| Organic Farming :: Organic Inputs and Techniques | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Biofertilizers
Biofertilizers are defined as preparations
containing living cells or latent cells of efficient strains of
microorganisms that help crop plants’ uptake of nutrients by their
interactions in the rhizosphere when applied through seed or soil.
They accelerate certain microbial processes in the soil which augment
the extent of availability of nutrients in a form easily assimilated by
plants.
Very often microorganisms are not
as efficient in natural surroundings as one would expect them to be and
therefore artificially multiplied cultures of efficient selected
microorganisms play a vital role in accelerating the microbial
processes in soil.
Use of biofertilizers is one of the
important components of integrated nutrient management, as they are
cost effective and renewable source of plant nutrients to supplement
the chemical fertilizers for sustainable agriculture. Several
microorganisms and their association with crop plants are being
exploited in the production of biofertilizers. They can be grouped in
different ways based on their nature and function.
Azolla
Azolla is a free-floating water fern that
floats in water and fixes atmospheric nitrogen in association with
nitrogen fixing blue green alga Anabaena azollae. Azolla
fronds consist of sporophyte with a floating rhizome and small
overlapping bi-lobed leaves and roots. Rice growing areas in South East
Asia and other third World countries have recently been evincing
increased interest in the use of the symbiotic N2 fixing water fern Azolla either as an alternate nitrogen sources or as a supplement to commercial nitrogen fertilizers. Azolla is used as biofertilizer for wetland rice and it is known to contribute 40-60 kg N/ha per rice crop.
Phosphate solubilizing microorganisms(PSM)
AM fungi
Silicate solubilizing bacteria (SSB)
Microorganisms are capable of degrading
silicates and aluminum silicates. During the metabolism of microbes
several organic acids are produced and these have a dual role in
silicate weathering. They supply H+ ions to the medium and promote
hydrolysis and the organic acids like citric, oxalic acid, Keto acids
and hydroxy carbolic acids which from complexes with cations, promote
their removal and retention in the medium in a dissolved state.
The studies conducted with a
Bacillus sp. isolated from the soil of granite crusher yard showed that
the bacterium is capable of dissolving several silicate minerals under in vitro
condition. The examination of anthrpogenic materials like cement, agro
inputs like super phosphate and rock phosphate exhibited silicate
solubilizing bacteria to a varying degree. The bacterial isolates made
from different locations had varying degree of silicate solubilizing
potential. Soil inoculation studies with selected isolate with red
soil, clay soil, sand and hilly soil showed that the organisms
multiplied in all types of soil and released more of silica and the
available silica increased in soil and water.
Rice responded well to application of organic sliceous
residue like rice straw, rice husk and black ash @ 5 t/ha. Combining
SSB with these residues further resulted in increased plant growth and
grain yield. This enhancement is due to increased dissolution of silica
and nutrients from the soil.
Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR)
The group of bacteria that
colonize roots or rhizosphere soil and beneficial to crops are referred
to as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR).
The PGPR inoculants currently
commercialized that seem to promote growth through at least one
mechanism; suppression of plant disease (termed Bioprotectants),
improved nutrient acquisition (termed Biofertilizers), or phytohormone
production (termed Biostimulants). Species of Pseudomonas and Bacillus
can produce as yet not well characterized phytohormones or growth
regulators that cause crops to have greater amounts of fine roots which
have the effect of increasing the absorptive surface of plant roots
for uptake of water and nutrients. These PGPR are referred to as
Biostimulants and the phytohormones they produce include indole-acetic
acid, cytokinins, gibberellins and inhibitors of ethylene production.
Recent advances in molecular
techniques also are encouraging in that tools are becoming available to
determine the mechanism by which crop performance is improved using
PGPR and track survival and activity of PGPR organisms in soil and
roots. The science of PGPR is at the stage where genetically modified
PGPR can be produced. PGPR with antibiotic, phytohormone and
siderophore production can be made.
Despite of promising results,
biofertilizers has not got widespread application in agriculture mainly
because of the variable response of plant species or genotypes to
inoculation depending on the bacterial strain used. Differential
rhizosphere effect of crops in harbouring a target strain or even the
modulation of the bacterial nitrogen fixing and phosphate solubilizing
capacity by specific root exudates may account for the observed
differences. On the other hand, good competitive ability and high
saprophytic competence are the major factors determining the success of
a bacterial strain as an inoculant.
