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A

LECTURE NOTE
ON
Agron
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10

(1 + 1 = 2)

PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC FARMING

SIXTH SEMESTER
Polytechnic in Agriculture
College of Agriculture,
NAU, Bharuch

Agron
...
10

(1 + 1 = 2)
Principles of Organic Farming

Theory:
Chapter
No
...


ORGANIC FARMING-AN INTRODUCTION

2
...

4
...


NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIC FARMING

6
...


DISEASE AND PEST MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIC
FARMING
WEED MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIC FARMING

8
...


STANDARDS FOR ORGANIC FARMING
9
...


CERTIFICATION AND ACCREDITATION PROCESS OF
ORGANIC PRODUCT
ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS, MARKETING AND EXPORT
POTENTIAL OF ORGANIC FARMING

Reference books
1
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3
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Organic farming-Theory and Practice by S
...
Palaniappan and K
...
R
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R
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P
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Principles and practices of organic farming by R
...

Balakrishnan and K
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1

Introduction:
Green revolution technologies such as greater use of synthetic agro chemicals like
fertilizers and pesticides, adoption of nutrient responsive, high-yielding varieties of crops,
greater exploitation of irrigation potentials etc… has boosted the production out put in most
of cases
...
The most unfortunate impact on Green Revaluation Technology (GRT)
on Indian Agriculture is as follows:
1
...
Development of nutrient imbalance /deficiencies
3
...
Reduce the earth worm activity
5
...
Change in atmospheric composition
7
...
Reduction in quality of the produce
9
...
Breeding more powerful and resistant pests and diseases
All these problems of GRT lead to not only reduction in productivity but also
deterioration of soil health as well as natural eco-system
...
Further, Indian Agriculture will face the market competition
due to globalization of trade as per World Trade Organization (WTO)
...
Agriculture gave birth to various new concepts
of farming such as organic farming, natural farming, bio-dynamic Agriculture, do-nothing
agriculture, eco-farming etc
...
Therefore, for
sustaining healthy ecosystem, there is need for adoption of an alternatives farming system
like organic farming
...
2 Definition of organic farming
Many scientists at different levels have elaborated the concept of organic farming;
the important descriptions are as follows;

Lampkin (1990) Organic farming is a production system which avoids or largely
excludes the use of synthetic compounded fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators and live
stock feed additives
...

According to national organic standards board of the U
...
defines organic farming as
an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances bio diversity,
biological cycles and soil biological activity
...

Organic farming relies on crop rotation, crop residues, animal manures, legumes,
green manures, off-farming organic wastes, agricultural cultivation, mineral bearing rocks
and aspect of biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and tilth to supply plant
nutrients and also to control insects, weeds and other pests (Lamkin-1990)
...

1
...
It concentrates on building up the biological fertility of the soil so that the crops take the
nutrients they need from steady turnover within the soil nutrients produced in this way
and are released in harmony with the need of the plants
...
Control of pests, diseases and weeds is achieved largely by the development of an
ecological balance within the system and by the use of bio-pesticides and various cultural
techniques such as crop rotation, mixed cropping and cultivation
...
Organic farmers recycle all wastes and manures within a farm, but the export of the
products from the farm results in a steady drain of nutrients
...
Enhancement of the environment in such a way that wild life flourishes
...

1
...
,
land, water, biodiversity, fast declining soil fertility and use efficiency of inputs, such as
water, fertilizer and energy
...
The modern agriculture with its

potential takes the country out of the food trap and to reach an era of self sufficiency in food
grain production
...
Besides plants are more prone to pest and
diseases in intensive agriculture, use of chemicals can have residues on the produce, in the
soil and in ground water
...
Pesticides use in paddy, cotton and vegetables which occupy less than 30 per cent of
total area account for more than 80 per cent of the chemicals used
...
farm yard manure, compost, crop resides,
Vermicompost etc
...
Among them, soil fertility is give top
attention due to its dynamic action with various physical, chemical and biological properties
...
5 Advantages of organic farming
1
...

3
...


5
...

7
...


Organic manures produce optimal conditions in the soil for high yields and good quality
crops
...

They improve plant growth and physiological activities of plants
...
The fibrous
portion of the organic matter with its high carbon content promotes soil aggregation to
improve the permeability and aeration of clay soils while its ability to absorb moisture
helps in the granulation of sandy soils and improves their water holding capacity
...

They improve the soil chemical properties such as supply and retention of soil nutrients
and promote favourable chemical reactions
...

Most of the organic manures are wastes or byproducts which on accumulation may
lead to pollution
...

Organic fertilizers are considered as complete plant food
...


9
...

11
...

13
...

1
...

2
...


Organically grown crops are believed to provide healthier and nutritionally superior food
for man and animals than those grown with commercial fertilizers
...

There is an increasing consumer demand for agricultural produces which are free of
toxic chemical residues
...

Organic farming helps to avoid chain reaction in the environment from chemical sprays
and dusts
...

Since the basic aim is diversification of crops, much more secure income can be
obtained than to rely on only one crop or enterprise
...

Small holding: The average size of an operational holding is 1
...

Poor infrastructure facilities: i
...
lack of sufficient soil testing laboratories
...


4
...

5
...

6
...

7
...

8
...

9
...

10
...

11
...

12
...
which causes many problems,
13
...

14
...

15
...


16
...

1
...
To produce food of high nutritional quality in sufficient quantity
...
To work with natural systems rather than seeking to dominate them
...
To encourage and enhance the biological cycles within farming system involving
microorganisms, soil flora and fauna, plants and animals
...
To maintain and increase the long term fertility of soils
...
To use, as far as possible, renewable resources in locally organized agricultural
systems
...
To work as much as possible, within a closed system with regard to organic matter
and nutrient elements
...
To given all livestock, conditions of life that allow them to perform all aspects of their
innate behavior
...
To avoid all forms of pollution that result from agricultural techniques
...
To maintain the genetic diversity of the agricultural system and its surroundings,
including the protection of plant and wildlife habitats
...
To allow agricultural producers for adequate return and satisfaction from their work
including a safe working environment
...
To consider the wider, social and ecological impact of the farming system
...
8 Essential Characteristics of Organic Farming
The most important characteristics are as follows:
1
...

2
...

3
...

4
...

5
...

6
...


CHAPTER-2
PRINCIPLES, SCOPE AND COMPONENTS OF ORGANIC FARMING
1
...
These principles encompass the fundamental goals and caveats that are
considered important for producing high quality food, fiber and other goods in an
environmentally sustainable way
...
The principles apply to agriculture in the
broadest sense, including the way people tend soils, water, plants and animals in order to
produce, prepare and distribute food and other goods
...

The principles of organic agriculture serve to inspire the organic movement in its full
diversity
...
They
express the contribution that organic agriculture can make to the world and a vision to
improve all agriculture in a global context
...

The International Federation for Organic Agriculture Movement’s (IFOAM)
definition of organic farming is based on:
1
...

2
...

3
...

4
...

Each principle is articulated through a statement followed by an explanation
...
They are ethical principles to inspire action
...
1: The principle of health
Organic agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal,
human and planet as one and indivisible
...

Health is the wholeness and integrity of living systems
...

Immunity, resilience and regeneration are key characteristics of health
...
In particular, organic agriculture is intended to produce high quality, nutritious food
that contributes to preventive health care and well-being
...


1
...

