Adulterated fertilisers affecting crop production
Saturday, 25 April 2009
RAJSHAHI, April 24 (BSS): The unabated marketing and selling of spurious and adulterated fertilisers has been exploiting farmers along with affecting the crop production in the region.
According to agronomists and soil scientists, some greedy businessmen are involved in fertiliser adulteration at different parts in the region with hope of getting more profit within short time taking advantage of farmers' ignorance or lack of awareness.
The probable consequences of using adulterated fertilisers are permanent yield declination and develop infertile soil. "Like other fertilisers as the essential requirement of chemical fertilisers, farmers are exploited regularly through the Zinc and Boron fertilisers at the time of purchasing," said Scientific Officer Mahabubur Rahman of Regional Laboratory under Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) here.
According to his opinion, excessive adulteration has been detected in mixed fertiliser (NPKS), zinc sulphate, single super phosphate (SSP), muriate of potash (MP), ammonium sulphate, Gypsum and boron fertilisers.
Quoting their laboratory test report he revealed that the highest 70 per cent adulteration has been detected in mixed fertilisers and SSP while 57 per cent in zinc fertilisers and 43 per cent in boron. He mentioned that both zinc and boron are essential for plant growth.
In plant body, Zinc helps in toxin formation, activation of dehydrogenize enzymes and stabilisation of ribosomal fractions. Its deficiency occurs rusting of leaves in rice, uneven crop growth and delay in maturity.
Similarly, Boron regulates carbohydrate metabolism, involves in protein synthesis and plays a vital role in seed formation. Its deficiency produces pale green tips of leaf blades, death of growing points and undernourished grains.
Referring to various forms of adulteration, he mentioned that granular free flowing Zinc Sulfate is adulterated through misbranding regularly for selling Zinc Sulfate (Hepta) with high price by attractive packaging in the name of Zinc Sulfate (Mono) or magnesium sulfate.
Low quality zinc ash, ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate and damaged battery powder were found mixed with zinc fertilisers that tends to adulteration the fertilisers is common scenario.
Similarly, Solubar and boric acid are misbranded by low quality borax, sodium sulfate and gypsum.
The external colour and appearance of the adulterated ones are same to original fertilisers that there was no scope to identify pure one at farmers' level as those are being marketed openly after omitting the government specification.
According to agronomists and soil scientists, some greedy businessmen are involved in fertiliser adulteration at different parts in the region with hope of getting more profit within short time taking advantage of farmers' ignorance or lack of awareness.
The probable consequences of using adulterated fertilisers are permanent yield declination and develop infertile soil. "Like other fertilisers as the essential requirement of chemical fertilisers, farmers are exploited regularly through the Zinc and Boron fertilisers at the time of purchasing," said Scientific Officer Mahabubur Rahman of Regional Laboratory under Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) here.
According to his opinion, excessive adulteration has been detected in mixed fertiliser (NPKS), zinc sulphate, single super phosphate (SSP), muriate of potash (MP), ammonium sulphate, Gypsum and boron fertilisers.
Quoting their laboratory test report he revealed that the highest 70 per cent adulteration has been detected in mixed fertilisers and SSP while 57 per cent in zinc fertilisers and 43 per cent in boron. He mentioned that both zinc and boron are essential for plant growth.
In plant body, Zinc helps in toxin formation, activation of dehydrogenize enzymes and stabilisation of ribosomal fractions. Its deficiency occurs rusting of leaves in rice, uneven crop growth and delay in maturity.
Similarly, Boron regulates carbohydrate metabolism, involves in protein synthesis and plays a vital role in seed formation. Its deficiency produces pale green tips of leaf blades, death of growing points and undernourished grains.
Referring to various forms of adulteration, he mentioned that granular free flowing Zinc Sulfate is adulterated through misbranding regularly for selling Zinc Sulfate (Hepta) with high price by attractive packaging in the name of Zinc Sulfate (Mono) or magnesium sulfate.
Low quality zinc ash, ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate and damaged battery powder were found mixed with zinc fertilisers that tends to adulteration the fertilisers is common scenario.
Similarly, Solubar and boric acid are misbranded by low quality borax, sodium sulfate and gypsum.
The external colour and appearance of the adulterated ones are same to original fertilisers that there was no scope to identify pure one at farmers' level as those are being marketed openly after omitting the government specification.