eChapters

Soil map is a map showing diversity of soil types and its properties such as pH, texture, organic matter and depth of horizons in the area of interest obtained as the end of soil survey. Generally, soil maps are used to simply identify soils and their properties, but are sometimes required for more specific purposes, such as the suitability of soils for a particular crop, suitability for irrigation, erosion risk and many other specific needs or environmental threats.

Soils fulfil many functions important for agriculture, forestry and the management of soil resources and natural hazards. The functionality of soils depends on their properties; hence, accurate and spatially highly resolved maps of basic soil properties such as texture, organic carbon content and pH for specific soil depth are needed for the sustainable management of soils. The surface soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration is a useful soil property to map soils, interpret soil properties, and guide fertilizer and agricultural chemical applications.

Traditionally farmers apply fertilizers, chemicals and other crop production inputs to optimize the production of the field as a whole. This results in application of over application of inputs and low inputs in certain locations of the field because of variation in field characteristics including soil organic carbon, soil texture, soil nutrients, field topography, and other properties. In addition, uniform applications may increase the chances of pollution of the environment due to excess application in some field area. Precision farming technology has been shown to optimize application rates if the variation of field characteristics can be used to guide the application rate of crop-production inputs. The organic carbon concentrations of surface soil have been used to spatially vary the application rate of some crop-production inputs. The surface soil organic carbon concentration affects the activity of many herbicides, influences plant-available nitrogen and also affects the soil’s ability to adsorb plant nutrients. Knowing its concentration may therefore be useful, especially if its spatial distribution could be determined accurately and for low cost.

Crops are grown in soil. There are different types of soil. The soil type helps farmers decide what crops will grow best because some crops do better with particular types of soil. Testing the soil helps determine what nutrients are available or unavailable for growing certain crops. Farmers usually have local agricultural experts test the soil on their land for information on how to proceed in growing crops. The best soil has a balance of nutrients, such as potassium, magnesium, and others. Certain crops may need more of one nutrient, so farmers put back those ingredients into the soil for better crops.

Six different types of soil are listed below along with the crops which do well in these soils.

1.Loam: This type of soil helps grow the best possible crops because it provides the necessary elements for plant growth and development. Loamy sand contains mostly sand plus clay and silt. Such soils are good for root vegetables, such as carrots, radish, turnip, beets, leafy vegetables, potatoes and tomatoes.

2.Clay: Cabbage and broccoli grow well in clay soil, but it is not good for root vegetables because of its dense texture which does not allow free flow of water.

3.Sand: Root vegetables, such as turnips, parsnips, and carrots, grow well in sandy soil.

4.Silt: Silty soil is fertile and offers nutrients for plant development. Lettuce, cabbage, carrots, turnips, and many other vegetables flourish in silt. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries do well.

5.Peat: Peaty soil provides plant growth when mixed with rich organic matter, lime, and compost that reduces its acidity. Legumes, root crops, cabbage, and spinach are easily grown in soil that’s well-drained.

6.Chalk: Sweet corn, beets, spinach, and cabbage are among the vegetables that benefit from chalkier soil. It is recommended that farmers use fertilizers and balance the pH levels to deal with the alkaline that can sometimes stunt growth.

In soil culture, also known as in-ground culture, crops are raised on level ground as well as in raised beds. Soil culture is more often used in growing vegetables (e.g., tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and peppers) rather than ornamental crops such as herbs, roses, freesia, and foliage plants as well as popular with smaller commercial and organic growers. The soil should be well drained, fertile, have a medium to light texture and be high in organic matter. The soil in a greenhouse should be worked as deeply as possible to break any existing hardpans or those that may have developed because of repeated traffic over the area. Fumigation or pasteurization of the soil is a must before each crop or at least once a year. This will help to destroy disease, nematodes and weeds. If soil is steamed, hold it at 180 degrees F (82°C) for 4 hours. Production techniques used in soil culture are similar to intensive crop production methods used in the field. Although soil is readily available at most places where a greenhouse is located most commercial growers, no longer rely on soil culture in the greenhouse as they did ealier. Some of the reasons include insect and disease pressures and costly fumigation.

