JABALPUR CHAPTER OF INDIAN SOCIETY OF SOIL SCIENCE

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1 JABALPUR CHAPTER OF INDIAN SOCIETY OF SOIL SCIENCE Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur (M.P.) NEWSLETTER No. 1 January - June, 2014 "Soil Health Care - The Key to Nation's Prosperity" - Dr. J.S.P. Yadav Soil is a living and life-giving natural resource and is the basis of life. Soil is not just dirt, the life within it make it live. Our soil is old and fragile, it can be damaged by farming techniques, poisoned by rising salts and lost by water and wind erosion. Caring for the soil is the first principle of land care. In this issue Chief Patron's Message...01 Patron's Message...02 Presidential Remarks...02 Visits...02 Fellowships/Scholarships...03 Student's Placement Retirement and Joining Participation in Workshop/ Seminar/Kisan Mela...04 Other Activities Role of Microbes in Sustainable Agriculture Nanotechnology: An Emerging Concept in Soil Research...06 Four Decade Research Outcome of Long Term Fertilizer Experiment...07 Role of Soil Microbes in Plastic Recycling Micronutrients Research Obituary...08 FORTHCOMING EVENTS National Conference on "Soil Health: A Key to Unlock and Sustain Production Potential" during 3-4 September, National Training Programme on "Management of Soil Health: Challengesand Opportunities" from September 29 to October 19, 2014 under Center of Advanced Faculty Training. Chief Patron's Message It is well known fact that among the various natural resources, soil is the most important and dynamic resource for agricultural system. At the same time, increasing population and industrialization in the country creating pressure on arable land due to which it is shrinking gradually and creating pressure to produce more and more from per unit area to meet the challenges of food security for growing population. Indeed, at the current level of production (263 Mt), it appears imperative that an additional 5 Mt total food grain has got to be added each year to the national food basket for the next decade or so for maintaining the even pace. Because the total area under cultivation remained more or less constant (at Mha) over the past several decades. There are indications that increased pressure on land for end-users other than agriculture (such as industrialization, urbanization, etc., to name a few), may result in net sown area in coming years. In recent past, it has been observed that productivity of crops is either stagnated or even declining in many pockets of the country inspite of adoption of climate resilient technologies, high yielding varieties of crops, increasing application of fertilizer doses, irrigation facility and pest management practices. Therefore, the current management practices need to be relooked in the light of intensive production system and quality of natural resources in general and soil health in specific. Imbalanced application of plant nutrients and there over mining by crop from soil in the intensive cropping system has widen the gap between supply and demand and also resulted in spread of multi-nutrients deficiency, especially the secondary and micronutrients in larger area in the country. In the present scenario of production system, focus on organic carbon content in soil, a key component of soil health, is missing and need more attention as it not only regulates the nutrients and water dynamics but also the physico-chemical behavior with special reference to biological behavior which is the key of soil life. Agro-technologies need to be evolved and disseminated to boost the input use efficiency for sustaining the agricultural production and food security. Further, the research programmes need to be framed to achieve the goal of higher input use efficiency and productivity through minimizing the losses of natural resources, primarily nutrients and water, caused by runoff, leaching, fixation and volatilization. The development and use of soil health card will serve as an instrument to aid in sustaining soil health, selecting area specific crops, increasing yield with judicious use of nutrients and improving the land use pattern for crop diversification. Hence, an integrated approach towards sustaining soil health and crop productivity with minimal environmental hazards need to be evolved and propagated for ensuring the food security in the country in coming years. In my view the Jabalpur Chapter of Indian Society of Soil Science is energetically engaged towards the goal of improving and sustaining soil health and productivity of crops through teaching, research and extension activities in the state of Madhya Pradesh. I strongly feel that this News Letter will certainly prove to be a driving force in dissemination of improved agro-technologies related to teaching, research and extension activities of JNKVV, Jabalpur and adjoining research stations as well as state agencies engaged in the benefit of farmers. Prof. V. S. Tomar Vice Chancellor JNKVV, Jabalpur 01

2 JISSS News letter l l VISITS Patron's Message Soil is a dynamic natural resource which facilitates the crop production and provides the habitat to the millions of floras and faunas. Being a dynamic system, soil properties (physical, chemical and biological) are directly or indirectly regulated by various factors. Research and development during post green revolution era has been mainly focused on maximization of agricultural production through the introduction of high yielding input responsive varieties of crops, higher dosing of mineral fertilizer coupled with improved agro-techniques which resulted in declined factor productivity and soil health. In recent past, it has been felt that soil management needs more attention to improve and sustain the productivity of crops which is either stagnated or even declining. Correction measures are urgently needed in terms of soil and crop specific nutrient management and C-sequestration in soil to improve the soil health and achieve the desired food security in the country. I strongly believe that Jabalpur Chapter of Indian Society of Soil Science is actively devoted towards developing the effective modules for sustaining soil health and this news letter will definitely be prove a tool for dissemination of new agro-techniques for benefit of farmers. Dr. S.S. Tomar Director Research Services JNKVV, Jabalpur Dr. S.S. Tomar, Director Research Services and patron of the chapter visited Brazil under Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) Programme during 1-9 February, Japanese scientists under JICA programme visited the laboratories of the department on 20 January, Presidential Remarks Since its establishment in 1967, the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, JNKVV, Jabalpur, endlessly advancing towards the development of improved agro-technologies through teaching and research activities and their timely d i s s e m i n a t i o n t o f a r m i n g community of Madhya Pradesh. The research works carried out in this department are prioritized mainly to the current need of the farmers to enhance the productivity and net income per unit land. Initially the major focus was on developing the recommendation of major nutrients for crops then it shifted to integration of inorganic and organic nutrient sources in light of diminishing soil health. Now the time has come to put more attention towards recommendations for secondary and micro nutrients in view of accelerated spreading of secondary and micro nutrients deficiency. Department of Soil Science and Agricultural chemistry, JNKVV, Jabalpur has also attempting to fine tune the technologies for organic carbon buildup in soil as it is one of the most important component responsible for improving soil health and nutrients use efficiency. Further, the soil testing laboratory in the department is continuously engaged in providing the knowledge base to the farmers for economizing the nutrients application for desired productivity and sustaining the soil fertility. Publication of this news letter is another step towards timely dissemination of recommendations on plant nutrients management developed in the department suitable for the soil and crop conditions of Madhya Pradesh. l Dr. A.K. Rawat President, Jabalpur Chapter of ISSS Prof. & Head, Department of Soil Sci. & Agril. Chem. JNKVV, Jabalpur Professor Dr. V.S. Tomar, Hon'ble Vice Chancellor and Dr. S.S. Tomar, Director Research Services visited the field experiments on 30 January, 2014 to review the 02

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8 Newsletter Compiled and edited by Dr. A.K. Rawat, Dr. A.K. Dwivedi, Dr. H.K. Rai Dr. R.K. Thakur, Dr. G.D. Sharma & R.K. Sahu Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya Jabalpur , Madhya Pradesh, India Telefax: , headsoil@gmail.com, Web: 08