Studies to know the synergistic
activities and persistence of specific microbial populations in complex
environments, such as the rhizosphere, should be addressed in order to
obtain efficient inoculants. In this regards, research efforts are
made at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai to obtain
appropriate formulations of microbial inoculants incorporating nitrogen
fixing, phosphate- and silicate- solubilizing bacteria and plant
growth promoting rhizobacteria which will help in promoting the use of
such beneficial bacteria in sustainable agriculture.
Liquid Biofertilizers
The advantages of Liquid Bio-fertilizer over conventional carrier based Bio-fertilizers are listed below:
Rhizobium
This belongs to bacterial group
and the classical example is symbiotic nitrogen fixation. The bacteria
infect the legume root and form root nodules within which they reduce
molecular nitrogen to ammonia which is reality utilized by the plant to
produce valuable proteins, vitamins and other nitrogen containing
compounds. The site of symbiosis is within the root nodules. It has
been estimated that 40-250 kg N / ha / year is fixed by different
legume crops by the microbial activities of Rhizobium.
The percentage of nodules occupied, nodules dry weight, plant
dry weight and the grain yield per plant the multistrain inoculant was
highly promising Table-2 shows the N fixation rates.
Quantity of biological N fixed by Liqiud Rhizobium in different crops
Physical features of liquid Rhizobium
It belongs to bacteria and is
known to fix the considerable quantity of nitrogen in the range of 20-
40 kg N/ha in the rhizosphere in non- non-leguminous plants such as
cereals, millets, Oilseeds, cotton etc. The efficiency of Azospirillium as
a Bio-Fertilizer has increased because of its ability of inducing
abundant roots in several pants like rice, millets and oilseeds even in
upland conditions. Considerable quantity of nitrogen fertilizer up to
25-30 % can be saved by the use of Azospirillum inoculant. The genus Azospirillum has three species viz., A. lipoferum, A. brasilense and A. amazonense. These species have been commercially exploited for the use as nitrogen supplying Bio-Fertilizers.
One of the characteristics of Azospirillum is its ability to reduce nitrate and denitrify. Both A. lipoferum,and A. brasilense may
comprise of strains which can actively or weakly denitrify or reduce
nitrate to nitrite and therefore, for inoculation preparation, it is
necessary to select strains which do not possess these characteristics. Azospirllium lipoferum present in the roots of some of tropical forage grasses uch as Digitaria, Panicum, Brachiaria, Maize, Sorghum, Wheat and Rye.
Physical features of liquid Azospirillum
Production of growth hormones
Azospirillum cultures synthesize
considerable amount of biologically active substances like vitamins,
nicotinic acid, indole acetic acids giberllins. All these
hormones/chemicals helps the plants in better germination, early
emergence, better root development.
Role of Liquid Azospirillum under field conditions
Sign of non functioning of Azospirillum in the field
Azotobacter
It is the important and well known
free living nitrogen fixing aerobic bacterium. It is used as a
Bio-Fertilizer for all non leguminous plants especially rice, cotton,
vegetables etc. Azotobacter cells are not present on the
rhizosplane but are abundant in the rhizosphere region. The lack of
organic matter in the soil is a limiting factor for the proliferation of
Azotobaceter in the soil.
Field experiments were conducted in 1992,
1993 and 1994 during the pre-kharif wet seasons to find out the
influence on rice grain yield by the combined use of N- fixing organisms
and inorganic nitrogen fertilizer which recorded increase in was
yield.
Physical features of liquid Azotobacter
The pigmentation that is produced
by Azotobacter in aged culture is melanin which is due to oxidation of
tyrosine by tyrosinase an enzyme which has copper. The colour can be
noted in liquid forms. Some of the pigmentation are described below-
Role of liquid Azotobacter in tissue culture
The study was conducted by Dr. Senthil et al
(2004) on sugarcane variety CO 86032 in Tissue culture Laboratories of
Rajashree Sugars and Chemicals Ltd, Varadaraj nagar, Theni, Tamilnadu.