Seedling:A seedling is a very young plant that grows from a seed. When the moisture, light, and temperature conditions are correct, the seedling’s development begins with seed germination and the formation of three main parts:

1.Radicle - Embryonic root

2.Hypocotyl - Embryonic shoot

3.Cotyledons - Seed leaves.

In vegetables and annual ornamental crops where generally seed size is small they are germinated in nursery beds or in plug trays indoor (greenhouse) or outdoor(field), hardened before transplanting.

Sapling: A sapling is a young tree, say more than 1 year and less than 3 years’ old. In the life cycle of trees, a seedling converts into a sapling as the next stage of development. It is nearly one-meter tall and generally remains to be known as a sampling until its stem reaches 7 centimetre in diameter. The time period of this stage depends upon the particular species of a tree. In vegetable and annual ornamental crops seedlings generally are one month to 40 days old. Older than this, seedlings do not give better yields on transplanting. Very young seedlings exhibit larger mortality on transplanting.

Transplanting: Transplanting or replanting is the technique of moving a plant by uplifting from one location to another. From nursery beds seedlings or saplings are shifted and planted either in the field or greenhouses for commercial growing. Seedlings are uprooted if grown in soil medium. They are transplanted with growing medium. Uprooted seedlings take time to establish at a new place and face transplanting shock- time taken by roots to establish contact with the soil or growing medium.

Sowing of Seed: It is a process of planting seeds of crops in well prepared or no till field or nursery beds/pots for raising crops in following methods:

Methods of Sowing: The sowing method is determined by the crop to be sown and resources on the disposal of farmer. There are 6 sowing methods which differ in their merits, demerits and adoption. Those are:

1.Broad casting

2.Broad or Line sowing

3.Dibbling

4.Transplanting

5.Planting

6.Putting seeds behind the plough.

It is a common knowledge that most of the farmers apply irrigation water until all the points in the field are fully wetted and covered with a thin sheet of water. Studies have indicated that a significant (20-25%) amount of irrigation water is lost during its application at the farm due to poor farm designing and unevenness of the fields. This problem is more pronounced in the case of rice fields. Unevenness of fields leads to inefficient use of irrigation water and also delays tillage and crop establishment options. Fields that are not levelled have uneven crop stands, increased weed burdens and uneven maturing of crops. All these factors tend to contribute to reduced yield and produce quality which reduce the potential farm income. Effective land levelling is meant to optimize wateruse efficiency, improve crop establishment, reduce the irrigation time and effort required to manage crop.

Reasonably levelled agriculture fields has advantage over uneven and undulating crop fields as unevenness of the soil surface has a significant impact on the seed germination, crop stand and its yield. Traditionally land levelling was being done throughout India by bullock drawn plough or tractors and applying different devices for levelling the field by visual assessment e.g. on small plots with hoes, or with draft animals and equipment such as ploughs and bars or scrapers or grading. Equipment such as grading blades and hydraulically operated levellers mounted on wheels are used with tractors. More advanced and sophisticated levelling equipment is operated with a laser emitter, a laser sensor or receiver, and a scraper pulled by a tractor. After the desired level or slope of the field and/or the difference of the high and low spots have been surveyed, the emitter is set to send a rotating laser beam creating a plane of laser light above the field surface. The laser light is used as the levelling reference. It directs the hydraulic system of the moving tractor and scraper, and thereby controls the levelling. Hence, laser levelling or laser land levelling is levelling the crop field within certain degree of desired slope using a guided laser beam throughout the field.

Precision farming is also known as precision agriculture. A farmer is not only expected to produce more for the increasing population and his family but save and protect the fragile environment while practicing it. Advanced technologies with appropriate and exact inputs such as precision farming can take care better of environment. Precision farming is right farming operations at right time leading to maximize profit. Every farming activity performed with precision by doing the right thing, in the right place, in the right way, at the right time and with right technology leading to maximize profit is known as precision farming. It is an efficient, eco-friendly and accurate management of agriculture inputs such as water, seed, fertilizers, pesticides and harvesting tools and machinery to maximize profit and reduce waste. The basic concept of precision farming is to match agricultural inputs and operations as per crop (variety/hybrid/cultivar) and agroclimatic conditions with accuracy to their better use efficiency. Perfection (nothing requisite is wanting) in farming is the key to precision farming.

