Biological farming for sustainable output
By C.L. Bhardwaj
THE article sets out to unravel the confusion that sometimes exists between the notion of an agriculture adapted to its environment, which arose out of the experience of international cooperation in the 1970s, and the notion of biological agriculture, which has arisen more recently.

Super rice in the offing
A “Super rice” that can give 25 per cent more yield than all previous paddy breeds is all set to enter the market within the next five years.

Novel scheme for fruit growers
THE Horticulture Department of Punjab in its endeavour to improve horticulture has come out with a novel scheme. The department proposes to spread its package of practices to the farmers through its horticulture development officers.

Bihar university to import 20 litchi varieties
RAJENDRA Agriculture University has decided to import 26 varieties of litchi saplings to increase production of the popular seasonal fruit in Bihar.

Biological farming for sustainable output
By C.L. Bhardwaj

THE article sets out to unravel the confusion that sometimes exists between the notion of an agriculture adapted to its environment, which arose out of the experience of international cooperation in the 1970s, and the notion of biological agriculture, which has arisen more recently. Part of the confusion lies in the fact that, as presently constituted, both place emphasis on the importance of cooperation and of the social and economic as well as purely technological aspects of agriculture. The current challenge facing agro-biologists is to be able to feed the world’s population while respecting the ecological balance. Since World War II, farming in industrial countries has achieved greater production using more and more fuel, pesticides and chemical fertiliser as well as breeding high-yielding crop varieties of their requirements. This has, however, led to degraded soil, polluted water, food containing chemicals, genetic erosion of biologicals and many small farmers going bankrupt due to expansive technology. There are vast stockpiles of food, while parts of the world suffer famine. The green revolution is not taking place in the Third World where biological diversity is being lost and disparities are opening up between zones of intensive exploitation and regions, where topography and climate limit the growth of farms or introduction of mechanisation.

Sustainable modern and biological farming is an elusive and difficult concept to define when one considers the globally rising population and meet its obligations for hunger and health. Generally, biological farming encompasses objectives of maintaining and conserving soil productivity, conserving of conventional and unconventional energy, environmental quality, food quality, resource quality, preserving biodiversity and economic viability of suitable agro-systems. Modern farming methods threaten the environment in many ways: soil erosion, water pollution, the destruction of wildlife habitat, deforestation and the deteriorating fertility of the soil itself. These also bring health risks through widespread use of pesticides. As a result, organic methods of cultivation are being revalued, and more widely adopted.

Sustainable production involves a multitude of “need-based” systems ranging from modern tested technology systems for different crops to an organic sustainable production over time and space. Conversions for conventional (inorganic or chemical or modern) sustainable farming systems to sustainable organic farming amounts to low input costs and premiums by virtue of quality and harmless produce. For instance, a relationship exists between farmers and their customers under the cooperation system in Japan who have adopted organic farming. The produce, despite not being so cosmetically attractive and possibly costing more, between three and five million Japanese now regularly buy organic produce for different health reasons.

Within the context of India, although the use of high-yielding varieties has led to an increase in production, it has been at the expanse of increase in chemical use, which, it is argued, is unsustainable. Low production and productivity are the core to problems of Indian agriculture. Despite substantial increases in the use of modern inputs, the yields are much lower than those in advanced countries. Factors impeding the growth of crop yields in India are inadequate irrigation facilities, poor manuring practices, and obsolete methods of cultivation. The components of the integrated nutrients supply system suitable for easy adopting include crop rotation, green manures and bio-fertilisers. Effective water saving, equity in water sharing and efficiency in water delivery and use are indispensable for sustainable management of available surface and ground water resources vis-a-vis sustainable production. To sustainable growth of agriculture and prosperity of farmers in real concerns, the use of self-grown and produced inputs has to be promoted. These inputs must replace the market bought modern inputs.

Agriculture should not damage the environment, livestock rearing, regional programmes for protection of water quality, reversion to organic farming, reduction of livestock density by increasing the fodder area of farms, action for the protection and management of fauna and flora, training to local operations to adapt ecologically sustainable farming systems in vulnerable areas and regulations on reforestation are must. When environmental protection is the aim, the maintenance of the farming population is essential to mitigate the problem of unemployment in a country like India. However, environmentally adapted production systems (such as organic farming) may be transformed into a marketing asset if the products can be processed locally and marketed as a special brand. This cannot usually be done by the individual farmer, but must be done by a group of farmers.

In Australia organic farms have shown the lowest nitrate content in the drain water.