This principle roots organic agriculture within living ecological systems
...
Nourishment and wellbeing are achieved through the ecology of the specific production environment
...

Organic farming, pastoral and wild harvest systems should fit the cycles and
ecological balances in nature
...
Organic management must be adapted to local conditions, ecology, culture and
scale
...

Organic agriculture should attain ecological balance through the design of farming
systems, establishment of habitats and maintenance of genetic and agriculture diversity
...

1
...

Fairness is characterized by equity, respect, justice and stewardship of the shared
world; both among people and in their relations to other living beings
...
Organic agriculture
should provide everyone involved with a good quality of life and contribute to food
sovereignty and reduction of poverty
...

This principle insists that animals should be provided with the conditions and
opportunities of life that accord with their physiology, natural behavior and well-being
...
Fairness requires systems of production, distribution and trade that
are open and equitable and account for real environmental and social costs
...
4: The principle of care
Organic agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner
to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment
...
Practitioners of organic agriculture can enhance efficiency and
increase productivity, but this should not be at the risk of jeopardizing health and well-being
...

Given the incomplete understanding of ecosystems and agriculture, must be taken
...
Science is
necessary to ensure that organic agriculture is healthy, safe and ecologically sound
...
Practical experience, accumulated
wisdom and traditional and indigenous knowledge offer valid solutions, tested by time
...
Decisions should reflect
the values and needs of all who might be affected, through transparent and participatory
processes
...
0 SCOPE OF ORGANIC FARMING
The movement started with developed world is gradually picking up in developing
countries
...
Local
demand for organic food is growing
...
India has traditionally been a country of organic
agriculture, but the growth of modern scientific, input intensive agriculture has pushed it
to wall
...

Large-scale use of inputs both organic and inorganic has been a common sight in
many of the farming situations in the past several decades
...

Organic farming is a form of agriculture which avoids or largely excluded the use of
synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, plant growth regulators and livestock feed additives
...

Before jumping into organic farming bandwagon, we need to have answers to the
following: What level of crop yield/productivity is acceptable? It is suitable for country like
India with a large population to feed? Whether available organic sources of plant nutrients
sufficient for pure organic farming? And, are organic farming technologies sustainable in
long run?

Whether organic farming can address the multitude of problems faced by Indian
agriculture at present is a major issue
...

2
...




Organic farming and plant protection
...




Organic farming and certification processes
...




Organic farming and food quality
...


 Organic farming and switch over period
...
1
...
A negative balance of
about 8 M t NPK is foreseen in 2020, even if we continue to use chemical fertilizers,
maintaining present growth rates of production and consumption
...
These organic sources are
agriculture wastes, animal manure etc
...
1
...
Exclusion of pesticides for plant protection
poses greater risk of yield losses
...
Often they are very slow and the success rate depends on the
prevailing weather conditions leading to low to moderate effectiveness even in the
recommended crops and situations
...
Any sudden outbreak of insect pests or plant disease can completely destroy the
crops, unless requisite chemical pesticides are used
...
1
...

The extent of decline depends on the crop type, farming systems practices followed at
present etc
...
Without using fertilizers, the requirement of area to merely sustain
the present level of food grain production will be more than the geographical area of India!
This is simple neither possible nor sustainable
...
1
...
Both process and product certification procedures are still
evolutionary stage and need further progress they can be effectively adopted
...
Presently available certification procedures are
very cumbersome and expensive and out of reach for the common farmer
...

2
...
5 Organic Farming and Heterogeneity of Inputs
There is large variability in the inputs used in organic farming
...
Thus leads to arbitrariness on the part of organic
farmers as far as input management is concerned
...
1
...
However, there is no such conclusive proof to justify the
nutritional superiority of the organically produced food over conventionally produced food
...

2
...
7 Organic Farming Products and Marketing
There are no diagnostic techniques available as of now to distinguish products from
different farming systems
...
However, unscrupulous hawkers may sell anything and
everything as organically produced to unsuspecting buyer at higher prices resulting in
outright cheating
...
1
...
In this period, the produce is not considered as organically produced
...

2
...
The shortfall in inorganic
nutrient supply, uneconomic returns to inorganic inputs under dry land and rainfed farming
systems, inherent better response to organic farming in crops like vegetables, legumes and
millets under traditional farming systems paves way for integration of conventional farming
with organic farming
...
There will also be scope for practicing organic farming on case basis in
traditional strongholds like hilly areas, rainfed and dryland farming system to cater to the
demands of organic produces in urban areas that would pay premium prices for such
commodities
...
It
should be started with low volume high value crops like spices and medicinal and aromatic
crops
...

Organic foods are a matter of choice of the individuals or enterprises
...

Organic farming is essentially a marking tool and cannot replace conventional farming for
food security, quality and quantity of crop outputs
...

3
...
1: Organic Manures
Organic materials such as farm yard manure, biogas slurry, compost, straw or other
crop residues, biofertilisers, green manures and cover crops can substitute for inorganic
fertilisers to maintain the environmental quality
...
Crop rotation with legumes as well as green manuring also provides nutrients
and improves the soil fertility
...
2: Non-chemical weed control measures
Compared to conventional farmers, the organic farmers use more of mechanical
cultivation of row crops to reduce the weed menace
...

3
...
Here again non-chemical, biological pest management
is encouraged
...

Botanical pesticides such as those derived from neem could be used
...


CHAPTER:3
COMPONENTS OF ORGANIC FARMING AND THEIR ROLE IN SUSTAINABLE
CROP PRODUCTION
1
...
Crop rotations with legumes add to soil fertility
...
Carefully managed soils with 2a high proportion of humus offer essential
advantages with respect to water retention, ion exchange, soil erosion and animal life in the
soil
...

2
...

Cereals, pulses, oilseeds commercial crops one animal dropping are the major
source for recycling source for recycling of valuable plant nutrients for sustainable crop
production in India
...
This potential of crop residues helps to recycle
valuable plant nutrient to an extent of 5 million tonnes of NPK
...
Good manure management means
improved fertilizer value of manure and slumy and less nutrient losses
...

3
...
To day,
herbicides lead other pesticides in world pesticide trade with 43 % share
...
The increased use of pesticides, however, has
resulted in multiple problems
...
That apart, weed species are developing resistance to chemical
toxicants (Gautam and Mishtra, 1995)
...
g
...
There is also problem of secondary pest and
resurgence of weeds
...

The elements to consider in preventing and control of weeds problems are tillage
practices, irrigation management, competitive crops intercropping, crop rotation, plant
geometry, solarization, thermal methods (flame gun’s), biological control, green manuring
and manure management
...

4
...
1

Cultural Practice

Cultural practice is the oldest form of deliberate biological pest control
...

However, fine tuning by cultural practices is extremely complex
...

4
...
Plant breeders
have had many successes in production varieties resistant to disease and occasionally to
insets, although not so far weeds
...
Recent research has shown that plant can
locally accumulate antimicrobial compounds (Phytoalexins) in response to invasion by
disease
...
3

Growing Trap Crop

Crop plants more preferred by the pest for egg laying and feeding are grown as trap
crops on the bunds of the main crop or one row after every 10 rows
...

4
...
5
Erecting Bird Perches
Bird perches help in attracting birds, keep water in a small bowl and spread
cooked yellow rice to attract insectivorous birds
...
6
Releasing Parasites and Predators
For management of boll worm of cotton, egg-larval parasites viz
...

and Chelonus sp
...
crysopa were found effective
...

