mg/ha in 2014-15. The increase in national average crop yield of India between 1961 and 2014 was from 1.54 Mg/ha to 3.58mg/ ha for rice paddy, 0.85 Mg/ha to 3.15 Mg/ha for wheat, 0.96 Mg/ha to 2.56 Mg/ha for maize, and 0.45 Mg/ha to 1.20 Mg/ha for soybeans. In general, the average crop yield is almost double from irrigated than that from rain-fed lands. However , even the yield from irrigated lands in India is lower than those in other counties. Grain yield of rice in India (~3.5 Mg/ha) is ~50% of that in the U.S., that of wheat (~3 Mg/ha) is only 60% of that in China, that of other cereals (~2.5 Mg/ha) is ~40% of that in the U.S., and that of pulses (~0.5 Mg/ha) is merely 20-25% that in China and the U.S. Despite the remarkable success, there is no cause of complacency because even bigger challenges lie ahead to feeding the growing and richer population while also improving and restoring the polluted and degraded environments.
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Fertilizers and other chemicals are a “necessary evil.” We have to use them for increasing agricultural production and feeding India’s growing and increasingly affluent population ,but there is an ecological price which we must minimize by using “The Technology with Wisdom”. The Environmental Footprint of Agroecosystems of India Not only are the national average crop yields in India lower than those of China, Brazil, and U.S., but the environmental footprint of agroecosystems of India are much higher than those of advanced countries in eastern Asia, Australia, Europe, U.S.and South America. The quality of soil, water, air, and vegetation/biotic resources (biodiversity) has been severely jeopardized in the quest to achieve food self-sufficiency. The groundwater resources, especially those of the Indo-Gangetic Plains, are severely depleted because of excessive withdrawal for supplemental irrigation. The gift of free electricity to farmers for pumping the irrigation water caused a sticker shock to the nation. While the ground water was depleting in some regions and causing inundation and waterlogging in others, its quality was being compromised everywhere because of land misuse, soil mismanagement and inappropriate use of inputs. There are numerous examples of the eutrophication and contamination of waters by inappropriate use of flood-based irrigation, broadcasting of fertilizers and indiscriminate and unbalanced use of plant nutrients . A study of the groundwater in southwestern Punjab indicated high concentration of fluoride (average of 3.03±1.3 mg/L and the maximum of 10.6 mg/L) and of nitrate (average of 25.1±10.3 mg/L and the maximum of 90 mg/L) compared with the permissible limit of 1.5 mg/L and 10 mg/L, respectively. Another study in the central districts of Punjab indicated that ~28% of the groundwater samples had nitrate concentration >10 ppm of which 12.5% had concentration >15 ppm. In a recent book The End of Plenty, Joel K. Bourne, Jr. (2015), indicated the health hazard of drinking the polluted groundwater in Punjab. He pointed out the train number 339, from Bathinda to Bikan-
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er carrying 70 cancer patients a day, and dubbed it as “the Cancer Express.” Joel Bourne Jr. also indicated the debt burden of the farmer and the related social issues. While the ground water was being depleted and both surface and ground water polluted and contaminated, the sticker shock of a high ecological price was exacerbated by the simultaneous degradation of soil, water and the biota. The air, especially in the sub-Himalayan regions (Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, U.P.), is highly polluted because of the burning of crop residues, using traditional cooking fuel (dung and biomass) and ever increasing brickmaking kilns producing 250 billion bricks per year. Soils are severely depleted of their antecedent organic matter reserves, and are prone to accelerated erosion, nutrient imbalance and salinization. The soil organic carbon content in the root zone of soils of northwestern regions is as low as 0.05% compared with an optimal range of 1.5 to 2.0%, and the soil biota (earthworms, termites, centipedes, millipedes, fungi, bacteria)
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have not only been starved but also poisoned. Soils have been rendered as a sterile sand culture for dumping water and fertilizers.
