Research and Developmental Initiatives

for Achieving the Goal of IYFV

Dr. S. K. MalhotraAgriculture & Horticulture Commissioner

Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare,

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Keynote presentation in Webinar on "New Paradigm in Production and Utilization of Fruits and Vegetables for Health and Livelihood“ 11 Feb, 2021 by CHAI

Indian Agriculture has made Rapid Progress since Independence

From food shortages and import to self-sufficiency and exports

From subsistence farming to intensive and technology-led cultivation

Today, India is the front ranking producer of many crops in the world

Lead in through the green, white, blue and yellow revolutions

What we achieved in food grains and horticulture (Base year1950-51 to 2020-21)

• 6 times Food grains (50 to 296.2 million ton)

• 6.6 times Horticulture (25 to 320 million ton)

Silent revolution took place

Indian Agriculture

• Use of genetic resources for gain and development of varieties & hybrids with specialty characters

• Break through in propagation techniques for mass multiplication

• Use of root stock to mitigate -soil-biotic & abiotic stresses

• Plant architecture engineering and its management

• Reduction of production losses : efficient management of pests.

• Post harvest management to reduce post harvest losses.

Key technologies that transformed horticulture

MOVERS & SHAKERS

•Back up of Technologies

•Development Initiatives

•Policy Support

Shift in Composition of Food Demand in India by 2030

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Projected Increase in Food Demand in India by 2030 (% change relative to 2011)

High value crops fruits & vegetables are in demand

10% land in horticulture contributes to 33% value

Yield gap & Diversification advantage

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Wheat Rice Gram Rapeseed

Actual Yield (Qtl/Ha) Potential Yield (Qtl/Ha)

23%

48%

50% 72%

Gap between Actual yield & Potential yield (Field Level Demonstration)

Wider gap in Eastern India

Scope for higher value crops

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27%

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Area Value

Sugar & Plantation

Horticulture

Pulses & Oilseeds

Cereals

82% land in crops contribute to 44% value

There are concerns in the agriculture

Challenges before us are

• Climate change – drought, flood, high

temperature, salinity and new pathogens

• Growing population: declining land and water

• Excessive use of natural resources

• Increasing demand for horticultural produce in

the event of pandemic situation

• Plateauing of agricultural productivity

• Food, nutrition and income security

R&D in INPUT MANAGEMENT

• Seed

• Pesticides

• Fertilizers

• Machinery

• Water

New Programs FOR SEEDS INPUT MANAGEMENT

• 2009-2020: Horticulture crops varieties released: 288

– (23 Fruits,

– 155 Vegetables)

– 38 Spices

– 72 others

• Popularizing new varieties that are climate resilient, stress tolerant and bio-fortifiedvarieties.

•Development of Seed Bar Coding : as a part of traceability

• Seed Quality Testing, certification

• Establishment & Up gradation of Seed Testing Lab at District Level

– Existing: 130 labs (to be modernized)

– Proposed : 584 new labs in 5 yrs – 100 each year

– Capacity building of officials engaged in seed testing

• Seed Processing & storage capacity at Block level (500t each, 6600 blocks)

• NSC as Nodal agency for import of planting material and centers will be designated centers for post quarantine testing and certification

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Existing nutrient management schemes & Gaps

INM: available for horticulture crops- ICAREncouraging farmers for balanced use of fertilizers through INM (by reducing nitrogen fertilizer consumption by 25%)

• Soil Health cards to 10.7 crore farmers in cycle 1 (2015-2017) & 10.3 crore in cycle 2 (2017-19)

• Establishment/Strengthening of Soil testing labs -Static - 413, Mobile -101, Mini – 8752

• PPP mode of soil testing

• Agri-Entrepreneurs - village level Soil testing labs: 1562

• SHGs, FPOs, PACs, retailers allowed for establishment of village labs

Gaps:• Imbalanced use of fertilizers• Low cost/increased use of N

fertilizers as compared to P, K andmicronutrients.

• Insufficient infrastructure for soiltesting and manpower

• Missing link of SHC to fertilizerconsumption.

• Micronutrients are not priority offarmers

• Soil health is incomplete withoutsoil microflora, Biofertilizers.

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• A soil analysis – a common technique is carried out before new planting/sowing of crops.

• But for established orchards or plantations of high value crops, soil tests do not give a good estimation of nutrient requirement.

• Leaf analysis is a new tool useful for analyzingnutrient content in plants accurately. It will help usersreduce fertilizer spend and improve fertilizer useefficiency.

Recommendation:• Establishment of leaf analysis advisory lab one in

each State.

Leaf Analysis : An important nutrient diagnostic tool for Fruit trees and Plantations

• Since Soil Health Card data has a huge wealth ofinformation, which should be utilized forgeneration of soil fertility maps using latest hi-techfacilities viz. Global Positioning System (GPS) andGeographical Information System (GIS).

• Each SHC has got unique Number which need to besynced with the data base of POS Machine / DBTSystem Server.

