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Information |
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| Name |
Haribhai Muljibhai Narola, |
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| District |
Bhavnagar, |
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| Title |
Bajra’ flour: Higher yield, lesser rust |
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| Details |
Haribhai Narola of Bhavnagar district has been using pearlmillet (locally called ‘bajra’) flour instead of chemical fertilizers as basal treatment in the soil before sowing. He obtained good results with ‘bajra’ flour in wheat, cotton, chilli and other vegetable crops over the last seven to eight years. In the winter of 1995, he conducted a systematic study to compare the effects of ‘bajra’ flour with those of chemical fertilizer, Diammonium Phosphate (DAP). He allocated two plots of one vigha (0.16 ha) each to the following basal treatments viz., (i) 80 kg of 20-day old ‘bajra’ flour (ii) 50 kg DAP (Diammonium Phosphate).
Growth promoter & Rust controller
Both the treatments were given in the furrows before sowing. Sowing of wheat was done in both the plots on the same day. Agronomic practices like irrigation, weeding and other care were identical for both the plots. The yield of wheat was higher by 250 kg/ha in the plot treated with ‘bajra’ flour. Haribhai observed small patches of rust in DAP-treated plot while the other plot remained healthy.
Residual effect
In the following rainy season Haribhai cultivated cotton in both the plots. The plant growth and boll setting of cotton was much better in the plot treated with ‘bajra’ flour in the previous season. Hence, he argues, ‘bajra’ flour treatment has a positive residual effect on subsequent crops too. He always keeps 400-500 kg of ‘bajra’ flour ready for such use.
Haribhai is 65 and can read and write though he has never had any formal schooling. He has 125 ha of land and has great interest in revitalizing traditional practices by experimentation. He is much concerned about the use of modern inputs and their possible adverse residual effects. He has plans to make innovative herbal pesticides as A substitutes for chemicals. |
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| Volume No. |
Honey Bee, 7(2):14, 1996 |
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| Sout |
Dilip Koradia |
