Innovations
PSAP meets the challenges in food production
Challenges:
- Increasing population demands for extra food
- Shrinking natural resources faster than before
- Excess application of pesticides and chemicals
- Increasing abiotic & biotic stress in crop plants
- Disturbed crop cycle in changing environment
- Reduced productivity, higher cultivation cost
- Poor quality produce, contents toxic residues
Scientists, research workers over the years have developed various crop varieties, prolific
production technologies. Agricultural development organizations & funding agencies are however doing their best to increase yield & improve the quality. All these efforts seem to be inadequate. Nutrients play an important role in crop plants production. Phosphorus has a key role in metabolic processes & potash is important to induce ability for stress tolerance.
Conventionally these nutrients are applied through fertilizers in soil. But 70-80% of phosphate gets fixed; only 20 - 30% is available for absorption. Potash is applied in ionic form. Many of these ionic combinations are not suitable to potash application.
Fixation Solubility Uptake Availability Study was started to improve application efficacy of P and K elements most needed for food production in changing environment.