Technology without Wisdom The problem is not with the technology per se but with the way it is used. It is an over and unbalanced fertilization, excessive plowing, in-field burning of crop residues, perpetual use of dung for cooking rather than as manure and uncontrolled and excessive grazing, simplification of crop rotations etc. which have exacerbated the environmental problem. The environmental cost is also aggravated by the “get rich quick’ attitude and by cutting corners for making a quick buck. Just as the flood irrigation turned out to be an expensive venture, so did the subsidy on nitrogen fertilizer. Farmers buy the cheaper nitrogen and ignore relatively costly phosphorus, potash and micro-nutrients . Such an indiscriminate use of inputs
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Challenge that lies ahead is producing even more food while also restoring and improving the environment. It can be and must be done by involving farmers, land managers, scientists, extension agents and policy makers. The strategy is to restore the health of soil by improving its organic matter content, enhancing its structure, improving activity and species diversity of its biota
is a serious concern because of biophysical, ecological, economic and social issues. While not all fertilizers and pesticides are equally harmful and not all farming communities are at equal risks, the high environmental footprint of agroecosystems must not be ignored. Even one suicide by a farmer or another member of the society is one too many. No one should suffer in silence, and the environment must be protected and restored not just for well-being of human, but also for the livestock and all other 84 lakhs forms of life on the planet. As an analogy, taking one aspirin can alleviate the headache, while taking 50 or 100 can kill even a boxing champion. Presumptuous and unthinkable as it may sound, any updating of the list of Mahatma Gandhi’s seven sins of humanity, should include “Technology without Wisdom” on the top. Fertilizers and other chemicals are a “necessary evil.” We have to use them for increasing agricultural production and feeding India’s growing and increasingly affluent population ,but there is an
ecological price which we must minimize by using “The Technology with Wisdom”. This humongous ecological challenge – “achieving food and nutritional security while restoring and improving the environment” must be addressed by the judicious and discriminate use of technology (just as aspirin must be used with all precautions). Therefore, the task of scientific community is to determine: 1) when and how (if at all) should any plowing be done to prepare the seedbed, 2) when, how much and at what proportion of plant nutrients should the fertilizers be used and how should it be administered,3) how much, when and by what method should the irrigation water be applied,4) at what frequency should forages/ legumes be included in the rotation cycle, and 5) how much biomass should be returned to the field to enhance and restore its soil organic matter content. An equitable and fair philosophy is “ grains for the people and crop residues for the soil”. Because we have not given the mother earth its proper share of crop residues and manure for a very long time, it has rebelled against its own children. Another chapter of the book by Barry Commoner vividly states the fact that “ mother nature knows best, and is very unforgiving”.
The Strength of a Chain Just as the strength of a chain is determined by its weakest link, crop yield is also determined by the most deficient of the essential plant nutrients in the soil(The Liebig Law of Minima). Thus, an over-application of nitrogen( because of subsidy)
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will not increase the yield (and will washed down into the groundwater, carried into streams or volatilized into the air as a potent greenhouse gas or the laughing gas) because adequate amounts of P, K, Ca, Mg and other elements are not available. The strategy is to apply fertilizers in a way to balance the input of all essential elements. The consumption ratio of N:P:K input in India was 6.7:3.1:1 in 2011-12, 8.2:3.2:1 in 2012-13, and 9.7:2.7:1 in 2013-14. Most crops need about 1 part of P for every 5 parts of N. Thus, Indian farmers are using more N than P or K and the excessive N is entering into the environment. The leakage of chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) is exacerbated when the soils are devoid/depleted of their organic matter content. Some of the nitrogen used by crops can be produced by including legumes in the rotation cycle. A healthy soil with a high activity and species diversity of soil biota in the root zone is also a “disease-suppressive soils.” It contain microbes which suppress activities of pests and pathogens, and produce health crops. We must remember that “health of soil ,plants ,animals , people and ecosystems is one and indivisible”. By restoring soil health, the name “Cancer Express” (Train #339 from Bathinda to Bikaner) must be changed to “Swasth Express”.
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Minimizing the Trade offs of Modern Agroecosystems
environmental footprint .Yes, Gods do answer the sincere prayers.
Integrated nutrient management , based on judicious use of fertilizers in combination with biological N fixation and recycling of manure and residues along with restoration of soil health; can reduce the rate of application of fertilizers. Just as an aspirin can cure the common headache, similarly judicious use of fertilizers and even GMOs can also reduce the use of pesticides, especially when grown in conjunction with the “disease-suppressive soils.” Let us consider, for the sake of discussion, the use of BT brinjal. We do have a choice: (i) do not eat brinjal, (ii) eat the one which has been partly eaten and infested by worms, (iii) consume the one which has been sprayed weakly or biweekly by pesticides containing poisonous substances, or (iv) consume the one which has BT gene.
Back to Our Roots
Naturally, the BT gene has also minute concentration of compounds which repel insects and pathogens. Given a choice, I would use the one with the BT gene containing a low concentration of natural compounds than the one which has been sprayed many times with poisonous substances. Remember, “there is no such thing as a free lunch,” everything has tradeoffs. And ,we must pray to God to grant us the wisdom of choosing an option that has the least tradeoffs— minimal
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Ancient scriptures of all religions have emphasized the importance of water and of the maintenance of its purity. Thus, water is considered sacred in all religions and cultural traditions. •
The Rig Veda vividly illustrates several gods connected with water in sacred rivers (Apas, Indra, Varun, Parjanya), and considers all waters as divine:
•
“Ya Apadivya ut ca Sarvanti Khanitrima ut va yah Swayamjah; Samudratha yah Shuchaye Pavakasta Apao Divirh Mamvantu.”
•
“The water which is created in the universe; the water which flows in the form of rivers etc.; the water that comes from digging of the wells, canals, etc.; the water which is self-created in the form of water falls etc., which enters the ocean and which is pure and full of light, and which is full of divine characteristic, help me in this world and
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such of His servants as He wills. And they are rejoicing” [Quaran 30:48] Not surprisingly, the Holy Bible also contains 107 verses about water, such as the followings,
received by me.” The Vedic scriptures also state: •
“Yama Raja Varuno Yati Madhyai Satyanrite, Avapashyanje Yajnanam, Madhuschutah Shuchaye Yah Pavakah ta Apro Devirih Mamavantu.”
