A farmer from Surguja prepared green manure by growing dhaincha in four acres. The Agriculture Department said that this increases soil fertility, reduces costs and improves the yield of paddy.
Raipur. On the instructions of Chhattisgarh Government, the Agriculture Department is continuously motivating the farmers to use green manure to improve soil health and promote sustainable farming. The positive impact of this campaign is now visible in Surguja district also. Narendra Singh, a progressive farmer of village Keshganwa of Udaipur development block, has cultivated Dhaincha in about four acres of land and turned it into a field. Now paddy crop will be planted in this field.
Initiative to increase soil fertility through dhaincha cultivation
Farmer Narendra Singh said that on the advice of the Agriculture Department, he started dhaincha cultivation with the aim of reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers and improving the quality of the soil. He says that when the structure is turned in the field before it flowers, it turns into natural organic fertilizer within a few days. Through this process, the amount of organic matter in the soil increases and the nutrients necessary for the crops become naturally available. This maintains the fertility of the soil for a long time.
Green manure crops increase nutrients in the soil
According to agricultural scientists, legume green manure crops like Dhaincha work to fix the nitrogen present in the atmosphere in the soil. This makes the soil naturally more fertile. Apart from this, such crops also increase the availability of micronutrients like phosphorus, zinc and iron in the soil. Its direct benefit is given to the next crop and its growth is better.
Soil structure and water holding capacity improves
Humus formed by decomposition of humus makes the soil loose and fertile. This improves the flow of air and water in the soil, which strengthens the growth of plant roots. Use of green manure also increases the water holding capacity of the soil. Due to this, moisture remains in the field for a long time and the need for irrigation is reduced. Besides, the dense growth of dhaincha also helps in naturally controlling the growth of weeds in the field.
Appeal to farmers to adopt green manure before sowing paddy
The Agriculture Department has urged farmers to use Dhaincha, Sanai or other green manure crops before sowing other Kharif crops including paddy. The department says that this will reduce the expenditure on chemical fertilizers, maintain long-term fertility of the soil and promote environment-friendly sustainable agriculture. Besides, the production cost of farmers will reduce and the possibility of getting better yields will also increase.