The liquid bioinoculants were provided by Dr. Krishnan Chandra,
Regional Director, RCOF, Bangalore to evaluate their growth promoting
effects on sugarcane micropropagation. He recorded Biometric
observations like Plant height, leaf length, width, root length, no of
roots. Chemical parameters –Protein, Carbohydrates, N, P,K total
biomass and concluded as follows:
Role of liquid Azotobacter as a Bio-control agent
Azotobacter have been found to produce some antifungal substance which inhibits the growth of some soil fungi like Aspergillus, Fusarium, Curvularia, Alternaria, Helminthosporium, Fusarium etc.
Acetobaceter
This is a sacharophillic bacteria
and associate with sugarcane, sweet potato and sweet sorghum plants and
fixes 30 kgs/ N/ ha year. Mainly this bacterium is commercialized for
sugarcane crop. It is known to increase yield by 10-20 t/ acre and
sugar content by about 10-15 percent.
Effect of liquid Acetobacter diazotrophicus on sugarcane
In South India use of Azospirillum
and Phospho-bacterium on the cash crop sugarcane is a regular practice
for the past few years with a saving of nearly 20 % of chemical
nitrogen and phosphate applications. Now, it has been reported that a
bacteria Acetobacter diazotrophicus which is present in the
sugarcane stem, leaves, soils have a capacity to fix up to 300 kgs of
nitrogen. This bacteria first reported in brazil where the farmers
cultivate sugarcane in very poor sub-soil fertilized with Phosphate,
Potassium and micro elements alone, could produce yield for three
consecutive harvests, without any nitrogen fertilizer. They have
recorded yield 182- 244 tones per ha. This leads to the assumption that
active nitrogen fixing bacteria has associated within the plant.
Do’s and Don’t for Entrepreneurs, Dealers and farmers
Liquid Bio-fertlizer application methodology
There are three ways of using Liquid Bio-fertilizers
Seed Treatment is a most
common method adopted for all types of inoculants. The seed treatment
is effective and economic. For small quantity of seeds (up to 5 kgs
quantity) the coating can done in a plastic bag. For this purpose, a
plastic bag having size (21” x 10”) or big size can be used. The bag
should be filled with 2 kg or more of seeds. The bag should be closed
in such a way to trap the airs as much as possible. The bag should be
squeezed for 2 minutes or more until all the seed are uniformly wetted.
Then bag is opened, inflated again and shaked gently. Stop shaking
after each seeds gets a uniform layer of culture coating. The bag is
opened and the seed is dried under the shade for 20-30 minutes. For
large amount of seeds coating can be done in a bucket and inoculant can
be mixed directly with hand. Seed Treatment with Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, along with PSM can be done.
The seed treatment can be done
with any of two or more bacteria. There is no side (antagonistic)
effect. The important things that has to be kept in mind are that the
seeds must be coated first with Rhizobium, Azotobacter or Azospirillum.
When each seed get a layer of above bacteria then PSM inoculant has to
be coated as outer layer. This method will provide maximum number of
each bacteria required for better results. Treatments of seed with any
two bacteria will not provide maximum number of bacteria on individual
seed.
Root dipping
For application of Azospirillum/ /PSM on paddy transplating/ vegetable crops this method is used. The required quantity of Azospirillum/
/PSM has to be mixed with 5-10 litres of water at one corner of the
field and the roots of seedlings has to be dipped for a minimum of
half-an-hour before transplantation.
Soil application
Use 200ml of PSM per acre. Mix PSM
with 400 to 600 kgs of Cow dung FYM along with ½ bag of rock phosphate
if available. The mixture of PSM, cow dung and rock phosphate have to
be kept under any tree or under shade for over night and maintain 50%
moisture. Use the mixture as soil application in rows or during
leveling of soil.
Dosage of liquid Bio-fertilizers in different crops
Recommended Liquid Bio-fertilizers
and its application method, quantity to be used for different crops
are as follows:
Note:
Doses recommended when count of
inoculum is 1 x 108 cells/ml then doses will be ten times more besides
above said Nitrogen fixers, Phosphate solubilizers and potash
mobilizers at the rate of 200 ml/ acre could be applied for all crops.