4
...
The
identification of natural chemicals and subsequent formation of their derivatives can open
new areas of pest control
...
Behavior
modifying chemicals which reduce mating frequency or release large number of sterile
insects, control pests biological by reducing their numbers
...

White fly, Aphids, Jassids, Tobacco decocting (Not be
Helicoverpa
used more than two times)
4
...


Biological Disease Control

A major success in plant disease control has been the discovery
...
When root pruned seedlings are dipped in liquid suspensions
of A
...
temufaciens
...

4
...
The active ingredient in a bio-herbicide is a living organism, mostly a micro
organism
...

Commercial bioherbicides first appeared in the market in the USA in the early 1980’s with
the release product “Devine” in 1981 and “Collego” in 1982
...

Aeschynomene virginica, a leguminous weed in rice, can be effectively controlled by
collecting Trichum gloeosporidis Sp
...

4
...
At present 3000 organisms have been reported to cause
disease in insects
...
In Bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) is known to
infect of the caterpillars and few beetle grubs
...
Improvements in the strain and formulations have led to a
substantial in the market size for the control of over 100 insect species
...

thuringiensis var
...


Chapter-3
...
The system of our agriculture based on traditional knowledge and practices
handed down from generation to generation could not produce enough to feed the
increasing population
...
The “Green Revolution” fulfilled
our aspirations by changing India from a Food importing to a food exporting nation
...
Agriculture system adopted from the west
has started showing increasing unsustainability and once again the need for appropriate
method suitable to our requirements is being felt
...
However, organic farming is based on the similar principles underlying our
traditional agriculture
...

Conventional farming had helped India not only to produce enough food for own
consumption but also generated surpluses for exports
...
The modern system Of farming, it is increasingly felt, is becoming unsustainable
as evidenced by declining crop productivities, damage to environment, chemical
contaminations etc
...

The first conference of NGOs on organic farming in India was organized by the
Association for Propagation of Indigenous Genetic Resource (APIGR) in October 1984 at
Wardha
...
Here, mention must be made of the Bordi Conference
in Maharashtra, the state which was the focal point for the organic farming movement in
India
...
The United Planters’ Association of
South India (UPASI) organized two national level conference on organic farming in 1993
and 1995
...
The ARISE
comprises of a supporting network of regional groups aiming at sustainable environment by
protecting bio – diversity and promoting organic agriculture practices
...

By 1980, three groups of Indians had taken to Organic farming
...

Educated farmers consisted of the second group whose farming practices were based on
scientific knowledge
...

Successful organic farmers in India are those who have access to sufficient natural
resources like, water and other organic inputs mostly on their own farms
...
Many of them
have shown that switch over to organic farming to do not affect yields and income and more
importantly, knowledge/expertise is available for successful adoption of organic farming in
the country
...
18
per cent of the world organic acreage as in the year 2015
...
About 15,000 tonnes of
organic products have been raised in India
...
India exports organic agricultural products to European Union,
USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Japan, Singapore and Australia, among others
...
IFOAM predicts that India and China have great
potential to be organic farm produce exporters in the future
...
The logo “Indian Organic” was released on
26th July 2002 to support the NPOP
...
1 INDIA ADVANTAGE
India is endowed with various types of naturally available organic form of nutrients in
different parts of the country and it will help for organic cultivation of crops substantially
...
In fact, the rainfed, tribal, north – east and hilly regions of the country
where egligible chemicals used are practicing subsistent agriculture for a long period
...
As regards the availability of major organic nutritional
inputs (NPK) in India, the estimate of National Centre of Organic Farming, Ghaziabad is as
follows:


Crop residue

= 3
...




Animal dung

= 3
...




Green manure = 0
...




Bio – fertilizer = 0
...


Besides, there is enough scope of using bio –dynamic preparation, vermicompost,
Amrit pani etc
...

An appropriate national agriculture policy, giving a prominent place to organic
farming addressing the issues related to its coverage, financial support during the
conversion period, creation of linkages among the farmers, processors, traders and
consumers, inspection and certification and organic products and increasing the public
awareness of the benefits of organic agriculture along with the ill effects of the conventional
system, should be designed
...

3
...
Starting of organic
agriculture in India in 1900 by Sir Albert Howard, a British agronomist in North India,
Development of Indore Method of aerobic compost ( Howard 1929), Bengaluru method of
anaerobic compost ( Archarya 1934), NADEP Compost (ND Pandari Panda, Yeotmal
1980) initiated organic agriculture in India
...
The four
major happenings were made during the year 2000
...
The Planning Commissions constituted (2000) a steering group on agriculture who
identified organic farming as national challenge and suggested that it should be taken
in the form of a project as major thrust area for 10th Plan
...

2
...

3
...

4
...


The policy of Ministry of Agriculture seeks to promote technically sound, economical
viable, environmentally non-degrading and socially acceptable use of natural resources
favour of organic agriculture
...

3
...
1 NATIONAL PROJECTS ON ORGANIC FARMING
The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC), Ministry of Agriculture,
Government of India has launched a new Central sector scheme ‘ National Project on
Organic Farming’ (NPOF) with an outlay of ₹ 57
...
The
project is operation since 1st October, 2004
...

The unique feature of this scheme is to promote group certification by capacity build
through service provider where the service provider will help organic farmers by providing
training, educating on record management, supervising internal control system, assisting
certification and market access
...
The group certification
will reduce cost of certification
...
2
...
The project is operational since
April, 2005
...
2
...
To address all these issues, the Ministry Of
Agriculture constituted (July, 2005) an organic expert’s panel under the chairmanship Of Dr
...
P
...
B
...
Based on the recommendation of this
panel, the approach towards organic farming could be reviewed
...
2
...
The NAAS recommends

that a “holistic approach Involving Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), Integrated Pest
Management (IPM), enhanced input use efficiency and adoption of region-specific
promising cropping system would be the best organic farming strategy for India”
...
The NAAS has also emphasized the need for
intensive research on soil fertility and plant health management and on issues relating to
microbial contamination of food arising from the use of farm yard manures
...
3 GLOBAL SCENARIO OF ORGNIC FARMING
The negative effects of modern chemical based farming system were first
experienced by those countries, which introduce it initially
...
There are very large
organizations promoting the organic farming movement in European countries, America,
Australia etc
...
Organic farming movements have since spread to Asia and Africa too
...
3
...
The British botanist Sir Albert Howard is often referred to as
the father of modern organic agriculture
...
His
research and further development of these methods is recorded in his writings, notably, his
1940 book, An Agricultural Testament, which influenced many scientist and farmers of the
day
...
This began with a lecture series
Steiner presented at a farm in Koberwitz (now in Poland) in 1924
...
He published his findings in
Farmers of Forty Centuries (1911, Courier Dover Publication)
...

The term organic farming was coined by Lord Northbourne in his book Look to
the Land (written in 1939, published 1940)
...

In 1939, influenced by Sir Albert Howard’s work, Lady Eve Balfour launched
Haughley Experiment on farmland in England
...
Four years later, she published The soil,
based on the initial findings of the Haughley Experiment
...
In 1937, he quit his job as
research scientist, returned to his family’s farm in 1938 and devoted the next 60 years
developing a radical no-till organic method for growing grain and many other crops, no
known as Nature Farming (Natural Farming), ‘do-nothing’ farming or Fukuoka Farming
...
3
...
At the same time, increasingly powerful and sophisticated farming
machinery allowed a single farmer to work larger areas of land and fields grew bigger
...
It encouraged the development of hybrid plants, Chemical
controls, large-scale irrigation and heavy mechanization in agriculture around the world
...
In the US,
began to popularize the term and methods of organic growing particularly to consumed
through promotion of organic gardening
...