•
Water is the greatest medicine. It does away with the disease and is the giver of health, strength, long life, wealth and immortality.
Similar views are expressed in the Holy Quran: •
•
“We sent down water from the sky, blessed water whereby We caused to grow gardens, grains for harvest, tall palm trees with their spathes, piled one above the other – sustenance for (Our) servants. Therewith We gave (new) life to a dead land. So will be the emergence (from the tomb)” [Quran 50:9-11]. “Allah is the one who sends forth the winds which raised up the clouds. He spreads them in the sky as He will and break them into fragments. Then thou seest raindrops issuing from within them. He makes them reach
•
“Then God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate waters from waters.’” (Genesis 1:6-7)
•
“‘Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock and water will come out of it, that the people may drink’ and Moses did so in the sight of the Elders of Israel.” (Exodus 17:6)
•
“But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:16)
Food insecurity was the number one concern soon after the independence. In the quest to produce food for India’s burgeoning and growingly affluent population, the ecological price of agroecosystems, similar to those of industrial and urban, have been grossly overlooked. Even the bigger challenge that lies ahead is : producing even more food while also restoring and improving the environment. It can be and must be done by involving farmers, land managers, scientists, extension agents and policy makers. The strategy is to restore the health of soil by improving its organic matter content, enhancing its structure, improving activity and species diversity of its biota. Fertilizers and other inputs must be used discriminately. Used properly and judiciously, fertilizers can enhance and sustain agricultural production. Abuse and misuse of fertilizers can contaminate water, pollute air, degrade soil quality and jeopardize health of plants, animals , people and ecosystems. Humanity must go back to its roots, whatever those roots may be, and follow the wisdom narrated by the sages. Water, the greatest medicine, must never ever be polluted, contaminated nor taken for granted. It must always be used (judiciously), improved (righteously), protected (ethnically) and worshipped (spiritually).Albert Einstein said, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” It is appropriate to address the global issues by combining scientific innovations with the pertinent religious beliefs and “use technology with wisdom”.
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RESILIENT FARMING
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Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM): Vital for Resilient Farming Systems in India
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Pawan Kumar pawan.kumar@smsfoundation.org
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eterioration of soil fertility is major concern for the sustainability of Indian agriculture. Soil function is vital for the production of food as well as the maintenance of local, regional, and global ecology.For centuries, the farmers of India practiced a cultural system that ensures modest but stable yields and still maintained optimum soil fertility. This balance interrupted by the widespread increase in production with the introduction of high-yielding varieties, intensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and extensive tillage. This shift raises a concern about whether the Green Revolution in agriculture is sustainable and heading to a green economy. Over the years, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical countries around the world, it is realised that change are still slow. Soils are continuously exhausted and mismanaged. Vast cultivable areas are lost every year and the trend is not slowing down. Concern about healthy fertile soil is greater than ever.India is one of the most highly affected countries in terms of land degradation and this issue is not being adequately addressed
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at any level. Soil heal is of such extreme importance that future land management decisions must be made to lead to more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems. Rain-fed areas of India have a serious problem with soil degradation. Nearly 60% of total net sown are rain-fed, accounting 48% used for food crops and 68% used for non-food crops. In rainfed areas, after access to fresh water, soil degradation is the key factor in creating agriculture subsistence for small landholders. There is no single, simple and unique solution to address the soil degradation problem universally. A local integrated and action-oriented soil fertility management strategy is a must. Integrated soil fertility management adapts and maximizes the efficiency of nutrients and water use and improves land productivity. ISFM strategies include the combined use of chemical fertilizers (both macro and micronutrients) and organic matter (crop residues, compost, and green manure) followed by the use of appropriate crop rotation and intercropping with legumes (a crop that
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There is no single, simple and unique solution to address the soil degradation problem universally. A local integrated and action-oriented soil fertility management strategy is a must.
fixes atmospheric nitrogen). Sehgal Foundation promotes the ISFM approach in district Nuh,a rain-fed district of Haryana. The soil of the district has become highly degraded due to injudicious use of chemical fertilizers. The traditional practices of leaving no crop residue on farmland and a decreasing supply of organic manure adversely affect physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. As a result, the average productivity of major crops such as wheat, mustard and millet are lower than the state average. To revitalize soil of small landholders, Sehgal Foundation encourages farmers to adopt several interventions such as crop-specific soil nutrient management, the cultivation of legume crops (pigeon pea and chickpea), new methods to prepare organic manure quickly, green manuring and the adoption of crop rotations. Providing the solution locally, in 2012, Sehgal Foundation, in collaboration with the state agriculture department, developed a soil fertility map of the district Nuh, which covered 432 villages. One sample represent one square kilometer are a.GPS was used to mark the location of each sample. Samples were tested on Haryana government’s soil testing laboratory, Karnal. The images below show the status of different nutrients in the soils of district Nuh.
