New Delhi: Agricultural scientists and researchers drawn from premium research institutes and agriculture universities participated in an interactive convention organised by the World’s largest Fertiliser Cooperative, the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO).
The meeting was held at IFFCO Sadan here and included agriculture scientists, researchers, directors and Vice Chancellors from top-tier agriculture research institutes and universities.
The focus of this gathering centred on Nano Fertilisers, aiming to address gaps, explore research and development opportunities, and chart a course towards Agriculture 2.0 to benefit farmers across India.
According to a statement by IFFCO, Institutes that participated included TNAU (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University), ICAR-CRIDA (Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture), INST Mohali (Institute of Nanoscience and Technology), VNMKV Parbhani (Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth), RVSKVV Gwalior (Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwavidyalaya), and ICAR-IARI Pusa, New Delhi.
During the meeting, a technical presentation took centre stage, delving into the structural, morphological, and efficacy benefits of IFFCO Nano Urea Liquid.
The discussion also revolved around how the networking project would further enhance, update and provide quality data regarding IFFCO Nanofertilisers tailored to specific crops and agro-climatic regions.
Dr US Awasthi, Managing Director IFFCO, lauded the novel initiative for Nano fertilisers, highlighting the necessity for indigenous technology to adapt to contemporary challenges, considering limited resources and the stark reality of climate change.
He further expounded on IFFCO's drone ecosystem development project, poised to cover more than 25 lakh acres for foliar spraying at the lowest cost for farmers.
Dr V Geethalakshmi, Vice-Chancellor of TNAU, expressed confidence that nano fertilizers hold the solution to the complications arising from fertilizer consumption on soil health, a fact documented by major departments of TNAU, Coimbatore.
She underscored the potential of the networking project in generating quality data on IFFCO Nanofertiliser for crops cultivated across diverse agro-climatic regions.
Dr V K Singh, Director of CRIDA, shed light on the utility of nano fertilisers, such as Nano Urea Liquid, in rainfed and dryland crops based on multi-location trials conducted by CRIDA.
Emphasizing the potential for millet crop productivity, he noted that Nano Urea enhances the photosynthetic activity and urged studies on nutrient mining and balance across multiple locations to further propagate nano fertilisers.
Dr Indra Mani, Vice-Chancellor of VNMKV, Parbhani, called for the development of site-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for IFFCO nanoformulations and the integration of drone technology with nanofertilisers. Dr A K Shukla, Vice Chancellor of RVSKVV, Gwalior, suggested varietal screening to assess the suitability of nano fertilisers, potentially opening new dimensions for their adoption.
Dr. Rajeev Shukla of GBPUAT, Pantnagar, and Dr. Ashwini Kumar of ICAR-CSSRI, Karnal, shared insights from their validation trials, revealing that it is possible to achieve up to a 50 per cent reduction in bulk Urea application.
They emphasized the importance of understanding the correct application stage and crop foliage growth to maximize Nano Urea's efficacy. Nano DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) also exhibited enhanced seed germination in their trials.
IFFCO's Kisan drone services were showcased through digital and physical means. Dr S Pazhanivelan of TNAU reported that Nano Urea spray via drones over 1800 hectares of paddy fields resulted in a 7 per cent yield increase while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Yogendra Kumar, Marketing Director of IFFCO, summed up that Nano Urea Liquid has transformed the scientific landscape and holds promise not only for Indian agriculture but for agriculture worldwide.
All participants were given the opportunity to visit and appreciate IFFCO's electric vehicle (EV) equipped with drone facilities for field spraying, highlighting the practical applications of these innovations in farmers' fields.
—ANI