In the 1970s, global movements concerned with pollution and the environment
increase their focus on organic farming
...

In 1975, Fukuoka released his first book, The One-Straw Revolution, with a strong
impact in certain areas of agricultural world
...

In the 1980s, around the world, farming and consumer groups began seriously
pressuring government regulation of organic production
...

Since the early 1990s, the retail market for organic farming in developed economies
has growing by about 20 per cent annually due to increasing consumer demand
...

In approximately 150 countries of the world, organic farming is being practiced and
the under organic management is continuously growing
...
1 Land area of major countries under organic management (2017)
(FiBL Survey – 2019)

No
...


Australia

35
...


China

3
...


Argentina

3
...


Japan

0
...
03 9
...


UK

0
...


Pakistan

0
...


Germany

1
...


Sri Lanka

0
...


South Africa

0
...


All World

No
...
7

69
...

SOME FACTS ON INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS


Established in 1972



Headquarters in Germany



Umbrella for organization Organic Agricultural Association



Developed internal basic standards of organic agriculture



Set up International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS)
July 2001



Codex Alimentarious Commission – A joint FAO/WHO



Intergovernmental body



Established in 1962



Produce a set of guidelines for organic production

3 EU
REGULATION



Laid out a basic regulation for European Union organic
standard in counsel Regulation No 2092/91 (June 1991)

4 DEMETER



Demeter internationals is worldwide network of 19
International certification Bodies in Africa, Australia, Europe



Developed guidelines for biodynamic preparation



A set of guidelines Japan Agricultural Standards For organic
Farming

1 IFOAQM

2 CODEX

5 JAS

Certification
As per Organic Certification Dictionary, 2003 as published by Grolink, there are 3
certification bodies across the world, but they are unevenly spread
...
There is IFOAM accreditation
programme, launched in 1992, by initiating International Group accreditation Service (IOAS)

CHAPTER :5
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIC FARMING
Introduction
In order to realize the potential of production systems on a sustained basis, efficient
management of resources is crucial (essential)
...
The effects of soil organic matter are dynamic as it is a source of gradual release
of essential plant nutrients; improves soil structure, its drainage, aeration and water holding
capacity (WHC); improves soil buffer capacity; influence the solubility of minerals and
serves as a source of energy for the development of micro-organisms
...
We must convert waste into wealth
by converting this biomass into energy, nutrient to starved soil and fuel to farmers
...
Even if ⅔ of the dung is used for
biogas generation, it is expected to yield about 440 m t/ annum of manure, which is
equivalent to 2
...
75 mt P2O5 and 1
...

CONCEPT AND DEFINITION OF INM
The concept of biological INM is the continuous improvement of soil productivity on
long-term basis through appropriate use of organic manures, green manures, BGA,
biofertilizers and other biological derived materials and their scientific management for
optimum growth, yield and quality of crops and intensive cropping systems in specific agroecological situations
...
It should relay on biological processes by adapting
germplasm to adverse soil conditions, enhancing soil biological activity and optimizing
nutrient, cycling to minimize external inputs and maximize the efficiency of their use
...
The resources are biofertilizers, organic manures green
manuring crop rotation, N-fixing organisms, mycorrhizae, PSM etc
...
1 ORGANIC MANURES
Term ‘manure’ was used originally for denoting materials like cattle manure and other
bulky natural substances that were applied to land, with the object of increasing the
production of crops
...

Urine is normally low in phosphorus and high in potash, where as about equal parts
of nitrogen may be excreted in faeces and urine of the cattle
...

Poultry manure is very important for organic farming due to there will be no loss of urine,
since both liquid & solid portions are excreted together
...

Therefore, it is recommended to preserve the excreta at least for six months with suitable
amendments and appropriate microbes
...

A
...
It refers to the decomposed mixture
of dung and urine of farm animals along with litter and left over materials from roughages
or fodder fed to the animals
...
5% N, 0
...
5% K2O
...
35% K2O
...
The N present in urine is mostly in the form of urea
which is subjected to volatilization losses
...
g
...
These preservatives absorb
urine and prevent volatilization loss of urea and also add nutrients
...
2 COMPOST
Compost means ‘a product obtained by the controlled decomposition of organic
wastes (composting), finally used as organic manure’
...
The final well decomposed manure having lower C:
N ratio is termed as ‘compost’
...
Compost contains 0
...
15-0
...

A
...
It contains (1–1
...
4–0
...
61% K2O) due to low volatilization losses of ammonia
...
4 NIGHT SOIL (Poudrette)
Night soil is human excreta, both solid and liquid
...
5% N, 4% P 2O5 and
2% K2O
...
Poudrette contains about 1
...
8% P2O5 and 4
...

A
...
1
...
It can be recycled for crop fertilization, irrigation to the crop,
aquaculture production, application to forest land, biogas production and land reclamation
...
The total NPK content of this would be 2
...
6 lac tone of P and
2
...
Both the components are separated and are given a preliminary
fermentation and oxidation treatments to reduce bacterial contamination and offensive
smell, otherwise soil quickly becomes “sewage sick” owing to the mechanical clogging by
colloidal matter in the sewage and the development of anaerobic organisms which not only
reduce the nitrate already present in the soil but also produce alkalinity
...

The sludge that settles at the bottom in this process is called “activated sludge” (3
...

A
...

On an average, the manure contains 3% N, 1% P2O5 & 2%K2O)
...
ii) Sheep penning- wherein sheep and goats are allowed to stay
over night in the field and urine and faecal matter is added to soil
...
7 POULTRY MANURE
Poultry manure can supply higher N and P to the soil than other bulky organic
manures
...
87% N, 2
...
35% K2O
...
8 GREEN MANURING
Green un-decomposed plant material used as manure is called green manure
...
It adds organic
matter and nitrogen to the soil
...

(B) Concentrated organic manures
These have required in small quantities and contain higher nutrients as compared to
bulky organic manures
...
which act a good source of organic
manures for organic farming system
...
1 OIL CAKES
Oil cakes are generally grouped into two groups, viz
...
It has been estimated that India
produced about 2
...
Nutrient
present in oil cakes, after mineralization, are made available to crops 7-10 days after
application
...
Neem cake acts as Nitrification Inhibitor
...
9
2
...
9
Groundnut
7
...
5
1
...
5
2
...
2
Non-edible oil cakes (not fed to livestock)
Safflower (un-decorticated)
4
...
4
1
...
9
1
...
6
Caster
4
...
8
1
...
2
1
...
4
B
...
The fish is dried, powdered and filled
in bags
...
3-1
...
These manures are
highly suitable for fruit orchards and plantation crops
...
3 MEAT MEAL
An adult animal can provide 35 to 45 kg of meat after slaughter or death
...

B
...

B
...
These materials are
dried, powdered, bagged and marketed as manure
...

B
...

