PUSA Decomposers

Subject :Environment

Context: Decomposers to be used for stubble

Details:

The decomposers are in the form of capsules made by extracting fungi strains that help the paddy straw to decompose at a much faster rate than usual.
The fungi help to produce the essential enzymes for the degradation process.

Decomposer Mixture:

It involves making a liquid formulation using decomposer capsules and fermenting it over 8-10 days and then spraying the mixture on fields with crop stubble to ensure speedy bio-decomposition of the stubble.
The farmers can prepare 25 litres of the liquid mixture with 4 capsules, jaggery, and chickpea flour. The mixture is sufficient to cover 1 hectare of land.

Time to Decompose:

It takes around 20 days for the degradation process to be completed.
Under usual circumstances, shredded and watered paddy straw, which is mixed with soil, takes at least 45 days to decompose.
It does not give enough time for farmers to prepare fields for the wheat crop on time.

Benefits:

The decomposer improves the fertility and productivity of the soil as the stubble works as manure and compost for the crops and lesser fertilizer consumption is required in the future.
The soil loses its richness due to stubble burning and it also destroys the useful bacteria and fungi in the soil, apart from causing harm to the environment.
It is an efficient and effective, cheaper, doable, and practical technique to stop stubble burning.
It is an eco-friendly and environmentally useful technology and will contribute to achieving Swachh Bharat Mission.