Utilization of soil health card database for soil fertility maps

Biostimulants in Agriculture: A Regulatory system is needed of the country

• Biostimulants an emerging input for increasing efficiency for nutrient use and tolerance to stress and quality of produce.

• World market size: 2 billion USD worldwide

• Market size of India : 63 million USD and actual market is expected to 120 million USD including the undocumented.

• Nutrients are regulated by FCO and Pesticides Insecticides Act but for biostimulants there is no regulatory system.

• Traded in the market as “free for all” sometime reported to be laced with pesticides.

• Farmers tends to ultimate looser since they cannot distinguish certified high quality with poor quality.

• Regulatory system for stimulants is needed.

•Balance of organic/ inorganic nutrient sources (atleast 20% crop nutrition from organic means)needs to be considered compulsory forsustainable crop production and soil health.

•Biofertiliser have to be invariably tagged with Ureabags, so that the benefit of application ofbiofertilisers is realized by the farmers.

For sustainable crop production and better soil health organic and biofertilizers are important

PARAMPARAGAT KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA

• Promote organic farming.

• www.jaivikkheti.in

• 27.77 lakh hectare area brought under organicfarming.

Mission Organic Value Chain Development inNorth Eastern Region

•Ginger, Turmeric, King Chilly, Pineapple & Lemonare being exported from India to Swaziland,Australia, USA, UK & Dubai.

• National Center on Organic farming (NCOF),Ghaziabad - National Level Training Institute inOrganic farming.

R&D: biofertilizers• Biofertlizers : Rhizobium, Azotobactor, Acetobactor,

Azospirillium, Phosphate/potash mobilizing bacteria and PGPR , consortia

• Critical gaps in production and distribution

• Requirement: 6.8 lakh metric ton (MT)

• Production status: 2.3 lakh MT carrier/powder (447 units) & 25369 KL of liquid (133 units) based.

• We need to enhance present capacity to 3 times

• Biofertilizer mother culture production hubs in ICAR/SAU in different zones South, West, North, East, North East

• Units/labs for Mass production of biofertilizers: private & public sector

• Biofertlizers : Carrier based powder form or liquid form

• Total consumption of chemical fertilizers is 56 million ton (31 MT Urea, 9.2 MT DAP, 3 MT (MOP), 9 MT (complex), 3.5 MT (SSP)

• Chemical fertilizers consumption could be reduced to more than 15% (ICAR report)

• Tagging biofertilizers with chemicals

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NEW MOLECULES: NEW PESTICIDE CHEMISTRIES & INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

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• Crop Grouping concept• Biopesticides: 13 Trichoderma,

Beauvaria, Verticillium, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Metarhizium

• Green chemistries : Spinetoram, Polyoxin

• New chemistries: Fluoroalkenule (thioether)

Novel Pest management methods

• Sterile male technique for melon fruit fly –• Sequential releases of irradiated

males mate with females without off-spring

• Suitable for area wide management

• Female Pheromones• Kairomones/ male released sex

pheromones to attract female insects• Mainly for melon flies where powerful

female attractants are lacking• Mating disruption technology: sex

pheromones

FALL ARMY WORM: MAIZEMAIZE in INDIA

• 28 million ton, 9.3 million ha

• Fall Army Worm (Spodoptera frugiperda)

• Outbreak in Africa 2016, now in Asia – India, China, Thailand,

Myanmar, Pakistan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh

• Entered India 2018: Karnataka, Tamilnadu, AP, Telangana

• Wide host range 80 species, Polyphagus

• Alert sent to states: States took the action

• Surveillance, Monitoring – Pheromones, scouting

• Contain & suppress insect

• Avoid staggered sowing, prefer intercropping

• IPM, Advisory on Website :

• First 30 days of sowing important

• Chemical control: • Cyantraniliprole 19.8% +Thiomethoxam 19.8% Seed treatment

• Spinosad 0.3ml/lt

• Thiomethoxam 12.6% + Lambda cyhalothrin 9.5% ZC 4.

• Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC

• Biological control: • Spray 5%NSKE/ Azadirachtin 1500 ppm

• NPV, Metarhizium anisopliae, Entomophaga aplicae, Nomuraea rilevi,

Erynia radicans, Bacillus thuringensis, Trichogramma, Telenomus

Rugose Spiralling Whitefly in Palms

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• Application of 1% starch solution on

leaflets to flake out the sooty moulds.

• Installation of Yellow sticky traps on the

palm trunk to trap adult whiteflies.

• Encourage build up of parasitoids

(Encarsia sp.), predator (Dichochrysa

sp.) and reintroduction.

• Spray Entomopathogenic fungus Isari

fumosorosea on the affected plants.

• In severe case, spray neem oil 1%

• Do not spray unwanted insecticides, it

may harm natural enemies.

