Long Term Fertilizer Experiment by ICAR Shows Integrated Nutrient Management Practices Maintain Soil Fertility Status

Long term fertiliser experiment conducted by Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) at Ludhiana revealed that integrated nutrient management practices maintained the soil fertility status (organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium with improved biological activity), and that imbalanced use of chemical fertilisers resulted in decrease in soil fertility.

Further, studies on rice-wheat system with integrated nutrient management for 30 years in Punjab indicated no negative effect on soil organic carbon, available nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). As such, there is no harmful effect of fertilisers on soil fertility, if applied in a balanced and judicious manner. The fertility of soil is lost in certain situations mainly due to the imbalanced use of chemical fertilizers coupled with low use of organic manures.

Additionally, Indian Council of Agriculture & Research (ICAR) said the nitrogen use efficiency of nitrogenous fertilisers varies between 30-50% depending on soil type and crop grown. Remaining nitrogen is lost mainly by way of nitrate leaching (causing nitrate contamination in ground water above the permissible limit of 10 mg NO3-N /L).

Thus, ICAR is recommending soil test based balanced and integrated nutrient management practices through conjunctive use of both inorganic and organic sources (compost, bio-fertilisers, green manure etc.), split application and placement of nitrogenous fertilisers, use of slow releasing N-fertilisers, nitrification inhibitors and use of neem coated urea etc. to avoid such situation.

Government is implementing dedicated schemes for promotion of organic farming in the country viz. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development in North East Region (MOVCDNER) since 2015-16, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel informed Parliament.

Under these schemes, farmers are encouraged to take up organic cultivation using organic inputs and the schemes provide end to end support to farmers’ i.e. from production to marketing of organic produce. Hands-on training to farmers about on-farm production of organic fertilizers and its use are integral part of these schemes. Farmers are provided a subsidy of Rs 15000/ ha / 3 years under PKVY and 15000/ ha/ 3 years under MOVCDNER for various organic inputs including bio-fertilizers and organic manure.

Further, the Government has approved the Market Development Assistance (MDA) at Rs 1,500/MT to promote organic fertilisers i.e., manure produced at plants under GOBARdhan initiative covering different biogas/CBG support schemes/programmes of stakeholders Ministries/Departments at the total outlay of Rs 1,451.84 crore (FY 2023-24 to 2025-26), which includes a corpus of Rs 360 crore for research gap funding etc.

PM-PRANAM initiative aims to complement the efforts initiated by States/UTs to save the health of Mother Earth by promoting sustainable and balanced use of fertilisers, adopting alternate fertilisers, promoting organic & natural farming etc.