Tirupati: Adopt eco-friendly farm practices to improve soil health

Tirupati: RASS- Krishi Vigyan Kendra has organised World Soil Day to highlight the main theme "Keep soil alive and protect the soil biodiversity," at KVK premises Vanasthali near here on Saturday.

The participant farmers were enlightened about procedure of soil sample collection and importance of soil testing, nutrient management, organic farming, and soil and water conservation techniques.

Horticulture Deputy Director B Sreenivasulu in his address said that the idea of providing food for booming population led to indiscriminate usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides gradually affecting the soil status and soil health while stressing farmers adopt eco-friendly agricultural practices to improve the soil health.

Intercropping of horticultural crops would not only prevent land erosion but also increase soil fertility to get higher yields, he said. Regional Agriculture Research Station, Tirupati principal scientist Dr K V Nagamadhuri said that soil was a substance which has life as there are number of microorganisms in the soil which helps to improve plant growth by improving the chemical, physical and biological properties of the soil.

RASS K V K head Dr S Sreenivasulu said that through adoption of organic manures, bio-fertilizers and green manures soil health can be improved and wanted the farmers take crop rotation and intercropping to maintain the nutrient balance in the soil. Farmers can reduce the cost of cultivation by applying fertilizer based on soil test results.

Marking the occasion, farmers were facilitated with soil health cards, KBSH-53 sunflower seed, Co-4 and Arka Nikita Bhendi seed, chilli seedlings for conducting On farm Testing (OFTs) and Cluster Front Line demonstrations (CFLDs) and vegetable seed kits containing 10 types of seeds for promotion of nutri-gardens in the villages.