• Intrusion to India: 2016: Kerala, TN, AP, Telangana, Karnataka

• Polyphagous: Coconut, Oilpalm,

Doffing system for double roller gin to reduce dust emission

Banana fibre Extractor for textile use

100 kW Biomass based power generation for agro enterprises

Enabling 2nd Green Revolution

Tractor operated pneumatic planter for small seeds

Palm climbing device with safety attachment

Litchi peeling machine

Cryogenic spice grinding

Women friendly fish vending unit

Plastic mulch laying and planting machine

Ultrasonic Sensor BasedPomegranate sprayer

Wall nut dehuller

Drift control shieldFor Boom Sprayer

Cocoa pod breaker

Fruit grader

Cassava harvester

Turmeric Planter

Rotary weeder

Outreach Concept of Custom HiringEstablishment of Custom Hiring Centres: forEnhancing farm power availability to 3.0 kW/ha by 2025 for higher productivity of farms(2.62 lakh CHC of project cost 20-25 lakh each at 50% subsidy)Mechanization of Small & Marginal Farm Holdings in NER by 2025 (less than 1 kw/ha)

PMKSY- Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)

• PMKSY launched in 2015-16

• PDMC for enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation (Drip

and Sprinkler): 13 million ha

• Associated micro level water harvesting/conservation structures

• 55% to small and marginal farmers and 45% subsidy to others

• Subsidy payment limited to the unit costs specified in the scheme guidelines. 25%

higher amounts have been taken into calculation of subsidy for the North Eastern and

Himalayan states and 15% higher for States with low penetration of MI namely Bihar,

Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Union Territories.

• Amount of Rs. 10000 crores earmarked for the FY 2021-22.

Nano-fertilizers and micro-nutrients: Nano Urea approved

Nano-pesticides

Nano-cellulose impregnated polymer composites

Nano-delivery vehicle for gene therapy

Gold Nano Particles + Biosensor for milk detection

Nano Filtration assembly for high value products from biodegradation of wastes in agriculture

Durable nano finishing of jute textile

Nano-Agriculture: Products/Leads

Environmental risks

Health risks to human beings

Adverse effects on beneficial microbial flora, fauna & the ecosystem

Social groups may pose resistance to nanotechnology based foods on the lines of GM foods

• Beekeeping - agro-based activity in rural area.• India - great potential for production & export of

honey & other products.• Capacity building & trainings, input support for

promotion & production, processing, value addition,& marketing.

• Production increased from 76150 Metric Tonnes in2013-14 to 130000 MTs. in 2020-21 (57.58%increase) & honey export increased by 116.13%(28378.42 MTs in 2013-14 to 61333.90 MTs in 2020-21) in last 5 years.

NATIONAL BEEKEEPING & HONEY MISSION

Agri-Robotics: The Future

Minimize farmers’ labour in adverse climatic conditions

Harvesting, pruning, weeding, spraying, driverless tractor/sprayer

Washing and Castrating

Robotic Coconut Harvesting

Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, BhopalTamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore

Imaging Technologies for Agriculture

Sensors and cameras in fields and farm equipments

Water levels in irrigation and soil

Food storage

Early detection of pests

Emission sensors

Tagging of other natural resources

Tagging trucks and shipping containers

Market, banking and distribution area Sensors and

Tools

Mechanization

Use of drones/high resolution satellite data/accurate localization techniques for

Personalized Ag. Insurance

Ag. Monitoring

disease/pest attack

machinery tracking

Cloud seeding/ hail storm prevention (Integration with Doppler radar)

Microwave sanitizers to destroy weed and pathogen bank in soils/polyhouse

Space Applications in Agriculture

Crop and Land use Planning, Soil and Water Conservation and Mapping for crops

Satellite sensors provide valuable database for suitable decisions in maintaining productive capabilities of agro-ecosystems

Surveillance of pests and diseases in crops

Applications in Agriculture

Geospatial Information for Survey, Monitoring and Projections

Areas for Joint ventures or business with private sector companies:

• Hybrid seeds of vegetable crops

• Drip and sprinkler systems and fertigation

• Greenhouses technology (Polyhouse, shadenet, low tunnel, mulching)

• Biopesticides

• Micro-propagation and tissue culture in plant production

• Export of fresh fruits (banana, pineapple, mandarins, mango, kiwi) and vegetable crops (sweet pepper, okra, cucumber, aubergins)

• Export of processed fruits and vegetable products

Way forward Climate Resilient Plant Varieties/ hybrids and critical for the Seed chain

in the country

Input use-Efficient practices for bridging yield gaps, with special focus on water and energy (Reduced Costs of Cultivation ; Enhanced Productivity ) Cluster Farming & System Productivity

Health Foods (Biofortified foods and Nutraceuticals), diversification towards high value crops

Customized Farm Mechanization and Smart Agriculture

Integrated and Diversified Farming System Models

Reduced Post-Harvest Losses and Industrial horticulture

Value Addition, Food Safety & Quality Assurance

Agri-Health Management

Agri-Biosecurity & Biosafety

THANK YOU

HORTICULTURE FOR FOOD, NUTRITION, INCOME & CLIMATE

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