Precision farming is based on global positioning system (GPS). The unique character of GPS is precision in time and space. Its use is spreading to all farm operations. Precision farming is an integrated information and production based farming system that is designed to increase long term, site specific and whole farm production efficiency, productivity and profitability while minimizing, waste and unintended impacts on the environment. This concept of precision agriculture is based on observing, measuring and responding to inter and intra field variability in crops.

Farm management strategy is the key to precision agriculture that uses integrated smart technologies such as sensors, GIS, GPS, satellite radars, drones, IoT (Internet of things) and data analytics to develop informed crop production and management decisions. The field variations are precisely measured with the help of technologies to optimize applications of inputs such as manures, fertilizers, pesticides, bio-agents and water use to increase crop yield at minimum cost. The aim of precision farming is to increase productivity, decrease production costs and minimize the environmental impact of farming.

29.1 INTRODUCTION

Some historians believe that it was women who first domesticated crop plants and thereby initiated the art and science of farming. While men went out hunting in search of food, women started collecting seeds from the native flora and began cultivating those of interest from the point of view of food, feed, fodder, fibre and fuel. This view is strengthened by the fact that women have been traditionally seed selectors. Even today this tradition has continued in many parts of the developing world. Women have played and continue to play a pivotal role in the conservation of basic life support system such as land, water, flora and fauna. They have protected the health of the soil through organic recycling and promoted crop security through the maintenance of varietal diversity and genetic resistance. In many hill and remote areas of developing countries such as Himalyan region, agriculture is largely in hands of women. Men tend to go to towns and cities in search of salaried jobs for fulfilment of family income. Therefore, without total intellectual and physical participation of women, it will not be possible to popularize alternative systems of land management for shifting cultivation, arrest gene and soil erosion, and promote the care of the soil and the health of economic plants and farm animals. Women also tend to look at problems in their totality from the sowing of the crop to its ultimate utilization either as food, feed or raw material for industry. Since they are usually involved in of marketing, they generally possess a clear understanding of market preferences and prejudices. Therefore, for an economically and ecologically sustainable agriculture the involvement of women farmers and farm women (agriculture farmers with and without assets) in the process of modernization of farming practices and village industries is absolutely essential. Horticulture is a major part of Indian agriculture. Although belated, their importance has now been recognized in India not only to provide the much needed balanced nutrition and gainful occupation to our populace but also to develop viable internal and export trade. Fruits like banana and vegetables like potato being energy rich are considered prominent food crops e.g. banana can produce as high as 37 million calories per hectare. Unfortunately the component of fruits and vegetables in Indian diet is hardly six per cent which should be raised at least five times so that the per capita per day consumption mathches the recommended dose of 85g. fruits, 75 – 125g. leafy vegetables 85g. other vegetable and 85g. roots and tubers. To achieve this present production of fruits and vegetables would need to be pushed up considerably by increasing the production levels and the area both.

28.1 INTRODUCTION

Precision Farming has assumed great significance in the country for making the use of available resources more judiciously and efficiently. It is farm management strategy which utilizes precise information to increase profit and to reduce enviornmental impact. It takes into account in field variability in soil fertility and crop conditions. In nutshell, it may be defined as management of input variables such as application rates, cultivars selections, tillage practices, irrigation scheduling, optimization of soil and plant nutrient through nutrient management practices and management of pest and diseases by reducing the quantities of pesticides. Development of new technologies has become integral part of precision farming.

