Need for Hand-held Device to Monitor Soil Health & Nutrient doses to Improve Farm Productivity

The Director General Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra visited ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal on 13th December 2018. Dr. Ashok K. Patra, Director (ICAR-IISS) accompanied him along with Dr. V.P.Singh, Director (ICAR-NISHAD), Bhopal and Dr N. P. Singh, Director, (ICARIIPR), Kanpur on the occasion. 

The DG ICAR applauded the scientists of the Institute for their remarkable achievements. He specifically highlighted the need for farmers’ friendly technologies to stop in-situ crop residue burning, hand held device to monitor soil health and to recommend nutrient doses for improving soil fertility and farm productivity. He also emphasized the need for frequent brainstorming meetings among the researchers to address the soil related issues and to devise ways to extend the appropriate location-specific technologies among the farming community. He said that Mridaparikshak technology of the institute has pan Indian reach. While applauding the institute scientists on this achievement, the Hon’ble DG, however, urged that detailed scientific analysis of the impact of the Mridaparikshak on fertilizer recommendation, yield enhancement and soil amelioration should be taken up. 

Dr. Patra, welcomed Hon’ble Secretary (DARE) & DG (ICAR) and other dignitaries for visiting the institute. He briefed the DG (ICAR) about the institute activities, and achievements/technologies such as Mridaparikshak, soil fertility maps on major, micronutrients at national level, contribution in preparation of global soil organic carbon (SOC) map, rapo-composting for in-situ recycling of crop residue to revert residue burning, conservation agriculture for sustaining soil health, MIR spectroscopy for rapid soil assessment, remediation of polluted soils, and harmonization of soil analysis procedure, etc. 

He also emphasized on the need to develop quick and easy to operate hand held device of soil health assessment which could address location specific soil health issues. He stressed upon the need to develop better microorganisms to expedite the in-situ decomposition process to stop crop residue burning. He also urged the senior level scientists to inspire and train the young scientists to make them leaders in future. Scientific, technical, administrative staff, students and RA and SRFs were also present during the interaction meeting.