A sustainability oriented technology and Soil health

Mohsin Tanveer, Shahbaz Atta Tung, Haseeb Zahid

Nature has sanctified us with biological entity and life is not possible without it. And that biological entity is SOIL. Soil is layer of upper earth crust and a source of mineral nutrients, containing a vast array of organic, inorganic nutrients and gases in different proportions. Plant takes up 16 elements from soil and makes its food. Unfortunately, we are not taking care of it and under the scenario of current agriculture problems; soil health is of burning issue right now. Agriculture is modified and transformed into industry and now the only aim of farmer is to get high yield even though he has to deteriorate its soil. Farmers have increased their cropping intensity in greed of more earning without taking into consideration of soil health. As a result, nutrient status of soil is diminishing rapidly day by day.

Although the nutrient requirement could be done with synthetic fertilizer application, but fertilizer prices and their quality is still a question. However, total avoidance of synthetic fertiliser is not possible, so there is need of sustainability oriented approach that reduces artificial fertilizer application and improves soil fitness. The basic concept behind adoption of that technology is just to increase organic matter in soil. Soil fertility depends on the availability of organic matter. This organic matter not only improves water holding capacity, nutrient retention capacity but also enhances microbial activity in soil by providing them food. It is primitive for better productivity that our soil should contain enough nutrients. Plant stores nutrient in grains, leaves, stem and roots. It is rule for successful and progressive farming that, after removing economical part of plant, remaining should be incorporated in soil.

Using combine harvesters, lot of wheat stubbles remained on soil and that is marvellous source of organic matter. Usually farmers burn these stubbles and putting stubbles on fire causes environmental issues and loss of nutrients and sometimes it takes shape of massive accidents. Burning also affects soil microbes and reduces soil health. Burning of stubbles is crime, then why does our farmer do this? The reason is, he does not have any idea how to get rid of that and what to do with that. Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad has devised a system that not only improves soil health but also provide an additional source of income. Main benefit of this technology is that being leguminous crop and addition of organic matter in soil, fertiliser requirement dips to half amount and by burning, 80% nitrogen, 25% phosphorous and 21 % potassium is lost. On the other hand these nutrients can be returned back by putting them in soil. Dr. Ehsan Ullah and his team introduced three methods:

Sowing of Sesbania in standing wheat: Sesbania is leguminous crop that has potential to produce excess biomass in short time with low input requirement. It has capability to fix nitrogen in soil and increase nitrogen concentration in soil. At the end of March/ start of April and when last irrigation of wheat is done then broadcast sesbania at rate of 10 kg per acre in standing wheat. Soak the seed for 10-15 hours before surface steeping that increase germination speed. Then at harvesting time of Wheat, Sesbania grows up to height of 1 foot and at that time it is not ploughed in soil by using simple cultivator. At this stage, upper grown parts can be harvested and fed to animals as fodder. And below ground parts may be act as organic matter in soil. 2) Sowing of Sesbania after wheat harvesting: Sometimes, farmers do not able to sow seed, might be due to unavailability of seed. Then they can sow seed even after harvesting. Seeds may be sown by giving irrigation heavily after harvesting and broadcast primed seed in field. In this method, Sesbania get little height at time of land preparation for rice. But that little biomass of Sesbania improves sol health a lot.

Sowing at field capacity level of soil after wheat harvesting: In this method, seeds are broadcasted at field capacity level (optimum soil moisture level) of soil after harvest of wheat. Weeds may also be growing in this way that can be removed easily. Incorporate the Sesbania when, land preparation is required. Under all these methods, our aim is to introduce a leguminous crop and utilize nutrients and time between wheat harvesting and sowing of next crop. There are two methods, employed to incorporate them in soil. Through rotavator: Rotavator is best option for Sesbania incorporation. Give light irrigation to field, then at optimum moisture level, rotavate the field, in this way stubbles of wheat and Sesbania may be cut down and can be easily incorporated. By puddling method: At the core areas of rice belt, it is started raining and at that time Sesbannia may be deposited in soil in that standing water of rain. This method yield two benefits, firstly the rovator cut down plants in to small pieces which will start decomposing abruptly and secondly, there will be no need of land preparation further. Soil becomes soft and fertile after this method and that helps in transplanting of rice nursery.

Questions regarding the adoption of this method:

· Some farmers feel reluctant to spend money on purchasing Sesbania seed. They do not want to increase the expense but they do not know, if they use this technique, they will not only sustain their soil but also get high yield and price of Sesbania seed is very low.

· Some farmers ask how this will increase our yield. The answer is Sesbania is leguminous crop. It will fix environmental nitrogen in soil and boost up the availability of nitrogen in soil. This will reduce fertiliser requirement.

· Some farmers inquired about the feasibility of adoption of this method. This method is feasible under all agro-ecological zones and can be adapted at all kind of soil series.

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Mushroom farming: the fungal goldmine

SAHIWAL: A global trend in agriculture has been a shift away from simple systems that rely on traditional crops, to those that increasingly seek new varieties of plants that cater to advanced dietary needs. To this end, scientists and growers have recommended several new crops that can augment the spectrum of agricultural produce.

By Muhammad Zeeshan Farid / Dr Amjad Farooq Published: October 1, 2012

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Mushrooms, known locally as “khumbi”, are among this emerging cropping system. Mushrooms are essentially fungi, a group of organisms distinct from plants, animals and bacteria. They convert inedible plant waste into palatable food, which is savoured due to its biting texture and flavour. They form a complete diet as mushrooms contain essential vitamins and minerals, and are the best substitute for protein. They also contain traces of carbohydrates and fat.

