Mymensingh, Feb 08 – Farmers are benefiting from the use of “BAU Soil Testing Kit”, a special soil testing device developed by the Soil Science department of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU). It measures the soil quality of the cultivated land and the amount of fertilizer to be required. Farmers of different areas in Mymensingh district are already delighted to see higher yields in the use of exact fertilizers.Farmers can measure the acidity and alkalinity of their land with this kit and find out the amount of fertilizer required. Then they can apply fertilizer accordingly. On the ground, it is found that the farmers have benefited more by using the “BAU Soil Testing Kit” than their own farming system, using low cost and short time soil tests and applying exact fertilizers.
A farmer of Sutiakhali village in Mymensingh district, Kamrul Hasan said, “Before I used to fertilize the land on my assumptions. I applied a lot of fertilizers but didn’t get sufficient production. Later I knew about the kit and could find out the amount of fertilizer in my land with this and apply exact amount of fertilizer accordingly. In my 2 acres of land I got 120 Maunds of paddy in the previous season.
But this time, following this method, I got 180 Maunds in that land.”
Another farmer from Kustia Union of Mymensingh, Md. Dulal Uddin said, “I have applied the exact amount fertilizers knew through this kit in the other half. I got more yields in the land of limited fertilizer application. People who use this device once and he will be interested in using it again and again.”
Prof. Dr. Md. Mofizur Rahman Jahangir, head of Soil Science department of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) said, “Many farmers use excessive chemical fertilizers thinking that using of more fertilizers can help them get better production but eventually it has a serious effect on the soil and environment as well over the years. Now it is a great challenge to maintain soil’s good health and using soil testing kits, a farmer can easily test the soil condition before cultivation.
As a result, the cost of the farmer will be reduced while on the other hand the quality of the soil will be protected.” – BAU Correspondent
