Thrust on soil test-based fertilisation to protect productivity

Soil health experts urged the farmers to become habituated to promotion of soil test-based fertilisation as it has become indispensable for protecting the soil health and its productivity.

They viewed that soil nutrients have gradually been declining due to disproportionate use of fertilisers and creating a negative impact on the soil productivity. The farmers should take the responsibility of protecting the soil health for the sake of food security.

They came up with the observation while addressing a farmers’ field day on the occasion of wheat harvesting from two demonstration plots, one research and another farmers practice, at Shiranti village under Shapaher upazila in Naogaon district today (Tuesday).

More than 50 farmers joined the programme and they were given ideas of how to avail facilities of mobile soil test laboratories to detect soil productivity and degradation and fertiliser using guidelines online.

On behalf of its ‘Acidic Soil Management programme, the Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) organised the field day with the main objective of disseminating ideas and modern knowledge on how to promote soil test-based fertilisation supported by Upazila Agriculture Office.

SRDI Principal Scientific Officer Dr. Nurul Islam and its Senior Scientific Officer Nilufer Yeasmin and Upazila Agriculture Officer Shapla Khatun addressed the meeting as focal persons disseminating their expertise on the issue.

They also assessed yield of the two plots and found more yield of the research plot where compost fertiliser and other chemical fertilisers on prescribed rate were used.

“I have got 16 mounds yield per bigha from the research plot while 11 mounds from my own practice plot,” said Golam Mostofa, owner of the land.

Dr. Nurul Islam said lesser use of organic matter and little or no use of leguminous green manure and biofertilizers have also been detected as the degradable factors. He underscored the need for soil health management rightly for retaining its productivity.

In the present context of exorbitant use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in farms, the issue of water and soil pollution is being judged as a serious threat to public health.

The problem, however, can be mitigated to a greater extent through creating public awareness. (BSS)