Precision farming was widely accepted firstly as a management practice in corn belt of mid west United States of America which helped in increasing the yield and significant reduction in production costs. Besides, crops like wheat and soybean have also been included in its purview. In south east parts of U.S.A., research is currently on in the crops of citrus, cotton, groundnut, vegetables and even livestock. Precision farming management practices have also integrated controlling and monitoring of field information using geographical information system (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), sensors, Variable Rate Technology (VRT) and yield monitoring. These components are highly sophisticated. GIS software stores data pertaining to soil type, nutrient levels etc in layers and assign that information to the particular field location. It can also be used to analyze characteristics between layers to develop application maps or other management options. Global Positioning System is a referencing device capable of identifying sites within a field. Global positioning system (GPS) helps in storing information regarding field location in terms of latitude and longitude. Maps showing variability of nutrient levels soil types, topography, pest incidence and yield can be created by virtue of it. It is a set of 24 satellites in high altitude orbit above the earth for pin pointing objects on the surface of the earth. These satellites continuously transmit radio signals which are picked up and deciphered by special receivers. A GPS receiver requires at least four satellites to determine its position on earth. Receivers are mounted on tractors/top of cab or on some high point to get a clear view of the spy. Crop stress, soil properties, pest incidence etc. are determined by the help of sensors through traveling over the field by tractors or combine. These can be used for measurement of soil conductivity, fertility status, weeds etc. Another type of sensor viz Remote sensors (aerial/ satellite) can provide instead maps of field conditions. Computer control device and associated hardware are part of Variable Rate Technology (VRT) for application of fertilizers, pesticides etc on the basis of field characteristics of the specific location. In precision farming, information is needed about mean characteristics of small, relatively homogenous management zones. It is data acquisition of the farms to find the soil, vegetation and other parameters which are amenable to remote sensing. Remote sensing techniques are helpful in providing continuous acquired data of agricultural crops. Remote sensors image vegetation growing on different soil types with different water availability. The following applications can be made by relief sensors:

27.1 INTRODUCTION

In India, the horticulture sector contributes around 29 per cent of the GDP and 37 per cent of the total exports of agricultural commodities from about 13.08% of area. India has been placed as the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables; largest producer and consumer of cashew nut, tea, spices; third largest producer of coconut; fourth largest producer and consumer of rubber and sixth largest producer of coffee in the world. Several new programmes area in operation and significant developments in area expansion, production, value-addition and exports have taken place. Today, as a result of better synergy between research agencies, technological and policy initiatives by the governmental agencies, proactive participation of private players and higher degree of diversification to horticulture, this sector has emerged as a sustainable and viable proposition for even the small and marginal farmers including different stakeholders in the commodity chain. In spite of the remarkable progress made in the horticulture Sector in India, there is lot of scope in improvement in safety and quality aspects of horticultural produce.

The concept of biosafety encompasses a range of measures, policies and procedures for minimizing potential risks likely to appear to the environment and human health. Such safeguards must be put in place now. Biosafety is currently being promoted in a variety of ways by industry, governments and civil society. Quality and safety become prime concern because most of the horticultural produce are consumed daily in fresh, cooked and processed form and contribute major share in our daily diet. To ensure biosafety and quality of horticultural produce we need to ensure: a)Supply of quality inputs, b)Adoption of good cultural practices, c) Handling and processing of horticultural produce in scientific /hygienic manner, d)Packing, storage, transportation and delivery etc. in such a way that it reaches at consumers’ table without deteriorating the quality.

To ensure such aspects various preventive and certification measures have been initiated by government and certification agencies all over the globe including India , such as prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954, Agricultural Produce Marketing Act, 1937, Food Safety Standards Association of India (FSSAI), Food Safety System Certification (FSSC:2200), International Food Certification (IFC), Food Chain Traceability, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Food Product Orders (FPO), etc. The major emphasis under these certifications/regulations is to ensure quality and safety of the produce and minimize the risks by reducing the biological, chemical, physical hazards like microorganism contamination, level of heavy metal/chemicals/ drugs beyond the critical limits, residual effects of toxic substances etc. Brief of a few certification/regulations are listed below.

26.1 INTRODUCTION

India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables and ranks next to Brazil and China, respectively. With the commensurate total production of 63.5 and 87.2 million tonnes of fruits and vegetables, the country shares about 11 per cent of total production under fruits and 13 per cent of total production under vegetables, respectively (Anon., 2008) in global scenario. Horticultural produce undergoes spoilage at the time of harvesting, handling, storage, marketing and processing resulting in huge wastage. Efficient management of this waste can help preserving essential nutrients of our food and feeds and bringing down the production cost of processed product, besides minimizing pollution hazards and purifying the environmental condition. Recycling of horticultural waste is one of the most important aspects of utilizing it in a number of new ways to yield new products and meeting the requirements of essential products required to mankind.

