RAJSHAHI, May 06 (BSS): Speakers 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 paddy harvesting from two demonstration plots, one research and another farmers practice, at Kaligram village under Manda upazila in the district on Sunday 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 fertiliser using guideline through online.
The Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) under its 'Soil Research and Strengthening of Soil Research Facilities' project organised the field day with the main objective of disseminating ideas and modern knowledge on how to promote soil test-based fertilisation.
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 fertiliser and other chemical fertilisers on prescribed rate were 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-fertilisers 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 fertiliser 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.
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