ZCZC
BSS-01
BALANCED-FERTILIZATION (with picture)
Fertilizing land after soil test stressed to boost production
RAJSHAHI, Dec 26, 2020 (BSS) – Speakers at a function urged the farmers to fertilize their cultivable land after necessary soil test to protect its health and increase production.
They viewed that soil nutrients have gradually been declining due to disproportionate use of fertilizer, creating a negative impact on the soil productivity.
The farmers should maintain soil health intact to boost production to ensure food security, they said.
They came up with the observation while distributing fertilizer recommendation cards among farmers at the function held in Chapainawabganj on Friday afternoon.
The Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) under its ‘Farmers Service Programme’ hosted the card distribution ceremony at the conference hall of Regional Horticulture Research Centre (RHRC).
On the occasion, around 70 farmers were given the cards besides disseminating ideas on how to avail facilities of mobile soil test laboratory to detect soil productivity and degradation and fertilizer using guidelines online.
Additional Secretary (Research) of the Ministry of Agriculture Kamolaranjon Das addressed the ceremony as chief guest.
RHRC Chief Scientific Officer Dr Horidas Chandra Mohanto and Principal Scientific Officer Dr Jamir Uddin spoke as special guests with SRDI Principal Scientific Officer Dr Nurul Islam in the chair.
Kamolaranjon Das said lesser use of organic matter and little or no use of leguminous green manure and bio-fertilizers have also been detected as the degradable factors.
He underscored the need for soil health management properly for retaining its productivity.
In the present context of exorbitant use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides in farms, the issue of water and soil pollution is being adjudged as a serious threat to public health, he said.
The problem, however, can be mitigated to a greater extent through creating public awareness, he added.
Dr Horidas Mohanto viewed disproportionate use of chemical fertilizers and harmful pesticides for cultivation of high yielding crops and vegetables are mainly blamed for the continued decline in soil nutrients.
“Organic matter needs to be at least 2.5 per cent in a normal soil, whereas the content in the area was found less than 1.3 per cent and even less than one per cent in some soils,” he revealed.
He said optimum level of organic matter is a must for building and maintaining positive soil properties and normal soil ecosystem.
BSS/AH/GMR/1055 hrs