B
...
It contains 3 to 4% N and 20 to 25%
P2O5
...
2 VERMICOMPOSTING
Definition: The process of composting organic wastes through domesticated earthworms
under controlled conditions is vermicomposting
...
Waste
subjected to earthworm consumption decompose 2 to 5 times faster than in conventional
composting
...
It is estimated
that the earthworms feed about 4 to 5 time their own weight of material daily
...
However, two worms
are needed for successful copulation
...
Fertilization take place in the egg case or cocoon
...
mauritee and perionix excavatus have been recommended for vermiculture technology
...
It is a mixture of worm
casting (faecal excretions) organic materials including humus, live earthworms, their
cocoons and other micro organisms
...
It is estimated that 1800
worms which is an ideal population for one sq
...
Faecal matter or excretions of earthworms is known as vermin cast
...
It may be diluted with water before use
...
The average nutrient content of vermicompost is about 0
...
90
...
2- 0
...

VERMIWASH – A liquid manure: It is a transparent pale yellow coloured fluid collected
after the passage of water through a column of worm action or it a collection of excretory
products and mucus secretions of earthworm along with nutrients from the soil organic
molecules
...

BENEFITS OF VERMICOMPOST
1
...

2
...

3
...

4
...
The organic carbon in vermicompost releases the nutrients slowly and steadily into
the system and enables the plant to absorb these nutrients
...
The multifarious effects of vermicompost influence the growth and yield of crops
...
Earthworm can minimize the pollution hazards caused by organic waste by
enhancing waste degradation
...
It can be used @ 500 g in small
fruit plants and 3 – 4 kg/tree whereas for vegetable crops @ 3 kg/10 m 2 area
...
Vermicompost is mixed with
equal quantity of dried cow dung and used as broadcast when seedlings are 12-15 cm
height and water should be sprinkled
...
3
GREEN MANURING
4
...
1 Definition :Crops grown for the purpose of restoring or increasing the organic matter
content in the soil are called green manure crops while there green undecomposed plant
material used as manure is called green manure
...
It is obtained in two ways-either by grown in situ or brought
from out site
...

i)
In situ green manuring: Growing of green manure crops in the field and
incorporating it in its green stage in the same field (i
...
in situ) is termed as green
manuring
...
Forest tree leaves
are the main source of green leaf manuring
...

4
...
2 ADVANTAGES OF GREEN MANURING
1
...
This stimulates the activity of soil micro organisms
2
...
It improve the structure of soil by deep rooting system
4
...

5
...
N)
6
...

7
...
It aid in reclamation of sodic soils by release of organic acids
...
3 RECYCLING OF ORGANIC RESIDUES
A variety of organic residues include crop residues in the form of straw, husk, forest
litter; animal wastes like dung urine, bones etc
...
There are two major components of crop residues available, i
...


harvest refuse (straw, stubbles, haulm of different crops) and process wastes (nut shell,
oilcakes and cobs of maize, bajra and sorghum)
...
The benefits of proper
organic residue recycling are that they supply essential plant nutrients, improve soil
properties, protect the soil from erosion hazards, reducing residue accumulation at the sites
they produced, providing employment as well as income to many, enhancing environmental
qualities and illustrate that man is not a waste generator but also its wise 29tilizer/ manager
...
4 BIO-FERTILIZERS (Microbial inoculants)
The atmosphere over an hectare of land consists of 80,000 tones of N
...
Biological nitrogen fixation is the conversion of atmospheric N by living
organisms into forms that plants can use
...

4
...
It increase in root length, top dry weight, root dry weight,
total leaf area and yield were reported
...

The Bacillus sp
...
are help full in synthesizing the insoluble form of
phosphorus
...
5
...

Compost prepared by traditional method is usually low in nutrients and there is need
to improved its quality
...
It
could be achieved by introducing microbial inoculants, which are more efficient than the
native strains associated with substrate materials
...

The only alternative is to enhance their inoculum potential in the composting mass
...
5
...

 They reduce the pressure on non-renewable nutrient sources/fertilizer
...

 They also stimulate plant growth due to excretion of various growth hormones
...

 The economic benefits to cost ratio of bio-fertilizers is always higher
...


CHAPTER :6
DISEASE AND PEST MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIC FARMING

Introduction:The use of synthetic chemicals to manage pests has a number of disadvantages
which cause environmental pollution, phytotoxicity, ground water contamination and
adversely affect the soil and its biotic environment
...

Integrated pest management measures are either preventive or curative
...
It involves
natural enemies, host resistance and cultural practices
...

CULTURAL METHODS
Cultural control is just a modification or manipulation of the environment to the
disfavour of pests by disrupting their reproductive cycles, eliminating their foods, destroying
their weed hosts or making the environment more favourable for predators, parasitoids and
antagonists
...

1
...
Earthing up of soil in sugarcane reduces seedling borer infestation
...

Field and plant sanitation: Regular removal of weeds, pest-affected plant parts, crop stubbles and their
destruction will eliminate the sources of infestation of the diseases and pests
...
Many virus diseases like leaf curl, bud and stem rot of tomato,
groundnut and sun flower can be minimized by uprooting the infected plants
...

Crop rotation :
Growing of a non host crop after a host crop of the pest will break the breeding cycle
of pest species and reduce their population
...

4
...
The
resistant varieties have physical and physiological features, which enable to avoid
pest attacks
...
e
...
K
...

Trap cropping
Some crops are more preferred by the pests for feeding and egg laying are grown
as trap crops on the bunds of the main crop or 1 row after 10 rows
...
e
...
Water management :
Flooding of field whenever possible; kills root grubs, termites and soil borne plant
pathogens
...
Adjusting time of sowing :
The simultaneous sowing of crops in a locality helps in reducing pest damage
...
e
...

B
...
Use of phenomones and light traps :
sex pheromones are mostly emitted by female insects to attract the male
insect for matting
...
These pheromones & also light traps attract
the insects in large numbers to the traps, where they get trapped and killed
...
Generally at least 5 traps/ha are recommended for monitoring for each
pest species
...
Use of yellow sticky traps :
It is used to monitor aphids and white fly
...
Erecting bird perchase :
Bird perches helps in attracting birds, keep water in small bowl and spread
cooked yellow rice to attract insectivorous birds
...
Soil solarization :
Soil solarization by mulching the soil with polythene cover for 3-4 weeks
during summer months results in killing of soil borne pathogens and weed seeds
...
Use of nylon net
Growing of vegetable nurcery under nylon net drastically reduces pest
population and virus/ mycoplasma diseases by preventing the entry of vectors
...
Hot water treatment :
For the control of nematode problem in planting stock of banana suckers
soaked in hot water for 25 minits at 550 C temperature
...
BIOLOGICAL METHODS
Biological control means “The utilization of any living organisms for the control of
insect-pests, diseases and weeds
...
Conservation of these biotic agents in the field
or multiplying in the laboratory and releasing in the fields is called biological control
...
Bio-control is exercised in a wide range of area and it is safe for human as well as
animal health
...
Application of biotic agent is easy and possible even in inaccessible areas like
forests, tall trees, podns, rivers, lakes, revines etc
...
The bio agents survive in nature till the pests is prevalent and self perpetuating in
nature
...
There is no need for any special equipments like sprayer, duster except for some
microbial preparation
5
...

6
...

7
...

Some of the important bio-control agents are,
1
...
The common
predators are birds, spiders, dragonflies, ladybird beetles, ground beetles, ants,
chrysoperla etc; are helps to control sucking pests, pod borer eggs and larvae i
...

Sr
...

1
...

3
...


3
...