The published information on the production of US maize and potatoes employing different technologies and energy inputs is an indicative that the organic production of grains, such as maize, requires less fossil energy than conventional crop production. For some crops, the organic production system may also produce higher crop yields, as demonstrated with the organic maize system. Combining low inputs with environmentally sound technologies clearly requires that farmers have greater knowledge of the management strategies used in the agro-ecosystem than farmers who employ the more heavy-chemical use systems. For this reason those countries that have active plans to reduce pesticides and commercial fertilisers in agriculture are investing heavily in research and supporting extension education.

Keeping in view the importance of biological farming system, the parameters of research and development — the quantitative and qualitative assessment of costs and returns from alternative farming practices, reducing environmental pollution and health hazards; the inter-dependencies between components of the farming system controlled by the farmer, and interaction of these components with physical, biological and social-economic factors; the inter-disciplinary approach to agriculture research based on an integrated farm production units with limited resources; impetus to investigate and practice organic farming, reduced tillage, methods of conservation of soil as well as integrated pest management, with the overall aim of reducing costs and sustaining yields — must be watched carefully in sustaining any farming system and recommending the best of all.

Super rice in the offing

A “Super rice” that can give 25 per cent more yield than all previous paddy breeds is all set to enter the market within the next five years.

Developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, the new variety could break the yield plateau reached by modern high-yielding rice varieties, according to Mr Gurdev S. Khush, who is leading a team at the IRRI to develop the variety.

“Field testing is currently going on in China and in the Philippines, “Khush said, adding the super rice was expected to be in the fields by 2003.

Khush was addressing a press conference after signing an agreement between the IRRI and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for collaboration in rice research.

“The IRRI has developed about 400 different varieties of super rice. They will be tested in India in association with the ICAR within the next two years to find out which one suits the Indian soil and climatic conditions best,” he said.

The super rice, developed through cross-hybridisation of two aptly chosen parent plants, had a plant architecture that was completely different from all previous plants, Khush said.

It had fewer but sturdier stems, all of them bearing panicles with panicle housing 200-250 more grains than previous varieties.

It took 100-130 days for growth and maturation, Mr Khush said. The dark green-coloured plant had erect leaves to increase photosynthetic effectiveness.

It had an organised root system that did not allow wastage of water and micro-nutrients needed for plant growth, Khush said.

IRRI scientists were currently working to make it disease resistant by hybridising it with other rice varieties that could resist many of the common plant virus and other insects.

“We are now improving the super rice by building multiple pest and disease resistance into it, “Khush said.

In normal paddy varieties, cereal to biomass ratio was 30:70 . But super rice was capable of giving a cereal to biomass ratio of 50: 50 which meant a significant increase in rice productivity.

With ever-increasing population and decrease in land availability and water, rice productivity needs to be increased by 40-50 per cent by the middle of the next century, “he said. — PTI

Novel scheme for fruit growers
By Khushwant Ahluwalia

THE Horticulture Department of Punjab in its endeavour to improve horticulture has come out with a novel scheme. The department proposes to spread its package of practices to the farmers through its horticulture development officers (HDOs). The state has been divided into various “blocks”, each headed by an HDO.

Fifteen villages are selected from each block and from these villages 15 farmers are shortlisted who show cooperation and the will to learn and listen.

The department adopts 15 trees of whatever fruit the farmer grows (grapevine in the cases of grapes).

The department has also created “estates” in areas where there is concentration of a particular type of fruit or vegetable. For example, Hoshiarpur is a citrus-growing area and by picking up a central village it covers all the citrus orchards within a 10-km radius. The HDO is required to cover all orchards in the vicinity, contrary to the 15 in blocks. The number of trees adopted varies from estate to estate.

The “thrust”, which is also the name of the scheme, is on doing all the activities which are recommended by the department on these 15 plants. The logic behind is to show and train the farmer how proper and timely execution of all farming activities makes a difference to his plants and economy.

The unique selling proposition of the whole scheme is that all operations are to be conducted in the presence of the HDO concerned. They may include schedules and methodology of spraying, sowing, pruning, thinning of fruit or any other action which is beneficial to the farmer.

The department claims to have successfully exhibited to peach farmers the technique and importance of thinning the fruit. The fruit size and quality improved considerably after excess fruit was shed.

It also showed the farmers the benefits of girdling, brushing and dipping of the grape bunches in giberellic acid.

The programme seems to be excellent on paper but much more is required to seek benefits from such actions. Splinter movements like these offer no gain as they fade away with a slightest change in top management.

The department in its cadre has mostly untrained staff who lack modern perspective and new schools of thought. Secondly, the department is devoid of modern tools and implements to run the show. For example, it does not have in its possession spray equipment, pruning scissors, tractors, etc which are so important for the implementation of this project. The department will be dependent on the farmer to meet its requirements.