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Major findings of soil analysis: Except sulphur and manganese, the samples were found deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, zinc, and iron. Nitrogen and phosphorus were found to be low in 87% and 97% samples respectively. Zinc was critically low in 40% samples. Except for a few pockets in Taoru, the general status of iron in the district was normal. Approximately 60% of samples had soil salinity. The soil alkalinity was normal in most samples. The district agriculture department and Sehgal Foundation launched a campaign to bring about mass scale awareness of the importance of soil health management. In village meetings, farmers were trained on the use of crop-specific fertilizer recommendations and were motivated to increase the supply of good quality organic matter in their soil. In consultation with a researcher and
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plant nutritionist, a customized package of practices was developed for wheat, onion, mustard, millet, and cotton. For quick learning, demonstrations of balanced fertilizer application were done on one acre. Crop specific nutrients were provided for half of the acre (demo plot) and on the remaining half-acre (control plot),farmers used their own practices. The results showed that balanced fertilizers reduce cultivation costs and increase productivity. In addition, the use of micronutrients improve grain quality and enhance plant tolerance to 102 stress. With support from corporate donors, Sehgal Foundation initiated various related projects that provided these same benefits to more than 10,000 farmers. The application of a crop-specific package of practice results increased crop productivity by 20%, 19%,25%,27%, and 24% in wheat, mustard, cotton, onion, and millet respectively. ISFM demonstration in millet and wheat Soil organic matter plays a key role in improving the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. Over the years, due to a decline in the animal population, the supply of organic matter to farmland has been reduced considerably. In current practices, farmers are supplying smaller amounts of poorer quality (partially decomposed) manures. The application of poorly decomposed organic matter invites termite attacks in the field. Sehgal Foundation introduced compost beds, which allow farmers to prepare good-quality manure 40–45 days in summer and 80–90 days in winter, whereas traditional practices took 180–270 days. A compost bed can be used year round and farmers can prepare compost three times a year. The capacity of one bed is 18–20 quintal per unit. The application of well-decomposed manures increases the moisture holding capacity, soil aeration and improves microbial activity in the soil.
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Pulses are legume crops considered as climate-resilient in a rain-fed farming system. Pulses requires less water, improve soil organic content, and fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. The high market value of pulses bring a high return. Sehgal Foundation introduced short-duration pigeon pea into the existing crop rotation, which matures in 170–180 days and allows farmers to grow a winter crop. The cultivation of short-duration pigeon pea provides additional income of Rs14,338 per acre compared with millet, the alternative crop of kharif season.
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Maintaining or improving soil health is essential for sustainable and productive agriculture. Healthy soil will help push agricultural productivity. ISFM strategies assist farmers in following a scientific process for agriculture without losing soil’s inherent capacity to produce more if its fertility level is maintained In India, dhaincha (sesbaniabispinosa) is traditionally used for green manure. It is mixed with the soils to improve soil’s physical and chemical properties. The plant is also cultivated for its skin fiber, wood
and seeds. Sehgal Foundation works with farmers to follow crop rotation with dhaincha, which can grow on the field’s bund or as pure plantation. For 103 green manuring, dhaincha is mixed into the soil through harrow or cultivation once it attains the age of 45–60 days and a height of 120–150 cm. A 60-day crop provides 23.2 tons of dry matter per ha and accumulates 133 kg nitrogen per hac. In addition, green manure improves soil structure and the water-holding capacity of the soil and improves microbial activities that are good for soil health. Maintaining or improving soil health is essential for sustainable and productive agriculture. Healthy soil will help push agricultural productivity. ISFM strategies assist farmers in following a scientific process for agriculture without losing soil’s inherent capacity to produce more if its fertility level is maintained. Sehgal Foundation adopted the ISFM approach using multiple tools such as soil mapping, techniques for producing quality manures, developing a customised package of practices, conducting field demonstrations and field days, promoting green maturing, and following a legume-based crop rotation. The adoption of this multiple approach helps more than 10,000 farmers and increases the productivity of major crops of the region. The increased level of awareness and adoption of these tools can help turn current subsistence farming into productive farming.
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Food Security in India
An Exploratory Overview 104
Dr Deepak Chandran
MVSc Scholar, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University
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pproximately 7.5 billion people are occupying the earth, at present. In order to feed every one adequately we need 2800 million tonnes of cereals would be required, against which global production is only 2100 million tonnes. This deficit in production has left over 868 million people undernourished worldwide, out of which 850 million are living in developing countries and India is one of such countries which has a major proportion of undernourished children.
ues to be a cause of concern. Major reasons which still keep India a developing nation, are growing population, over dependence of rural population on agriculture, decreasing growth in agricultural production due to depleting natural resources and poor implementation of development programmes intended to promote sustainable development. Among these problems, food security is the most crucial as it hampers the development of the people as well as the nation.