In advance countries like USA, Australia, Brazil and Israel, more than 50 per cent of fruits and vegetables productions are processed into different products, whereas, in India it is less than 2.0 per cent of total production. Generally, post harvest losses in fruits and vegetables range between 25-30 per cent of total production, valued at more than 57,000 crores annually due to lack of availability of appropriate post harvest infrastructure (Guleria and Verma, 2008). Horticultural crops are grown all over the country incurring wastes everywhere. There are different stages of waste from farm to fork.

25.1 INTRODUCTION

With the natures gift, consciously or unconsciously human select the best among the lot based on sensual judgment. Warnings about the dangers of the excessive use of the chemicals for the human health and biodiversity have been well reported over the years. The world health organization estimates the occurrence of some more than 25 million cases of excessive chemical use slow poisoning globally each year (Anon, 2010). In developing countries, sulphur and chlorine based formulations are often used for post-harvest treatments of horticultural produce. Recently, some bio-based and other safe post-harvest treatment materials have been formulated for loss reduction and shelf-life extension of fresh fruits. In this article, the recent and safe materials/agents for postharvest treatments are discussed.

25.2 MATERIALS FOR POST–HARVEST TREATMENTS

25.2.1 Polyamines

Polyamines (PAs) are low molecular weight small aliphatic amines that are ubiquitous in living organisms and have been implicated in a wide range of biological processes, including plant growth, development and response to stress (Smith, 1985). In plants, they have been implicated in a wide range of biological processes, including growth, development and abiotic stress responses. The most common polyamines are Putrescine (PUT), Spermidine (SPD) and Spermine (SPM) found in every plant cell in titers ranging from approximately micromolar to millimolar, together with the enzymes regulating their metabolism and depend greatly on environmental conditions, especially stress.

24.1 INTRODUCTION

Citrus fruits occupy third position after mango and banana in the country and ranks 6^th in the world citrus production. The productivity, however, is only about 40 percent of that in Spain, Brazil, USA or Japan (8.4 t/ha) only. Of the total production, mandarin contributes more than that of sweet orange in which major chunk of 57.72 per cent was shared by Maharashtra, followed by 19.81 per cent by Madhya Pradesh state. At present, the Brazil is the largest producer of citrus, followed by USA. There are number of issues which need to be addressed to make fruit quality comparable to the international standards. Post harvest losses of fruits are also enormous mainly due to unscientific method of harvesting, lack of utilization of post-harvest handling techniques due to which 25 - 30 per cent losses occur in developing countries in comparison to 5 - 10 per cent in developed countries. Synergistic effect of pre-harvest practices and post harvest handling is the key to get the fruit of high quality and enhanced shelf life.

Recent trends are emerging as use of less chemicals and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) during cultivation. Maintenance of quality standards and regulations up to retail market level is of utmost importance. Whereas, in marketing sector, now-a-days participation of private players on large scale in retail marketing of produce is noticed.

Value chains have become the centre of considerable academic and practical interests. Part of the reason for the rapidly growing interest in value chains in the citrus sector has been the result of changes in global retailing. In a large number of countries, supermarkets chains now dominate food retailing. Supermarkets have increasingly integrated their operations involving many aspects of the post farm gate operations. Value chain management is one of these. Some identified issues relates to supply chain bottlenecks resulting in farmers experiencing gluts of commodities, processors not being able to procure sufficient raw materials for their plants, retailers not getting sufficient products to meet the demand of consumers, and exporters are unable to meet foreign consumer requirements. Lack of innovation that affects the entire chain, an example being the introduction of plastic crates for a fruit processor involves a vast number of actors in the chain to coordinate their efforts.

23.1 INTRODUCTION

Mandarin oranges are the most popular among the citrus fruits and alone occupy more than 50% share under widely divergent citrus crops grown across the globe. In India, oranges have a place of prominence among fruit kind after mango and banana. It’s delicious, relishing, nutritious and handy fruits offer best mouth feel especially during summer when other fruits fail to quench thirst of throat. There is a need of scientific handling so as to accentuate trade and to exploit market potential of mandarin fruit.

