RAJSHAHI, May 6, 2019 (BSS) – Speakers urged the farmers to become
habituated to promotion of soil test-based fertilization 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 fertilization 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 paddy harvesting from two demonstration plots, one research
and another farmers practice, at Kaligram village under Manda Upazila here
yesterday afternoon.
More than 100 farmers joined the programme and they were given ideas of
how to avail facilities of mobile soil test laboratory to detect soil
productivity and degradation and fertilizer using guideline through online.
Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) under its ‘Soil Research and
Strengthening of Soil Research Facilities’ project organized the field day
with the main objective of disseminating ideas and modern knowledge on how to
promote soil test-based fertilization.
SRDI Principal Scientific Officer Dr. Afsar Ali and its Senior Scientific
Officer Dr Nurul Islam addressed the meeting as focal persons while
Additional Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension Mahbubur
Rahman and Upazila Agriculture Officer Golam Faruque Hossain spoke as guests
of honour.
They also assessed yield of the two plots and found more yield of the
research plot where compost fertilizer and other chemical fertilizers on
prescribed rate used.
“I have got seven tonnes yield per hectare from the research plot while
5.6 tonnes from my own practice plot,” said Mahubul Alam, owner of the land.
Dr Afsar Ali 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
rightly 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 the public health. The problem, however, can be
mitigated to a greater extent through creating public awareness.
Soil test based fertilization has become indispensable to maintain soil
properties positive to growth of plants.