India ranks poorly in terms of both hunger and malnutrition. On the contrary the demand for protein of animal is increasing day by day due to rapid urbanization. By 2050, consumption of meat and dairy products is projected to increase by 173 percent and 158 percent respectively, as that of 2016. To meet the growing demand and to cope up with 9 billion world population by 2050, agricultural production needs to increase substantially including of increase in animal production and animal products.
Increase in agricultural production through active involvement of small farmers and weaker sections of the society can empower the rural poor to earn their livelihood and improve their quality of life. Hence, agricultural development deserves priority.
While India has made significant progress in the areas of Science and Technology and industrial development, food security for the rural poor contin-
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Priority Sectors for Food Security 1. Livestock Development: Over 70 - 80% rural households in India, particularly small farmers, own different species of livestock as a source of sustainable income. However, over 80 percent of the livestock particularly cattle and buffaloes are uneconomical due to low milk yield. To address this problem, BAIF has demonstrated a unique approach of genetic improvement for producing high
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water bodies to improve the quality of water suitable for human consumption. Watershed Development is another important programme which needs to be intensified to make best use of the rain water. Out of 80 million ha rainfed cropping area, over 60 million ha are located in semi-arid and arid regions where farmers are not willing to invest in critical agricultural inputs and hence, end up with low crop yields. Promotion of Water Users’ Groups for efficient distribution and utilisation of water, metered distribution of water for irrigation, good incentives for introducing micro-irrigation systems and curb on free power supply can help in popularising the new programme. 3. Improving Agricultural Production: The strategy should be to reclaim degraded and wastelands to facilitate crop production and introduce suitable eco-friendly practices to improve the production in rain-fed areas. It is estimated that over 9 million ha of fertile lands have turned into wastelands due to excessive irrigation and lack of drainage facilities.
yielding cattle and buffaloes at the doorsteps of small farmers and 3 such milch animals can provide sustainable livelihood for a family. Goat husbandry is another opportunity to provide supplementary income without increasing the herd size and burden on natural resources. This programme, focussing on breed improvement, health care, efficient feeding by use of available resources and direct marketing, could enhance the income by 4 - 5 times within a short span of 12 to 18 months. Piggery and poultry also have good opportunity in selected areas. Livestock development blended with agriculture can facilitate an efficient nutrient cycle to boost agricultural production. 2. Water Resources Management: Water is the most critical input for giving a boost to agricultural production. India is not a water poor country. On an average, the country receives an average rainfall of 1770 mm annually, but only 30-50% rainwater is utilised effectively. Inspite of the potential to irrigate 140 million ha lands, only about 62 million ha is under irrigation. It is necessary to introduce efficient irrigation systems preferably by promoting micro-irrigation, while covering rainfed areas under an efficient watershed development programme. It is also necessary to restrict disposal of sewage and effluents into rivers and
With scientific reclamation, these wastelands can be brought under agricultural production to produce 6 - 8 tons of food grains per ha. Development of such wastelands on a mission mode, involving committed voluntary organisations as facilitators for backward and forward integration, can easily 105 increase the food production by 50 - 60 million tons per annum while generating year round employment for millions. Farmers in rain-fed areas need timely information about weather forecasts and mechanised implements to carry out various tillage operations well in time. Increasing the production of pulses and minor millets needs special attention as these crops can be grown even on low fertile soils under moisture stress. Increasing the production of
these crops is also important for increasing the nutritional intake of the poor and to reduce the problem of malnutrition. Such crop rotation will
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To meet the growing demand and to cope up with 9 billion world population by 2050, agricultural production needs to increase substantially including of increase in animal production and animal products. not only add to the food production but also help in enrichment of the soil. There is need for investing in breeding short duration drought resistant varieties of these crops and introducing them in the existing crop rotation. Use of organic manure, vermicomposting, bio fertilizers and bio pesticides produced locally, by the farmers themselves, will not only bring down the cost of production but will also improve the quality of the produce. Further, local youth can be trained to mentor farmers and guide them in carrying out various farming operations as well as for establishing backward and forward linkages. There is good scope to promote new crops which can be grown profitably and new varieties which are water efficient for introduction under rain-fed agriculture, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. 4. Promotion of Agri-Horti-Forestry and Sustainable Agriculture: There are various systems of agroforestry to suit different agro-climatic conditions while meeting the local needs. While the shallow soils under moisture stress are suited for silvopasture, denuded lands located in areas receiving 800 mm rainfall, can be brought under agri-horti-forestry. 5. Capacity Building for Governance: While focussing on capacity building of the farmers in rain-
