Distribution of soil health cards, exhibition on soil health for healthy life and different varieties of soils marked the World Soil Day brought up the State Agriculture Department and the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sandhiyur, on Saturday.
N. Elango, Joint Director of Agriculture and C. Krishnan, MLA, gave away the soil health cards.
Mr. Elango emphasised the importance of application of farm manure for protecting the soil. Invariably five tonnes of farm yard manure should be applied every year in one acre to improve the soil organic content and and income of the farming community, he said.
The Agriculture Department has planned similar block level celebrations to create awareness on healthy soil, Mr. Elango said.
Principal Scientist from Agricultural Technology Assessment and Application Research Institute, Indian Council of Agriculture Research, Bengaluru, C. V. Sairam, spoke on organic farming and soil health management. ICAR is taking all possible steps to protect the soil and improve the soil health through various innovative programmes. Soil health card is also being distributed to farmers from all the ICAR centres across the country, he said.
Programme Coordinator, KVK, Sandhiyur, N. Sriram, said soil texture and structure are similar to human body and is having life like human beings. Soil should be properly maintained based on the soil test reports. Every two years soil should be tested in the recognised laboratory and based on the results, macro and micro nutrients should be applied the crops along with organic manures to improve the quality and productivity of crops.
Mr. Krishnan stressed that all farmers should have soil health card for maintaining sustainable agriculture for improving the productivity and income from the agriculture and allied activities.
Deputy Director of Agriculture (Central Schemes), Balaiah, Assistant Director of Agriculture (Quality Control), Rajendran, also spoke.
Demonstration on how to take soil samples from the farmers’ field by the scientists of the KVK also formed part of the programme.
The exhibition on soil health explained the plant nutrient deficiency symptoms which includes macro and micro nutrient deficiency symptoms, micro nutrient mixture for specific crops, soil types of Salem districts have also displayed in the exhibition. Booklet on ‘Healthy Soil for Healthy Life’ authored by scientists of KVK, were released and distributed to all the farmers.
Source : The Hindu
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