Drones used to fertilise crops in India

DRONES are being used to sprinkle fertilisers which not only protect crop health but also increase production.

In a mere seven minutes, a drone can sprinkle fertiliser on nearly half a hectare of land.

The drone technology will not only save time but protect the person who is sprinkling fertilisers manually, from harmful chemicals.

Nowadays, nano urea is also available. Traditionally, when fertiliser is sprinkled manually, it reaches only 15% to 40% of the crops. But the fertiliser which is sprinkled along with water reaches 90% of the crops, leading to good produce. It is also cheaper compared to traditional manure.

Due to the efforts of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Central government is providing 32 drones to the state.

Four of the drones will be provided to agriculture universities, 10 to agriculture research centres and 18 to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research Institute.

Recently, in the presence of Agriculture

Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, fertiliser was sprinkled by drones in a demonstration in front of a gathering of farmers in Rahimabad.

To make the farmers aware of its benefits, such demonstrations would be carried out across the state, Shahi said.

According to DK Singh, chief regional manager, Indian Farmers’ Fertiliser Co-operative Limited, through drones, fertiliser can be sprinkled on crops like sugar cane and arhar (pigeon peas), whose size pose a problem if done manually.

Nano urea is sprinkled 30-40 days after sowing the crop. Sprinkling of fertiliser from a drone is just like mist.

As it is sprinkled on a standing crop, it does not reach the land, so it does not have any bad effect on water and land.

Along with nano urea, there are other soluble fertilisers which can be mixed as required by the crop.

The ratio is nitrogen, phosphorus, potash 18:18:18, 0:52:34, 0:0:50 respectively. |