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fed areas, it is necessary to adequately build the capabilities of the illiterate farmers and women in particular, to face newly emerging challenges and manage the programme efficiently. This can be done through formation of Producers’ Groups, creating awareness through exposure visits, hands-on training on appropriate technologies and establishing linkages with development and financial institutions for free access to technologies and resources. Development of physical infrastructure such as godowns for seeds, fertilisers, cold storage, grading and processing facilities depending on the type of crops and existing facilities in different regions, can be taken up. There is also a need for sensitising the members of the local Government, particularly the Grama Panchayats and Farmers’ Cooperatives and well reputed Civil Society Organisations to take active part in supporting the programme. These organisations can also assume the responsibility of managing the public distribution system and monitoring various development programmes implemented by the Gram Panchayat. Challenges Ahead 1.Programmes and policies in India for food security : The National Food Security Act, 2013 (also Right to Food Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India which aims to provide subsidized food grains
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to approximately two thirds of India’s 1.2 billion people. It was enacted on September 12, 2013. It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and the Public Distribution System. The Midday Meal Scheme and the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme are universal in nature whereas the PDS reaches to two-thirds of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas) in our country. The Food Security Bill should recognise the changing consumption expenditure pattern and offer the people a wider choice, which will be in line with the production pattern. If India remains cereal centric, then it will go towards regressive manner. 2. Production Efficiency: A major concern in the Indian livestock sector is low animal productivity. In India, average milk yield per cow per day is only 0.92 and 5.42 kg for indigenous and crossbred cattle, respectively whereas world average is 6.3 kg per day. Furthermore, the actual milk yield of bovines is reported to be 26-51% below the attainable yield under field conditions. The country employs 47.2% of the work force in agriculture and contributes only 14% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP)). The poor productivity of crop land, livestock and labor force engaged in agriculture is a cause of serious concern in Indian agriculture. 3. Limited Resources: In India, of the total land mass, 52.92 percent of land is used for agriculture and the area under fodder cultivation is estimated to be about 4% of the gross cropped area. As per Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) estimates, out of total geographical area (328.73 million hectare), about 120.40 million hectare is affected by various kind of land degradation The problem of land fragmentation, degradation, nutrient depletion, salinization, expanding urban areas pose greater challenge to feed the country’s population with only 0.128 ha of crop land per capita, against world average of 0.23 ha. 4. Climate Change: India is very much vulnerable to climatic change due to its large crop sector, very warm springs and huge dependency ratio on agriculture. Around 68 percent of the country is prone to drought in varying degrees of which 35
percent drought prone receiving rain falls between 750 and 1125 mm, while 33 percent is chronically drought prone, receives less than 750 mm rainfall. Small farmers and fisher folk will suffer complex impacts of climate change, due to poor adaptive capacity and other climate-related vagaries, particularly in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Grazing and mixed rain-fed systems of livestock production will be the most damaged by climate change which supports India’s 40 percent of the human and 60 percent of the livestock population. Food security can be achieved by closing ‘yield gaps,’ increasing crop and livestock production efficiency, reducing waste in the food supply chain;crop/livestock diversification and integration; conserving crop wild relatives and agro-biodiversity, by adopting greenhouse gas abatement, production boosting technologies in agriculture and animal husbandry. Application of these measures together, could double the food production with available resources without increasing environmental impacts. Smallholder’s intensification and linking them with corporate bodies and modern retail food supply chains needs urgent attention since they hold majority of livestock in the country and can play a major role in food security and environmental stability. To avoid harmful effects of global warming, small changes in our day to day life style is a crucial turning point which need due 107 attention. Techniques of remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) need to be fully explored against various unpredicted outcomes because of fluctuating climatic conditions. The recent advances in science and novel technologies/concepts need to be fully explored for their optimum potentials like genetic engineering, disease resistant varieties, embryo transfer technology, artificial insemination, superior genetics and breeding practices, cloning, nutrigenomics, immunemodulatory among others. These altogether may help increase and boost both agricultural and animal produces including of crops, cereals, foods, milk, meat and other products and this will help us to achieve the objective of feeding the population with enhanced food security for everyone.
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K.S. SHANMUGAM Editor, Krishi Jagran (Uzhavar Ulagam), Chennai – 600 024.
TAMILNADU GOVERNMENT PROMOTES COLLECTIVE FARMING TO EMPOWER SMALL AND MARGINAL FARMERS
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amil Nadu is predominantly an agrarian state where 70 percent of the population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood. The State has about 63 lakh hectares of cropped area and the scope for expansion of the cropped area is very much limited due to increasing urbanization, industrialization and infrastructure development. Tamil Nadu Government invariably gives full attention to improving agricultural production and productivity by adopting modern farm technologies. The State has accomplished a record production of 113 lakh tonnes of food grains during 2015-16 and has won the Krishi Karman Award thrice in a period of five years.
Problem & Solution Nearly 92 percent of the agricultural holdings in Tamil Nadu, being small and marginal in size, have a limited capacity to adopt modern farm technologies and to improve the farm productivity. In this context, collective farming can be considered as a viable solution to this agrarian problem of small and marginal holdings. Through collective farming, small and marginal holdings can be consolidated into viable agricultural holdings, so as to reap the benefits of
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modern farm technologies.