Aphids, mealy bugs
Insects

Parasitoids : These insects are always require passing at least one stage of their life
cycle inside the host
...
e
...
On haching,
the parasitoid larva feed on the embryonic content of egg
...
However, due to their high multiplication rate they are of vital
importance in the bio-control agents
...

Crop
Pest
Parasitoids
Dosage/ha
Trichograma chilonis
Cotton
Boll warms
1,50,000
Sugarcane
Early shoot borer, --“-50,000
stock borer
T
...
These products are more selective, eco-friendly and leave no toxic
residues in the environment
...
These chemicals do not kill the insects, but either attract, repel or modify
their usual behaviour
...

Biochemical Pests
Action
1
...

2
...
Pyrethrum/ Ants, aphids, fliees, ticks
The trade name pyrenone is a contact
pyrethrins
poison act as pyrethroids

4
...

extracted from orange or citrus fruitpeels act as contact and fumigant
4
...
The insecticidal crystal
proteins produced by the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki are effective
against lepidopterous pest species
...

No
...

Trichoderma
Tomato, chille, Root rot, stem Fungal antagonists,
harzianum
Brinjal, G
...

Pseudomonas Banana
Wilt
Sucker Treatment
florescenes
Tomato
Wilt, white rot
Soil treatment
Potato
Tuber rot
Seed treatment
Chilli
Fruit rot
Seed &
Die back
Seedling treatment
3
...

4
...

Beauveria
Gram,
Pod borer,
Spray application
bassiana
Tobacco
cater pillar,
thmps
Cotton
aphids,
Tomato
mealybugs
6
...
Mineral Insecticides: Sulphur : Sulphur is the oldest known pesticide & currently it is
used
...
Sulphur damage the plants, when it is applied in hot (above 90 0 F)
and dry weather
...


CHAPTER-7
WEED MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIC FARMING
Introduction:
Increased use of herbicides has resulted many problems
...
That apart, weed species are
developing resistance to chemical toxicants
...
More over there is
also problem of resurgence of weeds
...

B: Cultural methods:
Smother crops are highly competitive with the weed species infesting an area for
light, nutrients and moisture
...
Other cultural methods are sowing of cover crops, crop
rotation, line sowing, maintaining optimum plant population, drip irrigation etc
...

C: Mechanical methods:
This method includes practices like hand weeding, hoeing, mowing, flooding,
mulching, burning and tilling the soil for the reduction of weeds
...
It involves mulching
of soil with clear plastic films so as to trap the solar heat in the surface soil
...
This
method can be use where air temperature goes up to 45 0C during summer months
...

E: Biological methods
This method involves utilization of natural enemies for the control of certain weeds
...
In direct action,
firstly the bio control agent bores into plant, weakens its structure which leading to its
collapse and consumes as food and destroys the vital plant parts
...

E1: INSECTS:
For bio-control of weeds, the insect selected should specifically attack on the
targeted weed without harming the other plants
...
N
...


Prickly
cactus

2
...


Parasitic weed Fusarium oxysporum
Orobanche sp
...


Cyperus
rotundus

Bactra minima and
Athespacuta cyperi

By leaf eating insect

5
...

An herbicide made of mycelia fragments or spore of fungi is called mycoherbicide
...

Mycoherbicide

Fungus

Weed controlled

De vine

Phytophthora palmivora

Milk weed vine

Velgo

Colletotrichum coccodes

Velvet leaf

Collego

Collego gloeosphoroides f
...

Aeschynomene

Northern joint vetch

F: Allelopathy:
Inter-weed-competition determined by allelopathy can be manipulated in the natural
control of weeds
...
Marigold flowering plant is found to suppress the growth of parthenium
...
Wheat, oats & peas suppress the growth of
Chenopodium album
...


CHEPTER 8
OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE OF NPOP AND NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR
ORGANIC FARMING
To provide a focused and well-directed development of organic agriculture and
quality products, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, launched a
National Program on Organic Production (NPOP) in the year 2000, which was formally
notified in October 2001 under the Foreign Trade & Development Act (FTDR Act)
...
1 NATIONAL STRUCTURE OF NPOP
The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) proposes to provide an
Institutional mechanism for the implementation of National Standards for Organic
Production, through a National Accreditation Policy and Programme (NAPP)
...
To provide the means of evaluation of certification programmes for organic
agriculture and products as per the approved criteria
...
To accredit certification programmes
...
To facilitate certification of organic products in conformity to the National Standards
for Organic Products
...
To encourage the development of organic farming and organic processing
...
Policies for development and certification of organic products
...
National standards for organic products and processes
...
Accreditation of programmes to be operated by Inspection and Certification
Agencies
...
Certification of organic products
...


Operational structure of National Programme for Organic Production is given in Fig
...

The programme will be developed and implemented by the Government of India through its
Ministry of Commerce and Industry as the apex body
...
To advise the National Steering Committee on relevant issues
pertaining to National Standards and Accreditation, sub-committees will be appointed
...
National Accreditation Policy
and Programme will be administered by the National Accreditation Body, which will define
the overall objectives for the Accreditation programmes and operations
...
The
National Accreditation Policy and Programme is subject to periodic internal review, which
will be conducted by the Technical Committee, which will advise the National Steering
Committee about the need and content of such amendments in the National Programme
for Organic Production
...
1
...

Members of the National Accreditation Body shall comprise of representatives form Ministry
of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, APEDA, Coffee Board, Spices Board

and Tea Board
...
The work of the National Accreditation Body will include:
1
...

2
...

3
...

Every certifier will implement a certification programme and a programme cannot be
accredited without accrediting the certifier
...
1
...
The Evaluation Committee will be
appointed by the National Accreditation Body
...
The APEDA, on behalf of the National Accreditation Body will receive and
screen applications from the certification agencies, will coordinate and arrange evaluation
visits etc
...
The
Evaluation Committee will submit its recommendations to the National Accreditation Body
for considering accreditation
...
1
...
These
agencies should be well versed with the operating procedures, the NSOP and the
international standards
...

7
...
4 Inspectors
The inspectors, appointed by the accredited Inspection and Certification Agencies
will carry out inspection of the operations through records maintained by the operators as
per specified formats and also by periodic site inspection
...

7
...
of India has developed National Standard for
organic export
...
The scopes of these standards are:
1
...


2
...

3
...

A National Steering Committee (NSC) comprising Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of
Agriculture, APEDA, Spices Board, Coffee Board, Tea Board and various other Government
and private organisations associated with the organic movement is monitoring the overall
organic activities under the National Programme for Organic production (NPOP)
...
2
...
The time between the start of organic management and certification of crops
and/or animal husbandry is known as the conversion period
...

Recommendations
For a sustainable agro-ecosystem to function optimally, diversity in crop production
and animal husbandry must be arranged in such a way that there is interplay of all the
elements of the farming management
...
A farm may be converted step by step
...
There should be a clear
plan of how to proceed with the conversion
...
The Certification Programme should
set standards for different farming systems so that they can be clearly separated in
production as well as in documentation and the standards should determine norms to
prevent a mix up of input factors and products
...
All the
standards requirement shall be applied on relevant aspects from the beginning of
conversion period itself
...




Before products from a farm/project can be certified as organic, inspection shall have
been carried out during the conversion period
...




Simultaneous production of conventional, organic in conversion and/or organic crops
or animal products which cannot be clearly distinguished for each other, will not be
allowed
...
The certification programme shall
ensure that the requirements are met
...
In such cases, inspection shall be carried out with a reasonable
time interval before the first harvest
...
2
...