Equipments required for Biofertilizer production
In biofertilizer production industry, equipments are the major infrastructure, which involves 70 percent of capital investment. Any compromise on the usage of the following mentioned equipments may finally decline in the quality of biofertilizer.After studying the principle behind the usage of all instruments, some of the instruments can be replaced with a culture room fitted with a U.V.Lamp. Autoclaves, Hot Air Oven, Incubators and sealing machines are indigenously made with proper technical specifications. The correct use of equipments will give uninterrupted introduction with quality inoculum. Essential equipments Autoclave
Rotary shaker
It is used for agitating culture flasks
by circular motion under variable speed control. Shaking provides
aeration for growth of cultures. Shakers holding upto 20-50 flasks are
generally used. The capacity of the shaker may be increased if it is a
double- decker type.
Hot air oven
Hot air oven is meant for
sterilizing all glassware materials. Dry heat is used in this apparatus
to sterilize the materials. Normally 180OC is used for two hours for
sterilizing glasswares.
pH meter
An instrument for measuring pH of
the solution using a 0-14 scale in which seven represents neutral
points, less than seven is acidity (excess of H‘ over OH-) and more
than seven is alkality (excess of OH- over H‘ ) useful in adjusting
the pH of the growth medium.
Refrigerator
This equipment is used preserving
all mother cultures used for biofertilizer production. The mother
culture is periodically sub-cultured and stored in the refrigerator for
long- term usage.
Fermentor
Biofertilizers are carrier based
preparations containing efficient strain of nitrogen fixing or phosphate
solubilizing microorganisms. Biofertilizers are formulated usually as
carrier based inoculants. The organic carrier materials are more
effective for the preparation of bacterial inoculants. The solid
inoculants carry more number of bacterial cells and support the
survival of cells for longer periods of time.
Although many bacteria can be used
beneficially as a biofertilizer the technique of mass production is
standardizedfor Rhizobium, Azospirillum, Azotobacter and phosphobacteria.
The media used for mass culturing are as follows:
Rhizobium : Yeast extract mannitol broth.
Growth on Congo red yeast extract mannitol agar medium
Add 10 ml of Congo red stock solution
(dissolve 250 mg of Congo red in 100ml water) to 1 liter after
adjusting the PH to 6.8 and before adding agar.
Rhizobium forms white, translucent, glistening, elevated and comparatively small colonies on this medium. Moreover, Rhizobium
colonies do not take up the colour of congo red dye added in the
medium. Those colonies which readily take up the congo red stain are not
rhizobia but presumably Agrobacterium, a soil bacterium closely related to Rhizobium.
Azospirillum : Dobereiner's malic acid broth with NH4Cl (1g per liter)
Composition of the N-free semisolid malic acid medium
Waksman medium No.77 (N-free Mannitol Agar Medium for Azotobacter)
Phosphobacteria : Pikovskaya’s Broth
The broth is prepared in flasks and inoculum
from mother culture is transferred to flasks. The culture is grown
under shaking conditions at 30±2°C as submerged culture. The culture is
incubated until maximum cell population of 1010 to 1011 cfu/ml is
produced. Under optimum conditions this population level could be
attained with in 4 to 5 days for Rhizobium; 5 to 7 days for Azospirillum; 2 to 3 days for phosphobacteria and 6-7 days for Azotobacter. The culture obtained in the flask is called starter culture.
For large scale production of inoculant, inoculum from starter culture
is transferred to large flasks/seed tank fermentor and grown until
required level of cell count is reached.
Inoculum preparation
Processing of carrier material
The use of ideal carrier material
is necessary in the production of good quality biofertilizer. Peat
soil, lignite, vermiculite, charcoal, press mud, farmyard manure and
soil mixture can be used as carrier materials. The neutralized peat
soil/lignite are found to be better carrier materials for biofertilizer
production The following points are to be considered in the selection
of ideal carrier material.
Inoculant packets are prepared by mixing
the broth culture obtained from fermentor with sterile carrier material
as described below:
Preparation of Inoculants packet
Schematic representation of mass production of bacterial biofertilizers
Specification of the polythene bags
Storage of biofertilizerpacket
Mass production of Mycorrhizal biofertilizer
The commercial utilization of
mycorrhizal fungi has become difficult because of the obligate
symbiotic nature and difficulty in culturing on laboratory media.