Collective Farming Collective farming is an organization of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise. A collective farm is essentially an agricultural production cooperative in which member-owners engage jointly in farming activities.
Benefits of Collective Farming • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Better planning and utilization of resources Increase in agricultural production and productivity More knowledge on recent advances in agriculture Improved access to modern technologies Access to credit by linkage to banks Cost effective inputs and logistics Better Infrastructure creation and management Enable Forward linkages Better Market opportunities Remunerative prices for increased profit Access to Market information and networking Collective bargaining power Collective business planning
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Innovative Project The Government of Tamil Nadu is launching an innovative project for organizing small and marginal farmers into Farmer Producer Groups which will be federated into Farmer Producer Organisations to promote Collective Farming for credit mobilization, better adoption of technology and to facilitate effective forward and backward linkages. In 2017-18, as a pilot project, 2,000 Farmer Producer Groups will be promoted each consisting of not less than 100 farmers so as to cover atleast two lakh farmers this year. Each Farmer Producer Group will be given a corpus fund of Rs.5 lakhs besides channelizing grants and credit available to Farmer Producer Organisations from NABARD and Small Farmers Agri Business Consortium (SFAC). A total allocation of Rs.100 crores has been made for this purpose for 201718. This project would be implemented in all the districts in Tamil Nadu except Chennai district. This project will be scaled up in the coming years to benefit 40 lakh farmers over the next five years.
Project Profile The concept of Collective Farming is to identify small and marginal farmers in a contiguous area and group them as Farmers Interest Groups (FIG). Five FIGs would be integrated into a Farmer Producer Group (FPG). Such FPGs would be encouraged to adopt mixed farming and add value to the supply chain of the agricultural produce through Micro enterprises and Service institutions owned and operated by them. Each FPG would consist of minimum 100 farmers so as to cover at least two lakh farmers during 2017-18. Ten FPGs in a contiguous area in a district would be federated into a Farmer Producer Organization (FPO).
Objectives of the Project To mobilize small and marginal farmers into Farmer Producer Groups to share knowledge on better practices, cost effective agricultural technologies aiming at increased productivity. To upgrade the Farmer Interest Groups
into Farmer Producer Organiation for the improved livelihood keeping in mind the collective interest of the farmers of better profit. To provide promotional support in terms of financial assistance for formation of farmer groups, Social capital development, Human resource development, registration of Farmer Producer Organizations, purchase of farm machineries, etc., To remove hurdles in enabling farmers’ access to credit facilities and markets. To create an conducive environment for collective production and marketing for better profitability and sustainability. To retain the interest of farmers in farming occupation. Outcome of the Project i. Economic outcome: Integration of small and marginal farmers for collective farming activities Productivity enhancement for FPGs by 1015 percent. Support in terms of technology, inputs, farm machinery, credit, infrastructure, training and exposure visits are ensured to FPGs in time. Market-led agriculture brings larger profit to farmers. Supply chain is realized by the FPGs for more share in consumer’s price. Increased net income. Strengthened backward linkage with production and forward linkage with markets. Stability in farming both in production as well as marketing. Empowerment for collective bargaining by promotion of FPOs Time required for FPO formation is curtailed since FPGs are institutionalized and ready for federating into FPOs. ii. Social outcome: Promotion of participatory farming system and mutual sharing of experiences for the benefit of all. Emergence of farmer-leaders and entrepreneurs. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) make less disturbance to environment. Enhancement of skill in agricultural practices leads to next level of professionalism. More inclination towards farming.
