Thrissur : 

Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has developed a ‘lime applicator’ system to apply lime on the sprawling paddy fields of the state, to ameliorate the acidity of soil, before agriculture activities. This machine has come out as a boost for kole land farmers as they were facing acute problems with lime application ahead of every farming season.

The R&D team of the Food Security Arm (FSA) under the University has developed a system of protocols to use the equipment ‘fertilizer broadcaster’ as lime applicator.

After field trials at ARS Mannuthy, applicator was successfully demonstrated at Ponnamutha Kole padavu, before the farmers, and was found very successful. It will apply lime at the rate of 600kg/ha.

According to ARS head U Jaikumaran the kole lands of Malappuram and Thrissur districts, stretching over 30,000 acres, is inherently faced with high acidity problem.

Here high acidity interferes with soil fertility and hinders the uptake of nutrients by the paddy crop thereby reduces rice production up to 60-90 per cent, unless neutralised by lime application.

The farmers in this area were demanding the development of a suitable machinery, over the years, for lime application in kole lands, at the prescribed rate. This demand was projected in ‘Operation Ponnamutha 300/5’ project and since then Agricultural Research Station, Mannuthy, was trying to development of a lime applicator feasible to kole lands, Jaikumaran said.

This led to the development of two lime applicators. Both these functions through PTO operated tractor and mounted on three point linkage. Its hopper is conical in shape and can hold nearly 450 kg of lime material. The PTO operates a central spin situated on the bottom opening of the hopper, which scatters lime material dropping through the hopper.

When manual workers claim nearly `3-5/ kg for lime application, using this machine can reduce the cost by `1/kg. The equipment can also be hydraulically lifted.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Express News Service / October 22nd, 2014