Production of AM inoculum has evolved from the original use of infested
field soils to the current practice of using pot culture inoculum
derived from the surface disinfected spores of single AM fungus on a
host plant grown in sterilized culture medium. Several researches in
different parts of the world resulted in different methods of
production of AM fungal inoculum as soil based culture as well as
carrier based inoculum. Root organ culture and nutrient film technique
provide scope for the production of soil less culture.
As a carrier based inoculum, pot culture is
widely adopted method for production. The AM inoculum was prepared by
using sterilized soil and wide array of host crops were used as host.
The sterilization process is a cumbersome one and scientists started
using inert materials for production of AM fungi. The researchers tried
use of perlite, montmorillonite clay etc., In TNAU vermiculite was
tried as substrate for the replacement of soil sterilization, which
resulted in the best method of inoculum production.
Method of production
AM fungi
Nursery application: 100 g bulk
inoculum is sufficient for one metre square. The inoculum should be
applied at 2-3 cm below the soil at the time of sowing. The
seeds/cutting should be sown/planted above the VAM inoculum to cause
infection.
For polythene bag raised crops: 5
to 10 g bulk inoculum is sufficient for each packet. Mix 10 kg of
inoculum with 1000 kg of sand potting mixture and pack the potting
mixture in polythene bag before sowing.
For out –planting: Twenty grams of VAM inoculum is required per seedling. Apply inoculum at the time of planting.
For existing trees: Two hundred gram of VAM inoculum is required for inoculating one tree. Apply inoculum near the root surface at the time of fertilizer application.
Mass production and field application of cyanobacteria
II. Multiplication under field condition
Materials
Select an area of 40 m2 (20m x 2m) near a water source which is directly exposed to sunlight. Make a bund all around the plot to a height of 15 cm and give it a coating with mud to prevent loss of water due to percolation.
The floating algal flasks are green or blue green in colour. From each harvest, 30 to 40 kg of dry algal flakes are obtained from the plot. Method of inoculation of BGA in rice field Blue green algae may be applied as soil based inoculum to the rice field following the method described below.
A week after BGA inoculation, algal growth can be seen and algal mat will float on the water after 2-3 weeks. The algal mat colour will be green or brown or yellowish green.
Mass production and field application of Azolla
Azolla is a free-floating water fern that
floats in water and fixes atmospheric nitrogen in association with
nitrogen fixing blue green alga Anabaena azollae. Azolla
fronds consist of sporophyte with a floating rhizome and small
overlapping bi-lobed leaves and roots. Rice growing areas in South East
Asia and other third World countries have recently been evincing
increased interest in the use of the symbiotic N2 fixing water fern Azolla either as an alternate nitrogen sources or as a supplement to commercial nitrogen fertilizers. Azolla
is used as biofertilizer for wetland rice and it is known to
contribute 40-60 kg N ha-1 per rice crop. The agronomic potential of Azolla
is quite significant particularly for rice crop and it is widely used
as biofertilizer for increasing rice yields. Rice crop response studies
with Azolla biofertilizer in the People’s Republic in China and in Vietnam have provided good evidence that Azolla incorporation into the soil as a green manure crop is one of the most effective ways of providing nitrogen source for rice.
The utilization of Azolla as dual crop
with wetland rice is gaining importance in Philippines, Thailand,
Srilanka and India. The important factor in using Azolla as a
biofertilizer for rice crop is its quick decomposition in soil and
efficient availability of its nitrogen to rice. In tropical rice soils
the applied Azolla mineralizes rapidly and its nitrogen is available to the rice crop in very short period. The common species of Azolla are A. microphylla, A. filiculoides, A. pinnata, A. caroliniana, A. nilotica, A. rubra and A. mexicana.
I. Mass multiplication of Azolla under field conditions
A simple Azolla nursery method for large scale multiplication of Azolla in the field has been evolved for easy adoption by the farmers.
Materials
Procedure
II. Method of inoculation of Azolla to rice crop
The Azolla biofertilizer may be applied in two ways for the wetland paddy. In the first method, fresh Azolla
biomass is inoculated in the paddy field before transplanting and
incorporated as green manure. This method requires huge quantity of
fresh Azolla. In the other method, Azolla may be inoculated after transplanting rice and grown as dual culture with rice and incorporated subsequently.
