INM Trainees Visit Directorate of Agriculture Jammu for Hands-on Exposure on Soil, Fertilizer & Pesticide Testing
Jammu, December 13:As part of the ongoing 15-day certificate course on Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) for agricultural input dealers, a group of 30 trainees from Jammu, Kathua, Kupwara, Anantnag, and Baramulla districts visited the Soil, Fertilizer, and Pesticide Testing Laboratory at the Directorate of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Krishi Bhawan, Jammu. The course, conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), SKUAST Jammu, is designed to enhance the technical skills of agricultural input dealers in nutrient management and sustainable farming practices.
The exposure visit provided the trainees with a valuable hands-on experience in soil testing, fertilizer management, and pesticide analysis. Participants were introduced to the process of soil testing, the importance of soil health cards, and how to make test-based recommendations for fertilizers, pesticides, and other agricultural inputs.
During the visit, the trainees interacted with Arvinder Singh Reen, Director of Agriculture Jammu, who emphasized the critical role of fertilizer/input dealers in educating farmers about balanced fertilizer use and sustainable agricultural practices. He stressed the importance of improving the professional capabilities of input dealers to ensure they can provide farmers with the most accurate and beneficial advice regarding nutrient management.
Dr. Neeraj Rajwal, Assistant Soil Chemist, Jammu, provided an in-depth demonstration of soil nutrient analysis, explaining the Soil Health Card scheme and the laboratory techniques used to analyze major and micro-nutrients in soil samples. He also explained the process of collecting soil samples from farmers’ fields to assess soil health.
In the Fertilizer Laboratory, Dr. Dolly John, Assistant Biochemist, offered insights into quality assessments, nutrient analysis, and the detection of contaminants in fertilizers. She also discussed soil compatibility and chromium analysis. Dr. Adil Rashid, Assistant Soil Survey Officer, explained the Soil Survey Section’s work, while Dr. Tarminder Singh, Research Assistant, detailed pesticide testing procedures, including pesticide residue analysis and quality assessments of registered pesticides and formulations.
The visit concluded with an interactive technical discussion, where trainees had the opportunity to engage with laboratory staff, clarifying queries related to soil, fertilizer, and pesticide testing. The program was accompanied by Dr. Satvir Singh, SMS KVK Jammu, and staff members from KVK Jammu and the Directorate of Extension.