7
...
3 Landscape
The certification programme shall set standards for a minimum percentage of the
farm area to facilitate bio-diversity and nature conservation
...


CHAPTER: 9
CERTIFICATION AND ACCREDITATION PROCESS
OF ORGANIC PRODUCT
Introduction
India with its varied agro-climatic conditions and agricultural biodiversity offers
tremendous scope for production and export of a wide range of organic products having
great demand in a number of developed countries
...
Subsequently various components of
NPOP, viz
...
Agricultural and Processed Food
Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was entrusted with the coordination work
of NPOP
...
A wide variety of organic products are sold
world wide and the demand is growing rapidly in Europe, US, Japan and Australia
...
Even the domestic market is growing though it is still very small
...
Once conformity with organic standards has been
verified by a certification body, the product is afforded a label
...
It is important
to note that an organic label applies to the production process, ensuring that the product
has been produced, processed and handled in an ecologically sound manner
...

What is organic certification?
Certification is the procedure by which a third party gives written assurance that a product,
process or service conforms to specified requirements
...
A certification body does this through a set of procedures established for
the purpose
...


Standards and Regulations
International Voluntary Standards
National Madatory Standards
Local Voluntary Standards:
1
...


The Codex Alimentarius

3
...
2092/91

4
...


Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS)

6
...
The NPOP
is developed and implemented by Government of India through its Ministry of Commerce
...
The NPOP accreditation
requirements are based on ISO/IEC Guide 65
...
These agencies are:
• Agricultural Product Export Development Authority (APEDA)
• Spices Board
• Coffee Board
• Tea Board
• Coconut Development Board
CERTIFICATION and ACCREDITATION
Organic Agriculture is based on the commitment of farmers and processors to work
according to set standards and regulations that define the organic production system
...
The certification and accreditation systems primarily serve as tools to
enhance trade, market development and foster confidence
...
With regard
to food, organic food production and processing set the precedents for the conventional
industry
...
Today, about 60 countries have already regulated organic
agriculture with national standards and further requirements regulating recognition of
inspection bodies and some defining inspection procedures as well
...

Inspection and certification is accredited or at least supervised by government authorities
as defined in the regulations, Control and supervision at all levels should guarantee that all
inspectors and certifiers are evaluated and accredited (accreditation means “the evaluation
of certifiers”)
...
Estimations count 419

certification bodies certifying according to private standards and/or set regulations over
the world
...
Lacking acceptance and recognition between the
different certification and accreditation systems contradicts the objective of enhancing trade,
market development and fostering confidence
...
In the
case of organics, certification gives consumers a formal assurance that organic
production standards have been met
...
However, a producer/exporter must
have certification that meets the requirements of the target market, including legal
regulations and standards in the importing country
...

Minimum requirements:
In organic farming system, certain minimum requirements are to be met to fulfill its
objectives
...

i) Conversion: When a farmer switches over to the system of organic farming from the
conventional system of farming, it is known as conversion
...
The farmers should have
a conversion plan prepared if the entire field is not converted into organic at a time
...
In the long run
the entire farm including livestock should be converted into organic
...

 Saw dust, wood shaving from untreated wood
...
g
...
g
...

 Vermicompost
ii) Pest, Disease and Weed management: Use of synthetic/chemical pesticides,
fungicides and weedicides is prohibited
...
(e
...
raising trees in the farm attracts birds which kills pests of the crops, nest
construction etc
...
(e
...

neem seed kernel extract, cow urine spray)
...
Similarly, use of synthetic growth
regulators is not permitted
...
In case of saline soils, saline resistant varieties
may be grown
...
Mulching is required
...
Clearing of primary forest is prohibited
...

a)
If neighbouring fields are non-organic, a buffer zone should be maintained
...
(When chilli is grown as the main organic crop, castor or
Agathi (Sesbania) can be grown as buffer crop
...

b)
If the farm is under conversion, equipments used for conventional areas shall be well
cleaned before using for organic areas
...
subject to the
condition that these materials shall be removed from the field after use and they shall
not burnt or put in the soil
...

ix) Processing: Processing technologies like solar drying, freeze drying, hot air chambers
are permitted
...
No synthetic
additives/days are to be added during processing
...
(i
...
conversion in progress or organic)
...
The details like
name of the product, quantity of the product, name and address of the producer, name of
certification agency, certification, lot number etc
...

xi) Packaging: For packing, recycling and reusable materials like clean jute bags, shall be
used
...
Unnecessary packaging material
should be avoided
...
]
xiii) Documentation: Documentation of farm activities is must for acquiring certification
especially when both conventional and organic crops are raised
...

a) Field map
g) Storage record
b) Field history
h) Sales record
sheet
c) Activity register
i) Pest control records
d) Input record
j) Movement record
e) Output record
k) Equipments cleaning records
f) Harvest record
l) Labeling records
...
Certification agency conducts the inspection that
minimum requirements prescribed for organic agriculture is fully met and issues certificate
...
Certification agency provides
information on standards, fees, application, inspection, certification and appeal procedures
...
Then the contract indicating scope, obligation, inspection and certification,
sanction and appeals, duration, fee structure is executed
...
The Inspector gives
inspection report with his recommendation to the agency, then the agency issues approval

or denial of certificate
...

In our country majority of the farming community belongs to marginal and small farmers
(76
...

The food, fodder and fuel production will have to be increased by 60 per cent in next 25
years to meet the needs of growing population
...
Only 25-30 per cent of modern agricultural technology has reached the farmers
...

Since there is no scope for horizontal expansion of land for cultivation, the only alternative
left is vertical expansion and that too through diversification of farming systems including
organic farming
...
Only by this certification programme, organic farming can be
distinguished from other methods of sustainable agriculture
...
Certificate is valid only if it
is done by accredited certifying agency
...

Needless to say, from a commercial perspective it is not enough that product is produced
organically, what is equally important is that it should be certified as such
...
It
includes land preparation, selection of variety, organic fertilization, biological control of pestdiseases-weed, harvest, storage etc
...
This year NPOP standard has got equivalency with the
standard of ED commission
...

Efforts for equivalency with NOP (USA) are under process
...
Tentative tariff structure for certification is
as below: Travel and Inspection: Rs
...
19000 per day (depending on small
farmers, cooperative, estate manufacturers, large and medium sized processors)
...
5000/-
...
5000/S
...

Name of
Address
No
...
Certifying &
Inspection
Inspection
agencies
agencies
1
...

Bioinspectra
C/o Indocert
for promotion Building, Bellari
Thottumugham
of organic
Road, Hebbal,
P
...
Aluva
farming
Bangalore 560024
683105 Cochin,
(APOF)
Ph
...
04842630908
2
...

SGS Pvt
...
0124products
Tamil Nadu 641001
2399757
(ISCOP)
Ph 0422-2471181

3
...
O
...
0484-2630909
Mahalaxmi Layout,
No
...


LACON

Mithradham
Chunangardi

10

International
Resource for
fair trade
(IRFD)

5
...
Ltd
...


Ecocert
International

26, 17th Main HAL,
2nd A Stage,
Bangalore 560008,
Ph
...
02402376336

12

National
Organic
Certification
Association
(NOCA)

Sona Udyog Unit
No
...
02228235246
Agarsen farm
Vatika, Road off
Ton Rd
...