A. Azolla biomass incorporation as green manure for rice crop
1. Seed treatment or seed inoculation
2. Seedling root dip 3. Main field application
Seed treatment
One packet of the inoculant is mixed with 200 ml
of rice kanji to make a slurry. The seeds required for an acre are
mixed in the slurry so as to have a uniform coating of the inoculant
over the seeds and then shade dried for 30 minutes. The shade dried
seeds should be sown within 24 hours. One packet of the inoculant (200
g) is sufficient to treat 10 kg of seeds.
Seedling root dip
This method is used for transplanted crops. Two
packets of the inoculant is mixed in 40 litres of water. The root
portion of the seedlings required for an acre is dipped in the mixture
for 5 to 10 minutes and then transplanted.
Main field application
Four packets of the inoculant is mixed with 20
kgs of dried and powdered farm yard manure and then broadcasted in one
acre of main field just before transplanting.
Rhizobium
For all legumes Rhizobium is applied as seed inoculant.
Azospirillum/Azotobacter
In the transplanted crops, Azospirillum is inoculated through seed, seedling root dip and soil application methods. For direct sown crops, Azospirillum is applied through seed treatment and soil application.
Phosphobacteria
Inoculated through seed, seedling root dip and soil application methods as in the case of Azospirillum.
Combined application of bacterial biofertilizers.
Phosphobacteria can be mixed with Azospirillum and Rhizobium. The inoculants should be mixed in equal quantities and applied as mentioned above.
Points to remember
Biofertilizers recommendation (one packet - 200 g)
Rhizobium (only seed application is recommended)
Phosphobacteria
The recommended dosage of Azospirillum is adopted for phosphobacteria inoculation; for combined inoculation, both biofertilizers as per recommendations are to be mixed uniformly before using. 
Azolla is a free floating water fern that floats
in water and fixes nitrogen in association with the nitrogen fixing
blue green algae, Anabaena azollae. Azolla is considered to be
a potential biofertilizer in terms of nitrogen contribution to rice.
Long before its cultivation as a green manure, Azolla has been used as a
fodder for domesticated animals such as pigs and ducks. In recent
days, Azolla is very much used as a sustainable feed substitute for
livestock especially dairy cattle, poultry, piggery and fish.
Azolla contains 25 – 35 per cent protein on dry
weight basis and rich in essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins and
carotenoids including the antioxidant b carotene. Cholorophyll a,
chlorophyll b and carotenoids are also present in Azolla, while the
cyanobiont Anabaena azollae contains cholorophyll a,
phycobiliproteins and carotenoids. The rare combination of high
nutritive value and rapid biomass production make Azolla a potential
and effective feed substitute for live stocks.
Inputs required
Azolla fronds, Polythene sheet, Super phosphate and Cow dung.
Methodology
The area selected for Azolla nursery should be
partially shaded. The convenient size for Azolla is 10 feet length, 2
feet breadth and 1 feet depth. The nursery plot is spread with a
polythene sheet at the bottom to prevent water loss. Soil is applied to a
depth of 2 cm and a gram of super phosphate is applied along with 2 kg
of vermicompost or cow dung in the nursery for quick growth. Azolla
mother inoculum is introduced @ 5 kg/plot.
The contents in the plot are stirred daily so that
the nutrients in the soil dissolve in water for easy uptake by Azolla.
Azolla is harvested fifteen days after inoculation at the rate of 50-80
kg / plot. One third of Azolla should be left in the plot for further
multiplication. Five kg cow dung slurry should be sprinkled in the
Azolla nursery at ten days intervals. Neem oil can be sprayed over the
Azolla at 0.5 5 level to avoid pest incidence.
Value of the technology
The egg yield is increased in layer birds due to
Azolla feeding. The Azolla fed birds register an overall egg
productivity of 89.0 per cent as against 83.7 per cent recorded by the
birds fed with only concentrated feed. The average daily intake of
concentrated feed is considerably low (106.0 g) for birds due to Azolla
substitution as against 122.0 g in the control birds. More impotantly
Azolla feeding shows considerable amount of savings in the consumption
of concentrated feed (13.0 %) leading to reduced operational cost. By
considering the average cost of the concentrated feed as Rs. 17/ Kg, a
13.0 % saving in the consumption ultimately leads to a feed cost
savings of 10.0 paise /day/ bird and hence a layer unit maintaining
10,000 birds could cut down its expense towards feed to a tune of
rs.1000/day.
