Celebration of World Soil Day at Agricultural College, Sircilla

Agricultural College, Sircilla celebrated the ‘World Soil Day’ on 5th December, 2019 at Kusuma Ramaiah Zilla Parishad High School, Sircilla and Mahatma Jyothibha Phule Gurukula School, Peddur. The In-charge Associate Dean, Dr. Razia Sultana addressed the students on this occasion. She highlighted on importance of healthy soils for human beings and role of organic matter and bio-fertilizers to improve soil health. Dr. M. Shanti, Professor (Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry) emphasized on the need of use of organic manures, bio-fertilizers and green manures to improve the physical health of soil to control soil erosion and also helpful to increase farmer’s income. She emphasized on slogan “Stop soil erosion - save our future”. She also enlisted the available technologies like green manuring, green leaf manuring, adding FYM for better management of soil health and explained various activities to address the emerging issues of soil pollution and their management. Specimens of various organic manures, bio-fertilizers and seeds of green manure crops were also displayed. An oath was taken by all the participants as follows

- We will take care of our soil as our ‘Mother’
- We will nourish our ‘Mother Earth’ with organic manures like farmyard manure, sheep and goat manure and vermicompost.
- In case of non-availability of manures we will definitely use green manure crops like Dhaincha, Sunnhemp or Pilli pesara or nevertheless use green leaf manuring from leaves of Sesbania spp., Pongamia spp., Leuceana spp. or Cassia spp. during ploughing and incorporate in soil.
- We will use bio-fertilizers based on crop requirements
- We will not burn the crop residues in field
- We always go to crop rotation
- We will get all our soils tested for fertility status and use fertilizers based in soil test report recommendations
- We will bequeath a healthy, fertile and productive soil to our next generations

A demonstration on soil sampling was also made by the Dr. M. Shanti, Professor (SSAC) in the school to create awareness on importance of soil sampling. All the students actively involved in the programme. The programme ended with vote of thanks by Dr. K. Rajesh, Assistant professor (Crop Phy.). All the staff participated in these programmes.