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AGRI NEWS
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Agro-Chem Federation of India :
AIMING THE WELFARE OF AGRICULTURE
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fforts to improve Indian agriculture are continuous. Various associations of private sector companies, government departments and agriculture are working for the upliftment of this sector. A large part of agricultural development depends on agro-chemicals which play an important role in protecting crops from insects and diseases. Agro Chem Federation of India(ACFI) is a ‘Not ForProfit Organization’registered under the Society Registration Act XXI of 1860 w.e.f. June 6, 2017. This organization represents some more than 10Agro-chemical companies initially and is gaining support from fellow agrochemical based companies.Agro Chem Federation of India (ACFI) was officially launched on 5thJuly, 2017 during a FICCI Seminar on “ Empowering Farmers
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on Scientific Use of Crop Protection ChemicalsPesticides for Maximization of Yield” held at Chandigarh, INDIA. Dr. Arjun Singh Saini, Director General Horticulture, Govt. of Haryana and Dr. D. Kanungo, Chairperson, Scientific Panel on Pesticide Residues and Veterinary Drugs ( FSSAI ) & former adg, moh&fw released the acfi logo. the main aims and objects of agro chem federation of india are as stated: 1. To liaise with the Central & State Governments, associated Government & Non-Government Departments, Academic Institutions, Farmer Associations and other bodies to interact, coordinate and cooperate in matters pertaining to relevant legislations and policies framed under for the benefit
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Campaign, Doubling of Farmers’ Income by 2022, Skill India ( Kaushal Vikas se Krishi Vikas ), Make in India, etc. 6. To adopt the UN Sustainable Development Goals and contribute towards achieving the same by 2030 work towards achieving a transparent and efficient Regulatory Framework 7. ACFI Member Companies are committed to promote new technologies and products which are eco-friendly and safe to public health 8. The association discourages products that are associated and labeled and classify as RED Triangle Products under the IR 1971 existing toxicity classification. As such products are globally being phased out and alternate chemistry are being made available, in an attempt to promote safer economical technologies and products made thereof 9. To educate farmers on the appropriate use of pesticide involving right dose, timely application, appropriate application methodology and use of PPEs 10. Promote Farm mechanization in an attempt to reduce agri-input of the farmers 11. Organizing farmer meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops involving all stakeholders in educating farmers and State officials involved of a the overall Agro-based Industry including the agrochemical, fertilizer, seed, biocide, bio pesticides, farm mechanization and other related sectors. 2. To provide administrative and technical support to highlight the concerns raised by Member Companies with respect to manufacture, import & export, etc. 3. To work towards sustainability of Indian Agriculture and help provide quality agri-inputs at affordable prices. 4. To contribute towards National Policies in an attempt to contribute towards the betterment of the Indian Farming Community. 5. Actively participate & contribute to the GOI campaigns e.g. Grow Safe Food
12. ACFI, is committed to compile data available regarding consumption of pesticides including PGRs, Seeds etc. and share statistics involving State wise & Zone wise pest infestation of different zones for ready reference. 13. ACFI is committed to assist in MoA&FW reforms i.e. national horticulure mission, pradhan mantri fasal bima yojana, soil health card (shc), agroforestry, student ready programme in agriculture education, pradhan mantri sanjai yojana etc. 14. Imparting knowledge among Medical Practitioners & Village Health Workers towards the Timely and Appropriate Use of Pesticide Antidotes in cases of an observed, intentional or accidental case of pesticide poisoning. A Novel idea conceptualized by ACFI.
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National Banana Fest 2018 Celebrating the diversity of Banana
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ananas – the divine tree of life (kalpatharu) – have been grown in India from Vedic times. It is grown in more than 130 countries and is the fourth most important staple crop. India ranks first in global banana production but as an export commodity it lags behind most of the banana producing countries. Banana accounts for 36 percent of the total fruit production in the country. It is estimated that there are over 500 varieties of banana in India. Despite the vast diversity 40 percent of varieties grown worldwide belong only to a narrow sub group “Cavendish”. In order to overcome this it is necessary to project our rich biodiversity heritage to the world for better marketing opportunity. Banana fruit is widely eaten raw even though a wide variety of value added products can be
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made out of it. Value addition will help in reducing post harvest wastage and in increasing income of farmers. Banana pseudostem after harvest is wasted in most of the farms even though the fiber extracted from it is one of the strongest natural fibers which can be used to make fabrics, handicrafts and fashion goods. Similarly banana leaf plates are the answer to plastics and Styrofoam. National Banana Fest 2018 organized by Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA) in partnership with Kalliyoor Grama Panchayat and a host of National and State organizations will be the largest Banana Festival in India. This will benefit all who have an interest in Banana Sector – Producers, Traders, Exporters, Retailers, Consumers, Processors, Research workers, Input agencies, Governmental and non-Governmental organizations. NBF 2018 includes National Seminar, Nation-
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al Exhibition, Farmers Meet, Buyer-Seller meet, Training programmes, Cultural events, competitions and a host of other activities. NBF 2018 will be held at picturesque Kalliyoor panchayat Thiruvananthapuram situated on the banks of Vellayani Lake – the second largest fresh water lake in Kerala – and is 7 km from the world famous tourist site Kovalam Beach and 12km from Thiruvananthapuram, the State capital of Kerala. Highlights of NBF’ 2018: • Over 200 Exhibitors from all over India • Showcasing biodiversity of banana – over 300 varieties from different states. • Display of value added products from fruits, pseudostems, leaves etc. • Organic Banana market – Organic fertilizers and pesticides. • Harvesting, packaging and processing machinery. Participants: • Natural and State Research Centers for Banana • Agri-Horti food Technology Institution • Agricultural Universities • State Government Agencies
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Krishi Vigyan Kendra NGOs Nursery and Gardens Producers of Value Added products Machinery and packing case Manufactures Agro Biotech Companies
Call for Papers: Papers can be submitted for all the sub themes. Though the presenters can opt for oral poster, the review committee will decide the mode of presentation. For details and abstract submission log on to www.bananafest.in. Last date of submission of abstract: 31.12.2017 Contact: National Banana Festival Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA) T.C.15/510, USRA-55, Udarasiromani Road, Vellayambalam, Thiruvananthapuram -695010, Kerala, India Ph: 0471 2722151, +91 9447205913 Email: nationalbananafest@gmail.com, www. bananafest.in
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