Awareness campaign on Effiecient and balanced use of Fertilisers and region-specific agroforestry on 21.06.2022 at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, wyra

To commemorate 75 years of Indian Independence, ICAR institutes and KVKs are organizing awareness campaign on “Efficient and Balanced Use of Fertilisers” on 21.06.2022. The present times are seeing the large-scale soil degradation, loss of biodiversity due to two crop diets, natural calamities, climate vagaries, global warming, increased pests and diseases menace along with plethora of health problems amongst general populations. This brings in focus the need for maintaining soil fertility as the balanced use of fertilizers increases crop yields, improves quality of the produce, correct soil nutrient deficiencies, maintain or improve soil fertility and eventually restore fertility and productivity of the land that has been degraded by wrong and exploitative activities in the past. The diminished crop returns from increasing fertilizer applications in rice-wheat systems in South Asia may be explained by the imbalance in the supply of N, P and K with application of low amount of K. The decreases in soil organic matter and decline in the other micro minerals like Zn, B, Cu, Fe and Mn has also been observed. Balanced use of fertilisers ensures application of optimum quantities, in right proportion and through appropriate methods that help to sustain soil fertility and improve crop productivity. Balanced fertilization leads to building up soil health, while imbalanced fertilization leads to soil mining and its sickness. The developed or developing countries in the world have increased agricultural production without expanding the use of balanced fertilization resulting in low and imbalanced soils, decreased or stagnant agricultural yields with India is being no exception to this phenomenon. In this context, soil testing becomes imperative as is provides an accurate assessment of the soil's fertility helps in deciding on fertilizer recommendations as the lack of knowledge on existence of soil nutrient deficiencies or the degree of its prevalence leads to overfertilizing which may cause burn roots and contribute to plant mortality also. The increasing awareness of fertilizer effects on environmental quality is necessitating soil tests also to determine where fertilizers or manures should not be applied. A soil test helps in optimizing crop production, protect environment from contamination by runoff and leaching of excess fertilizers, aids in diagnosis of plant culture problems, improves soil nutritional balance for growing media to save money and conserve energy. Agroforestry is the land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland. Trees produce a wide range of useful and marketable products like fruits/nuts, medicines and wood products. It helps to reduce pressure on forests, more efficient recycling of nutrients by deep-rooted trees on the site, better protection of ecological systems, reduction of surface run-off, nutrient leaching and soil erosion through impending effect of tree roots and stems of these processes. It is considered as one of the fundamental strategies to tackle the increasing need for high quality productions while maximizing ecosystem services and reducing environmental impacts. In Telangana, oilpalm is being promoted and intercropping in oil palm plantations can reduce deforestation, increase biodiversity and boost farmers' income, food supply, helps in rural employment without hurting palm oil yields. Usually, agricultural land expansion often causes deforestation and forest degradation but growing multiple kinds of annual and perennial crops together in a system mimicking a forest is called agroforestry and is an agricultural technique being promoted worldwide to promote soil regeneration and health. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Wyra organised awareness campaign for “Efficient and Balanced Use of Fertilisers”. The programme was attended by Sri. A. Rami, Reddy, Progressive organic farmer, Mutthugudem of Khammam district, Dr. J. Hemantha Kumar, Programme Coordinator Dr Jessie Suneetha. W, Dr. V. Chaitanya and Dr K. Ravi Kumar along with farmers, students and other stake holders where in awareness on importance of efficient and balanced use of fertilisers for improved crop productivity, decrease environmental pollution and reduced cost of cultivation were discussed. The participants were sensitized on use of agrometeorological applications for efficient use of fertilisers and pesticides during monsoons.