Thirdly, it will be very difficult to monitor the undisciplined staff whose commitment level is always doubtful.

Moreover, the department has to find ways and methods which shall highlight its performance in the end and certain yardsticks and comparisons have to be drawn through data to prove and convince the farmer that its package and practices are of benefit to him.

The idea is not to criticise the scheme as on the periphery it seems wonderful but there is many a slip between the cup and the lip.

The Horticulture Department breaks the shackles of governmental red tape and hire a non-government organisation (NGO) to evaluate the viability of this programme and how best it can be implemented.

By engaging a professional NGO the department shall get a correct picture of its ongoing exercise. It shall wilt away the possibility of a biased report and arrest outdated methods of research and development.

Bihar university to import 20 litchi varieties

RAJENDRA Agriculture University has decided to import 26 varieties of litchi saplings to increase production of the popular seasonal fruit in Bihar.

University sources said that the Central Government had already allowed the import of the saplings from China and Australia. Sources said the juicy fruit could emerge as a major foreign exchange earner in the Country.

Only two varieties of litchi, Shahi and China, are being produced in the state. The yield of the litchi could be increased 20 times by adopting mixed cropping which was also helpful in maintaining the quality of the soil.

Stressing the need for cultivating bee-keeping in litchi orchards, the sources said it could also increase production of honey.

Paddy:

— Complete transplanting of Pusa Basmati-1 and Basmati-385 during the first fortnight of July, and Basmati-370 and Basmati-386 should be transplanted during the second fortnight of July. Apply 27 kg of urea per acre after three weeks of transplanting basmati rice.

— For the control of weeds in paddy, use 1200 ml of any recommended brand formulation of Butachlor 50 EC or Thiobencarb 50 EC or Pendimethalin 30 EC @ 1000-1200 ml or Pretilachlor 50 EC @ 600 ml or Anilofos 30 EC @ 500 ml/ acre by mixing with 60 kg of sand. Broadcast any one of the herbicides uniformly in 4-5 cm deep standing water within two-three days of transplanting.

—Apply 37 kg of urea per acre to the paddy transplanted in June. In case zinc deficiency appears, apply 25 kg of zinc sulphate per acre. On coarse textured soils (sandy soils) iron deficiency can be expected in rice. The upper leaves turn white in colour. To correct it, spray 1 per cent ferrous sulphate solution two to three times at weekly intervals.

— The rice fields showing more than 5 per cent dead hearts due to attack of stem borer should be sprayed with either of the insecticide i.e. 250 ml of phosphamidon 85 SL or 560 ml Monocrotophos 36 SL or one litre of Chlropyriphos 20 EC in 100 litres of water per acre. Further application of any of these insecticides may be repeated as and when damage reaches the economic threshold level.

— Leaf folder infested plants show white steaks on leaves. In case a heavy attack is noticed then spray 250 ml of Fenitrothion 50 EC or 150 ml Fenthion 1000 EC or 560 ml of Monocrotophos 36 SL or one litre Chloropyriphos 20 EC in 100 litres of water per acre.

— The crop planted early may show the kresek phase of bacterial leaf blight. In the case of an kresek attack, the whole plant wilts and become straw coloured. Avoid excessive use of nitrogen and flooding of fields.

Kharif pulses:

—Sowing of mash (Mash-338, Mash-1-1, Mash-48) and moong (PBM-1, ML-613, ML-267 and ML-51) should be completed during the first week of July as delayed sowings result in lesser yields. Moong variety PBM-1 is recommended only for sowing in Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Ferozepore and Sangrur districts.

— Check weeds in mash, moong or arhar by giving one or two hoeings. Alternatively, in moong, use Stomp 30 EC @ one litre per acre pre-emergence application or Basalin 45 EC @ 600 ml per acre as pre-plant application.

— Treat the seed with 3 g Captan per kg of seed before sowing. Grow the mosaic-resistant varieties (PBM-1, ML-613, ML-267) for the control of yellow mosaic virus.

— Semilooper/hairy caterpillars infestation can be checked by spraying 450 ml of fenitrothion 50 EC or 500 ml of Thiodan 35 EC or 200 ml Nuvan 85 SL in 80 litres of water per acre.

Fodder production:

— Sowing of kharif fodders at regular intervals should be continued for regular supply of green fodders. Chari may be sown for providing fodders late in the kharif season.

— Sowing of cowpea should be carried out during the second fortnight of July if cowpea seed crop is to be sown.

— Cultivation of non-legume fodders in mixture with legume fodders like cowpea and guara.

— Progressive Farming, PAU