Pusa Decomposer to Curb Stubble Burning

• 25 Sep 2020

Why in News

Recently, the scientists have developed a bio-decomposer technique called ‘PUSA Decomposers’ for converting crop stubble into compost.

• Delhi and many other North Indian States are covered with smoke during winters due to stubble burning in the neighbouring States by the farmers.

Key Points

• PUSA Decomposers:
  
  • 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 helps 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 litre of 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 fertiliser 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 achieve Swachh Bharat Mission.

Source: TH