Dr Amjad Farooq works as an assistant professor at the Department of Horticulture of the PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi. He explains that, according to estimates, there are more than 1,500 types of mushrooms found on planet earth – some of them are edible, but others are poisonous. The four most popular types are the button or European mushroom, the Japanese mushroom, the Chinese mushroom and the oyster mushroom. The best quality mushrooms available in Pakistan are the oyster mushroom, the white mushroom, the golden oyster mushroom, the phoenix (grey) oyster mushroom and the pink oyster mushroom. These strains grow all over the country, and are available usually after the monsoon season.

Mushrooms can be cultivated between October and March. Cultivation does not require land and can be grown in small houses and huts as a part-time activity. Mushroom cultivation does not require full time-labour, and all family members can look after different operations easily. There are two modes of propagation for a mushroom crop: open-air field cultivation and controlled cultivation.

After seven days of cultivation, small pin-like heads emerge from the mushroom, which turn into more mushrooms after three to five days. Branches which grow five to seven inches long, called flushes, are removed from the plants and dried. These can be used in cooking, or can be sold in the market. Flushes keep regenerating from the plant after every ten days of the removal of old ones: the cycle is very short, and as a result, highly productive.

“A single flush or branch of mushroom can yield more than half a kilogramme (kg) of edible food after each week for three months,” says Dr Muhammad Nadeem, from the Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).

Thus, 100 beds of mushroom can yield more than 120kg of mushrooms a week. At the rate of Rs150 per kg, they can generate a lump sum profit of Rs18,000 a week, or Rs72,000 in a month. Dr Nadeem says the “production of mushrooms touches approximately 1.5 million tons in the world, while about 90 tons of mushrooms are exported to Europe from Pakistan every year.”

Oyster mushrooms currently sell for around $6 a pound in the US. A growing area of around 200 square feet can produce 800 pounds per crop; or 5,000 pounds of mushrooms per year. This is worth almost $30,000 at current prices. It’s clear that growing oyster mushrooms for profit is a great way to make some extra cash.

However, it should be kept in mind that, given the large variety of poisonous strains of mushrooms, spawn should be developed only under the supervision of experts. It is available at the UAF, the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute and other government research stations.

Farmers who wish to cultivate mushrooms should book spawn well before the cultivation season, because it may not be readily available during the peak demand period. The UAF laboratory has developed some thermo-tolerant strains of the most widely grown button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus cystidiosus).

As basic training is required for profitable mushroom cultivation, the Continuing Education Department of the UAF offers a short course suited for farmers. Furthermore, the UAF’s Mushroom Lab can be contacted for guidance and information, and it can give proper suggestions and recommendations to those willing to invest in this lucrative business.

ZEESHAN FARID IS A RECLAMATION OFFICER WITH A MASTERS DEGREE IN AGRICULTURE. DR AMJAD FAROOQ IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE PMAS-ARID AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2012.

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Pakistan and Tajikistan Sugar Trade

Tajikistan has set new conditions for the import of sugar from Pakistan and now it is seeking a price of $20 less than international market instead of already agreed price. For last eight months, Pakistan and Tajikistan are negotiating to mature a sugar export deal, however, the deal is still pending despite several correspondences.
Sources told Business Recorder on Monday that once again Tajikistan has declined to accept Trading Corporation of Pakistan''s (TCP) commercial agreement for export of 30,000 tons white crystal sugar and has set some new conditions for the import of sugar. Following refusal of TCP''s commercial agreement, much awaited sugar export deal between Pakistan and Tajikistan has been further delayed. About one month back, amended commercial agreement for export of sugar was sent to Tajikistan officials for their signature. The second commercial agreement was drafted in consultation with Tajikistan and as per their demand Pakistan had agreed to supply sugar in three tranches instead of a single tranche of 30,000 tons.
However, now Tajikistan has declined to accept TCP''s second commercial agreement as is not willing to procure complete quantity of sugar through three consignments, sources said. Instead of accepting and signing commercial agreement sent by TCP, Agency on State Material Reserves of Tajikistan has asked TCP to reduce the agreed price of the commodity and minimise the consignment quantity by 50 percent.
In recent correspondent with TCP, Tajikistan''s procurement agency has refused to get supply of 10,000 tons in three tranches and now seeking sugar procurement in six phases. "Now, Tajikistan has requested for supply of sugar in six tranches with each tranche of 5,000 tons. At the same time, they are demanding a price of $20 less than international market instead of already agreed price of $528 per ton," they added.
In the second week of August last year, in the presence of Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Nurmahmad Akhmedov Chairman Agency on State Material Reserves of Tajikistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan reached a sugar export deal, under which Pakistan will supply 30,000 tons of white refined crystal sugar to Tajikistan at a discount price, which will be some $20 lower than international market. A price of $528 per ton was fixed for export as at the time of negotiations international price stood at $548 per ton.
With Tajikistan''s new demand, much awaited sugar export deal between two countries has further delayed and now it is being expected that sugar export deal will take some months to mature, sources said. Talks for export of sugar to Tajikistan are in process for last eight months, but continued to delay due to some disputes.
Earlier, there was some confusion on the transportation expenses and later the variety of sugar as during the initial talks, Tajikistan had agreed to import white refined crystal sugar, while later it demand powdered sugar, which is costlier than crystal sugar. TCP has already made all arrangements to start sugar export to Tajikistan and some 30,000 tons of stocks of white crystal sugar have already been allocated for export purposes.

Source: Business Recorder

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