Crop Residues Challenges and Solutions

I have prepared this slide after reading some research papers and news articals on the problems and solutions of Crop residues.

1. Crop Residues: Challenges and Solutions Presented by:- Vikas Kumar 2 nd year Student of B.Sc.(Agriculture) Gochar Mahavidyalya Rampur Maniharan, Saharanpur (UP)

2. Introduction India has the total geographical area 329 million hectares, which includes 195 Mha is gross cropped and 140 net sown area. About 47.7% of total agricultural land in India was reliably irrigated. The cultivation area is about 51% of total geographical area of India than 11% of the world. India has the cropping intensity 136 % which is increased 25 % since independence. The cropping system of rice ( Oryza sativa )-wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) is grown on largest area of the world.

3. This system is practiced as most profitable system in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar and West Bengal. It is also known as "Indian Green revolution region", “food bowl” and includes about 15% of the total geographical area of India. The residue from the rice-wheat system reported as 34% comes from rice and 22% from wheat crops, most of which is burnt on-farm. In India, on an average 500 million tons generated of crop residue per year. The majority of crop residues from rice, wheat, maize, jowar, ragi and bajra are used as cattle feed and cotton, chilli, pulses and oilseeds are used as fuel for household needs.

4. Crop Residue There are two types of agricultural crop residues:- (1.) Field residues are non-economic materials left in an agricultural field or orchard after the crop has been harvested. These residues include stalks and stubble (stems), leaves, and seed pods. The residue can be ploughed directly into the ground or it can be used as mulch on field.

5. (2). Process residues are materials left after the crop is processed for a usable resource. These residues include husks, seeds, bagasse, molasses and roots. It can be used as animal fodder and soil amendment, fertilizers. Here we will discuss only about Field Residue:-

6. Utilization of Crop residues (1). Crop residues as livestock feed :- In India, crop residues are traditionally used as animal's feed. Crop residues are low-density fibrous materials, low in nitrogen, soluble carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. To meet the nutritional requirements of animals green leguminous straw is used as feed.

7. (2). Compost Making :- The crop residues have been traditionally used for preparing compost. For making compost, firstly crop residues used as animal bending, where animal shed each kilogram straw absorb 2-3 kg urine(Rich in N) and after that is heaped in dung pits. The compost prepared by this method contains 1.5% N, 2.5% P 2 O 5 and 2.5 % K 2 O(Sidhu and Beri 2005).

8. (3). Bio-energy Production :- Crop residues can be utilized as a source of energy due to its sustainable advantages. In recent years, there has been an increase in the usage of crop residues for energy generation and as substitute for fossils fuels. In comparison of other energy sources(like- solar and wind), it is storable, inexpensive and eco-friendly. (4). Bio-Fuel and bio-oil Production :- Conversion of ligno-cellulosic biomass into alcohol or either with gasoline used as neat fuel in IC engines. Bio-oil can be produced from crop residues by the process of fast pyrolysis(biomass is raised to 400-500C within few sec.)

9. (5). Bio-gas generation :- Gasification is a thermo-chemical process in which ids formed by the partial combustion of crop residues. The crop residues can be used in the gasifires for producer gas generation. The generated producer gas is used in specially designed gas engines for producing electricity.

10. (6). Biochar production :- Biochar is a high carbon material produced through slow pyrolysis(heat in absence of Oxygen) of biomass. It is a fine grained charcoal and can play a major role in the long term storage of carbon in soil. However, in the current level of technology, it is not economically viable but it can be viable in future with new technology.

11. Management methods of crop residues with maintaining Sustainable Agriculture (1). Minimize mechanical soil disturbances :- Including land levelling, zero/minimum tillage, unpuddled rice transplantation, avoid straw burning and sowing crops directly into untilled soil to improve soil organic material content and soil health.

