Imbalanced use of fertilisers in India: Swiss expert

Ludhiana, Nov 23: The use of fertilizers may have increased from one kg per hectare in 1960-61 to 195 kg per hectare (2004-05), but the NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potash) level is highly imbalanced.

Despite the increase in fertiliser use, integrated nutrient management of the soil has not been taken care of in India with the NPK use being wayward and irregular, International Potash Institute (IPI), Switzerland, Director Dr Hillel Magen said while addressing an international symposium on 'Balanced Use of Fertilisers' at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here today.

The symposium the first of its kind in a developing country is being jointly organised by IPI and PAU.

Giving details Dr Magen said that the potash use is 150 kg per hectare for every tonne of nitrogen in India as compared to world average of 300 kg of potash per tonne of nitrogen.

Speaking at the symposium Dr M S Brar the organising secretary of the event said that the ratio of N (Nitrogen), P (Phosphorus), K (Potash) is ''wild and wide'' in India. The NPK ratio for the country is N 5.7, P 2.2 and K 1.0, while in Punjab this ratio is 27.8:7.3:1.0 which is not in proportion, he added.

Dr Brar pointed out that integrated nutrient management together with effective crop, soil, water and land management are critical for sustaining agriculture over a long period While giving a warning to the agri scientists and the farming community, Dr Magen said ''Soil is a living entity, it nurtures life by providing food fibre and fuel. If soil dies, who lives'' While pointing out that potassium had a key role in sustaining agricultural productivity, as had nitrogen, Dr Magen said that the potassium---nitrogen partnership is an important component of balanced fertiliser.

Dr Brar further pointed out that in India the average rate of nutrient application is less than 90 kg/ha, though in Punjab per hectare application of NPK is the highest in the country. The ideal NPK ratio should be 4:2:1 but this is not proportionate in Punjab and Haryana as too much stress is laid on nitrogen while ignoring the other two components, potash and phosphorus, he added.

Head of the department of soils at PAU, Dr Viraj Beri said that a leaf colour chart developed by PAU has been of immense use in determining nitrogen application timely.

Additional Secretary Chemicals and Fertilisers, Mr J S Maini in his address said fertiliser recommendations should be based on ''soil and crop parameters'' and there should be ''holistic approach to fertilizer use recommendations'' keeping in view the needs.

Punjab has come a long way from using single super phosphate, di-ammonium phosphate to NPK, he added.

ICAR Deputy Director-General (Natural Resource Management) Dr J S Samra in his special address said, fertiliser industry had almost become stagnant. This industry had failed to attract any foreign direct investment, he pointed out.

Urea is still produced from naphtha which is 2.5 times costlier than gas-based technology, Dr Samra said while suggestion switch over to gas-based production, in order to reduce the cost of production and also lighten the burden of subsidies.

PAY Vice Chancellor Dr K S Aulakh in his address pointed out that when one nutrient is applied it accelerates depletion of other nutrients. Plants take up 40-50 elements from soil of which 17 are essential and a few are replenished through fertilisers, he added.

UNI