Country wide, orange covers an area of 5.02 lakh hectares and the production is of the order of 43.96 lakh tonnes accounting for 12.03% and 6.40 % share under total acreage and production respectively in the fruits (Anon., 2010). Orange’s production in developed countries is projected to grow at an annualized rate of 0.6 per cent and that in developing country at 0.8 per cent.

In Rajasthan, ‘Nagpur’ mandarin and ‘Kinnow’ fruits occupy a place of prominence among various citrus crops grown. Cultivation of ‘Nagpur’ mandarin is mainly concentrated to Jhalawar district where it covers about 6040 ha area producing 87586 tons fruits, annually. After the implementation of National Horticulture Mission the area is further increasing steadily in the district.

22.1 INTRODUCTION

The life-styles, economic conditions and food habits have a great effect on food marketing. There is an increasing demand for fresh fruits and vegetables and their processed products. Fruits and vegetables are processed into a variety of products and it is required to be picked at its right stage. For making juice, fruits should be picked at ripe and soft stage, for canning purpose it should be picked at fully mature but firm just before ripe stage. Fruits and vegetables are passed through a long channel before their consumption; which may lead to a number of undesirable changes in their composition. Thus effective post harvest management of fruits and vegetables is essential to provide their acceptable quantity and quality worth consumption. In this regard handling, processing and preservation and value additions form important loci.

21.1 INTRODUCTION

High population pressure has forced us to plough 46 per cent of our country area for food production. The present productivity is 12.36 tonnes/ha of fruits needs to be raised to 40.0 tonnes/ha by using N : P₂O₅: K₂O with other inputs, since recommended ratio is 0.75:0.50:1.00 only.

Since cost of the inputs like fertilizers and manures are very high, hence, efficient nutrient management is essential for sustainable fruit production and protection of the environment from different types of hazards occurring due to misuse of costly fertilizers.

The soils of India and especially of arid and semi-arid regions are impoverished to plant nutrients. Considering economy, energy and environment, it is imperative to use nutrients effectively by adopting the appropriate doses proper, placement and correct timings of application and to sustain the available nutrients in soil at the optimum level.

20.1 INTRODUCTION

With rapid increase in area under micro irrigation, now fertigation is getting momentum in many states in the country. At present, most of the soluble fertilizers are imported in the country. Hence, these are very expensive and beyond the reach of common farmers. It is interesting to record that for number of nutrients, which are becoming constraints in most of the Indian soils, soluble formulations have yet to be developed. This calls for some alternative options. As an alternatives liquid manures like cow urine, biogas slurry, or fermented manures etc can be sprinkled on the soil, applied with irrigation water or diluted and sprayed as foliar fertilizers (Frank et al; 2005).To our understanding, organic fertilizers /organic liquid manures referred now as bio-enhancers are essential to maintain the activity of microorganisms and other life forms in the soil. These are prepared locally, can resolve number of apprehensions and will be helpful in boosting production and mitigating number of nutritional disorders in most of soils and crops. It is interesting to record that these can be prepared at the farm with some infrastructure facilities and hands on training. Most of these formulations are used through irrigation. These organisms (bacteria and moulds) improve the soil health by solubilzing the complex organic substrates into simple forms and make it available to the plant, resulting in increased productivity. If these are integrated with micro irrigation techniques after proper filtration their efficacy can further be improved.

Cow dung and urine are important component in organic farming. Cow dung is rich source of microbial consortia Actinomycetes, which are helpful in control of many plant diseases. A potential species Streptosporangium psedovulgare of Actinomycetes and four strains of Bacillus subtalis have been identified at CISH, Lucknow (Pathak et.al., 2009).These showed anti pathogenic potential against anthracnose gummosis, stem end rot and dieback pathogens. These were observed to attack mycelia cell wall and finally the host cell degenerates completely. Organic liquid manures play a key role in promoting growth and providing immunity to plant system ( Sreenivasa et al., 2010).