Benefits
The Azolla feeding to layer birds increase egg weight, albumin, globulin and carotene contents. The total protein content of the eggs laid by the Azolla fed birds is high and the total carotene content of Azolla eggs(440 g 100 g-1 of edible portion)is also higher than the control. The rapid biomass production due to the high relative growth rate, increased protein and carotene contents and good digestability of the Azolla hybrid Rong ping favour its use as an effective feed supplement to poultry birds.
Effect of Azolla hybrid Rong Ping on the nutritional value of egg
Application
In Indian conditions, agriculture is very much
coupled with poultry farming. Azolla is an important low cost input,
which plays a vital role in improving soil quantity in sustainable rice
farming. The twin potentials as biofertilizer and animal feed make the
water fern Azolla as an effective input to both the vital components
of integrated farming, agricultural and animalo husbandry.
Limitation
Azolla is a water fern and requires a growth
temperature of 35-38ยบ C. The multiplication of Azolla is affected under
elevated temperature. Hence adopting this technology in dry zones
where the temperature exceeds 40ยบc is difficult.
Achievements
Azolla hybrid Rong ping had been selected
to supply to the tribal population. Azolla mother inoculum nursery
was laid out in villages with the help of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, TNAU,
Coimbatore and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Karamadai, women entrepreneurs
were selected and one day training was imparted to them on the
cultivation of Azolla. Wet biomass (Starter inoculm) were supplied at
free of cost @ 10 kg/women entrepreneur during the training so as to
enable them to initiate commercial Azolla cultivation in their
backyards.
Azolla multiplication plots had been laid out in
Narasipuram. Azolla mass production training was conducted to the SHG
in Narasipuram village with the help of Kalaimagal Arts and Science
College, Narasipuram, Sappanimadai (tribal village) and Avinashilingam
KVK, Karamadai. With the help of Avinashilingam KVK, Karamadai Azolla
trainings were conducted to women volunteers and we have established
Azolla village in Karamadai. The Avin milk producers union Coimbatore
and the poultry owners association, Namakkal have been contacted and
explained the importance of Azolla as feed supplement.
The Milk Producers Union also involved in the
training and marketing of Azolla. They are purchasing Azolla fronds
from the village level Azolla growers both under wet and dry
conditions. Around 400 rural women and 370 tribal people have been
trained on the cultivation of Azolla through this project.
The Azolla laboratory and the Azolla germplasm center at AC&
RI, TNAU, Coimbatore helped us in the maintenance of germplasm by
providing the mother inoculum. The Animal Husbandry Unit at AC&RI,
TNAU, Coimbatore helped us in standardizing the Azolla and
concentrated feed mixing ratio.
Though the biofertilizer technology is a low
cost, ecofriendly technology, several constraints limit the application
or implementation of the technology the constraints may be
environmental, technological, infrastructural, financial, human
resources, unawareness, quality, marketing, etc. The different
constraints in one way or other affecting the technique at production,
or marketing or usage.
Technological constraints
The increasing demand for the biofertilizers and
the awareness among farmers and planters in the use of biofertilizers
have paved way for the fertilizer manufactures and new entrepreneurs to
get into biofertilizer production. A number of biofertilizer
production units have been started recently particularly in the southern
states of our country.
Nationalized banks have started their Hi-Tech
agricultural programme providing loan and motivated the entrepreneurs
to start their own production units. The Government of India is also
encouraging this low cost technology by providing a subsidy upto Rs.20
lakhs to start a production unit with the capacity of 150 metric tonnes
per annum. However, we are all aware that the success of the project
entirely depends on the economic viability. With the objective of
giving an overall economics of the biofertilizer production and sales,
an approximate estimate is prepared.
Total estimate for starting a biofertilizer production unit with the capacity of 150 metric tonnes/annum.
* The expenditures does not include the marketing expenses
Expenditure details (Rupees in lakhs)
Working capital
Staff salary
II. Production
III. Receipts
IV. Profitability
*Every year 10% increase in the expenditure is calculated to balance the price escalation
Economics of AM biofertilizer – Mass production
Source
Entrepreurial Training Manual
The Professor and Head Department of Microbiology Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday, 9 March 2014
Organic Farming :: Organic Inputs and Techniques Biofertilizers
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