12. (2). Enhancing organic matter cover on soil :- Using crop residues. leaving crop residues on soil surface is better option due to having quality to protect moisture and evaporation losses. In situ incorporation is the another option to improve soil organic matter and balancing nutrient level in soil. (3). Diversification of Crops :- Amgain et al. (2013) assess the effect of crop residues management practices in terms of productivity and profitability with diversification of crop in dryland conditions of North-Western India.

13. Problems Facing using crop residues with Sustainable Agriculture Difficulties in sowing and in application of fertilizer, pesticides. Weed control is the major occurring problem in Rice-wheat system. Excessive use of chemical herbicides makes soil unhealthy.

14. Special implements are required for fertilizer application which causes high cost of cultivation. Less use efficiency of basal application of Nitrogen fertilizer at the time of sowing. Nutrient management become difficult due to higher levels of crop residues level. Comparatively lower crop yield or economic returns. Requires management skilled person.

15. Reasons of on-farm burning of crop residues Farmers and policy makers are well aware of the adverse consequences of on-farm burning crop residues. Because of increasing in mechanization, using of combine harvesters about 80% of the residues are left in the field as straw. Thus, it becomes a problem to management of this crop residues.

16. On other hand, there arte some other reasons also behind to burning the crop residues. On farm burning, it is a fast way to clear the filed from residues which helps timely sowing or planting of crops. It is a fast method of control weeds, insects and diseases. The time interval between Rice harvesting and wheat sowing in Northern India is only 15-20 days. In this short duration, farmers prefers to burn crop residues on farm.

17. Adverse effects of on-farm burning of crop residues Burning of crop residues promotes to release the corbon particles in the atmosphere and smoke causing human and animals. It also promotes to emission of greenhouse gases viz. Carbon-di-oxide (CO 2 ), Methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide, causing global warming and loss of plant nutrients.

18. The burning of crop residues is wastage of valuable resources which could become a good source of carbon, bio-active compounds, feed and energy for small industries. Heat generated from the burning of crop residues leads soil temperature which is a main cause of death of active beneficial microbes population.

19. Solutions for Crop residues burning problem A new study has found that farmers in North India can't only help to reduce the air pollution even they improve the productivity of soil and earn profits if they stop burn their crop residues. On the behalf of research it is found that some ways could become a solution of crop residues burning problem.

20. Here are some of them:- (1). Waste decomposer :- Scientists at National Centre for Organic farming have developed a 'Waste decomposer' solution including effective micro-organisms that can do in-situ composting of the crop residues. This is done by spraying on the post harvest stalks of the crop and leaving it for about an month. The waste decomposer comes in a small bottle at only rupees 20.

21. Methodology of using Waste Decomposer

22. (2). Conversion of Crop Residues :- In a recent tweet, The legend Agricultural Scientist Dr. MS Swaminathan also said, In South India , stubbles are not burning as there's economic value as animals feed. Farmers can recycle stubbles to make products including paper , cardboard and animal feed.

23. (3). Happy Seeder :- Instead of burning the stubbles, a tractor-mounted machine called Happy Seeder (Developed by PAU, Ludhiana) which cuts and lifts rice straw, sows wheat into bare soil and deposits the straw over the sown area as mulch.

24. (4). Converting Crop residues into cutlery :- Kriya Labs, an IIT Delhi startup developed a machine that can convert the leftover rice straw into pulp, which can be modified into biodegradable cutlery. Kriya labs claims that they can develop 4-5 tones pulp from rice residues by 800 acres of land in a single day.

25. Conclusion India has the challenging task of ensuring food security for the 2nd most populated country. Besides, farming in future has to be multi-functional and ecologically sustainable so that it can deliver ecosystem goods and services as well as livelihoods to producers and society.

26. Crop residues are great sources of economic values as livestock feed, fuel and industrial raw material, and in Sustainable Agriculture. Crop residues, either partly or entirely must be used for conservation agriculture for ensuring the country's food security, making agriculture sustainable and the soil resource base healthy. I’m also a human, mistakes may be found in my presentation, so your kindly suggestions are invited. References- Some of the topics have prepared with the help of some research papers and news websites.

27. Thank You