19.1 INTRODUCTION

Indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals over the last five decades has adversely affected soil fertility, crop productivity, produce quality and particularly the environment. These degenerative effects of intensive agriculture have compelled to think for alternative and sustainable system of agriculture. As a result, number of alternative systems viz Biodynamic, Rishi Krishi, Panchagavya Krishi, Natueco Organic Farming, Homa Organic Farming, Natural Farming and Jaivik Krishi have emerged in different parts of the country. In organic farming production is achieved without use of chemical input (Singh, 2011 and Malik, 2000). In these systems, maximum reliance is placed on self-regulatory agro systems and locally available or farm derived renewable resources. Since the soil, water and environment have been contaminated, hence even organic production techniques once effective are now are not capable of mitigating these issues. This has created number of myths in the mind of policy makers and even large number of farmers.

18.1 INTRODUCTION

Organic farming systems have attracted increasing attention over the last one decade because they are perceived to offer some solutions to the problems currently besetting the agricultural sector. In the western world, organic farming is catching fast (Malik, 2000). Indiscrimpte use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides have resulted in environmental and health hazards along with socio-economic problems (Padmadevi, et al., 2008). India is bestowed with lot of potential to produce all varieties of organic products due to its diverse agro-climatic regions. In several parts of the country, the inherited tradition of organic farming is an added advantage. Organic farming is necessary to attain the goal of sustainable development. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), sustainable agriculture “is the successful management of resources for agriculture to satisfy changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the quality of environment and conserving natural resources”. All definitions of sustainable agriculture lay great emphasis on maintaining an agriculture growth rate, which can meet the demand for food of all living things without draining the basic resources. Organic farming is one of the several approaches found to meet the objectives of sustainable agriculture. Many techniques used in organic farming like intercropping, mulching and integration of crops and livestock are not alien to various agriculture systems including the traditional agriculture practised in countries like India. However, organic farming is based on various laws and certification programmes, which prohibit the use of almost all synthetic inputs, treated seeds and health of the soil is recognized as the central theme of the method. Adverse effects of modern agricultural practices on the farm resources and health and over all survival of living being have been well documented all over the world. Application of technology, particularly in terms of the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has been serious concern. Their negative effects on the environment are manifested through soil erosion, water shortages, salination, soil contamination, genetic erosion, etc. Organic farming has the potential to provide benefits in terms of environmental protection, conservation of non-renewable resources and improved food quality. It is very important to maintain long term soil biological activity, ensure effective peak management, recycle wastes to return nutrients to the land, provide attentive care for farm animals and handle the agricultural products without the use of extraneous synthetic additives or processing in accordance with largely acceptable standard and applicable standards of destination country/ countries. Organic farming has several advantages over the conventional one apart, from the protection of both the environment and human health. Improved soil fertility, better water quality, prevention of soil erosion, generation of rural employment, etc. are some of them.

17.1 INTRODUCTION

Flower consumption is growing at an alarming rate of 20 per cent per annum at global level and India is, today, one of the world’s largest consumer base and fastest growing retail destinations. Commercial floriculture is today a potential money-spinner and an economically viable agri-business.

Cut flower trade in terms of export oriented units dealing with rose and gerbera is flourishing. Other cut flowers like gladiolus, tuberose, lilum, chrysanthemum, etc. are also being cultivated along with traditional loose flowers like jasmine, rose, crossendra, marigold on a higher scale. However, growing awareness of Indian consumers and popularity for cut flowers is creating demand for diversified flower crops. Further, trade of some flowers in the market is responsible for gluts. Thus, there is an urgent need to diversify the floriculture industry by introducing and adoption of anthurium as a cut flower with unique shape and high longevity.

Precision farming is an advanced approach for the flower growers to enhance their income. It mainly includes information and technology of farm management system to identify, analyze and manage variability within fields for optimum profitability, sustainability and protection of the land resource. Precision farming is applied for increasing efficiencies that can be realized by understanding and dealing with the natural variability found within a field.

Anthurium is taking a good place in market with high value. Farmers are undertaking anthurium cultivation and in this direction, precise farming technology will help the farmers to grow the crop with good quality and higher production per unit area.