Photo: BSS

RAJSHAHI, May 15, 2025 (BSS) - Use of balanced fertiliser following soil test has boosted paddy crop yield at least by 10 percent in the district, farmers revealed it in different crop-cutting ceremonies during the last couple of days in Rajshahi.

Abdur Rahman, 53, a farmer of Amtali village under Godagari upazila in the district, harvested 22 mounds of Boro paddy (dry) per bigha of land through conventional farming system, while 24 mounds from research plot meaning that 10 percent yield rise.

He has spent Taka 4,483 for fertilizer in his research plot per bigha of land, while Taka 5,667 in his conventional plot meaning that saving 26.39 percent production cost.

Rahman revealed this while showing his rising yield and declining production cost at a farmers' field day meeting titled "Use of Soil test-based Balanced Fertilisation: Practical Trial Plot" at Amtali village under Godagari Upazila on Wednesday afternoon.
 
On behalf of its 'Acidic Soil Management Programme', Soil Resource Development Institutions (SRDI) organized the farmers meeting for motivating and habituating the grassroots farmers towards the liming soil management system.
 
Chairman of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority Dr Muhammad Asaduzzaman and its Executive Engineer Tariqul Islam, SRDI Chief Scientific Officer Ameer Muhammad Zahid and its Principal Scientific Officer Dr Nurul Islam and Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Momenul Islam addressed the meeting disseminating their expertise on the issue.

Earlier on March 8 last, Helal Uddin, 48, a farmer of Soronjai village under Tanore upazila in the district, harvested 97 mounds of potato per bigha of land from his conventional farming system, while 116 mounds from research plot meaning that 20 percent yield rise.
 
Helal Uddin portrayed the fact of raising his potato yield at a farmers' field day on the same issue at Soronjai playground under the same upazila.

Addressing the meeting Dr Muhammad Asaduzzaman urged the farmers to become habituated to promotion of balanced fertiliser as it has become indispensable for protecting the soil health and its productivity.
 
He 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 ensuring the country's food security.
 
In his remarks, Dr Nurul Islam said yield of various crops, particularly wheat, potato, pulse, mustard and vegetables, can be inclined to at least 15-40 percent if dolomite is used on the excessive acidic soil.
 
He 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.
 
However, soil test-based use of balanced fertiliser has become indispensable to maintain soil properties positive to growth of plants, he added.