"Nitrogen present in abundance in the air can be an economically viable alternative for chemical fertilizers," said Dr PB Nandkar, head of Department of Botany, RTM Nagpur University, while delivering an annual lecture. The lecture was organized to commemorate acclaimed scientist Ashok Juwarkar, by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).
Speaking on the topic 'Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Its Impact on Crops', Nankar, who is also the national adviser to the Regional Biofertiliser Centre run by the government of India, informed how soybean, beans, peas, and peanuts can be utilized for obtaining ammonia because of the nitrogen element in them. "75% of farmers in India are marginal ones with small patches of lands. Perennial legumes such as alfalfa can fix several hundred pounds of nitrogen per acre per year and that would benefit them in several ways," he added.
"Soil and crop residue are rich sources of nitrogen. Chemical fixation of nitrogen is the largest source of ammonia today. However it involves using a lot of fossil fuels and energy. It could all be saved if by using this natural fixation than industrial production of ammonia," said Nandkar.
Counting the control of various diseases in the crops, improvement in the condition of the soil, and increase in the crop yield as its benefits, Nandkar explained that this would also be an economically and ecologically beneficial method of producing nitrogen.
Director of NEERI, Satish Wate, who had worked under him recollected how he, while heading Land Environment and Management Division, turned several wastelands belonging to Manganese Ore India Limited (MOIL) in Maharashtra, Western Coalfield Limited (WCL) in Madhya Pradesh and Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited in Karnataka into gardenscapes.
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