ACCREDITATION
Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority or credibility
is presented
...
Accreditation process
ensures that their certification practices are acceptable, typically meaning that they are
competent to test and certify third parties, behave ethically and employ suitable quality
assurance
...

The NPOP programme in context of Indian accreditation scenario, defined the
function of accreditation agencies like:
1
...

2
...

3
...

4
...

5
...

6
...

7
...

8
...


9
...

In the year 2000, Ministry of Commerce, GoI has launched the NPOP
...

1
...
Coffee Board
3
...
Tea Board
5
...
Cocoa and Cashewnut Board
Certification and inspection agencies: The role of certification agencies is most critical
...
Its accreditation
by an authorized accreditation agency is mandatory
...
The certification agency
may appoint Inspection agents and responsibility of certification agencies to ensure strict
compliance of national standards of Organic Farming
...
They also prescribe minimum
conversion period after inspection to farm and other details
...
Only after the issuance of
accreditation certificate by accreditation agencies certification bodies can function as
inspection and certification agency
...


PROCESSING METHOD
Standards
 The following kinds of processes are approved:
a
...
Biological
c
...
Extraction
e
...
Filtration
 Extraction shall only take place with water, ethanol, plant and animal oils, vinegar,
carbon dioxide, nitrogen or carboxylic acids
...

 Irradiation for the purpose
 Filtration substances shall not be made of asbestos nor may they be permeated with
substances which may negatively affect the product
...

LABELLING
Standards
 The person or company legally responsible for the production or processing of the
product shall be identifiable
...



-







Mixed products where not all ingredients, including additives are of organic origin may
be labeled in the following way
Where a minimum of 95 per cent of the ingredients are of certified organic origin,
products may be labelled “Certified organic”
...
The word organic may be
used on the principal display in statements like “made with organic ingredients”
provided there is a clear statement of the proportion of the organic ingredients
...
Such product may not be
called organic
...

The label for in conversion products shall be clearly distinguishable from the label for
organic products
...
It shall be apparent which raw material are of organic
certified origin and which are not
...
If
herbs and /or spices constitute less than 2 per cent of the total weight of the product,
they may be listed as spices or herbs without stating the percentage
...

Any reference to genetic engineering on product labels shall be limited to the
production method
...
Farmers started using
chemical fertilizers to increase the yield and to meet the demand of growing population
...
Extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides resulted in pests and diseases resistance
of the cultivars and polluted the crop growing environment including groundwater
...

9
...
A long -term experiment conducted by ICRISAT also sustains the view that yield of
different crop in low cost sustainable systems, the annul productivity (rain + post rainy
season yield), in particular, is comparable to that in the conventional system
...
In the so-called
green revolution era (irrigated lands), conversion to organic usually leads to almost
identical yields
...

Replacement of external inputs farm-derived organic resources normally leads to
a reduction in variable input costs under organic management
...
In a few cases, higher inputs costs due to purchase of compost and other organic
manures have been reported
...
Farms
that did not include organic price premiums have given mixed results on profitability
...

10
...
Crop
yield play an important -though not the only- role in this
...
At the same time, production costs need to be
kept low
...
In order
to be able to manage the farm in an optimum way, farmers not only need to learn organic
farming methods, but also to develop and understanding on the interrelations between the
different components of an agro-ecosystem: soil fertility, nutrition and water household,
biodiversity, ecological balance etc
...
Equally important is that farmers can obtain practical can obtain
practical advice to fine-tune their management practices in the field
...
If the manage to convey the
philosophy of organic agriculture, it is more likely that farmers whole heartedly stick to
organic farming about is potential benefits and persuade farmers to join the initiative
...
In this, they need
to take into consideration the different resource bases and degrees of vulnerability of
marginal and wealthier farmers
...
Most probably the farmers are technically more
familiar with cotton farming practice than the extension staff and after some time they will
also be more experienced in the practical implication of organic farming methods
...
The focus might shift to creating platforms for and moderating
processes of farmer-to farmer exchange
...
Especially in fields where synthetic fertilizers were
extensively used before conversion, it is a necessary to apply sufficient amounts of organic
material in order to build up soil organic matter and to stimulate soil life
...
As farm-own sources of manure might not
be sufficient to achieve satisfying yield levels, projects could further facilitate the supply of
manures and natural mineral fertilizers from off-farm sources (de-oiled castor, sugarcane
press mud, rock phosphate)
...
Appropriate crop rotation patterns that

involve legumes, the cultivation of green manures and intercrop and the recycling of crop
residues can be equally effective
...
This challenges the argument that conversion to organic farming is not a suitable
option for developing countries as it puts food security at risk
...
However, if innovation in farming is to really improve
rural livelihoods, the focus needs to shift away from yields, to a broader perspective that
includes sustainability of the management of the production base, economic viability of the
farm operations (the relation of costs and revenues) and livelihood security
...
Replacing agro-chemicals with
natural means and management practices has positive impacts on soil fertility
environment and human health
...
While this could to
some extent -also be achieved with integrated farming approaches, organic farming offers
in additional the opportunity to link production with a growing market demand for
environmentally and socially better products
...
Their
lack of production means and capital is counter balanced with the availability of underutilized family labour and the ability to produce inputs on the farm itself
...
However,
small and marginal farmers are also the ones who find conversion to organic farming most
difficult, as yield and incomes in usually in the initial year, thus putting their fragile livelihoods
at risk
...

The experience of successful organic cotton initiatives in several developing countries
provides ample material to study how project support could be further improved
...
Only if the involved farmers develop emotional
ownership for the project and identify as a group, can free-riding b prevented and the long
term sustainability of the project be ensured
...
The need to form
strong farmers based project entities poses a considerable challenge to utilizing organic

farming in development work
...
g
...

Although our research has shed some ligh on crucial regarding the potential of
organic farming in developing countries, it also opened up a range of new questions
...
It will also be necessary to put the finding on a broader
base of investigated case studies in different countries
...

MARKETING AND EXPORT POTENTIAL OF ORGANIC PRODUCTS
Organic farming has a place where there is a market to accept the produce at a
higher price as the growing interest in organic farming practice is due to an expectation of
higher premium for organically produced farm commodities
...

Marketing of Organic Products
Major organic produces in India are given in Table
...
There are three types
of organic producers in India- Traditional organic growers who grow for their subsistence
needs, commercial farmers who have surplus and export their produce through different
channels and private companies which either have their own farms or organize large
conversion programmes with growers
...
On the other hand, products available for export market, besides, these,
include cashewnuts, cotton, oilseeds, various fruits and medicinal herbs
...
0 per cent of
the total organic production, the market channel for export of organic products is export
companies with the exception of tea which is produced and exported by tea estates
...
Quality production with traditional methods, low use of chemical inputs
in mountain and tribal areas, easy availability of cheap labour, NGO interventions and
various types of support provided by the governments as the main advantages of Indian
organic products
...
On the other hand, in home market, there are no separate markets
for organic products in many commodities like wheat in Rajasthan
...
But more recently, some
agencies have tried to create separate market outlets for organic produce like the
Maharashtra Cotton Marketing Federation purchased organic cotton from growers
separately for export
...

Distribution of organicNorthern
agricultural land by region 2017
Africa
America
3%
5%
Asi…
Latin
America
11%

Europe
21%
1
...
Global market
2000=18 billion USD
2003=25
...
7 billion USD
2005=33
...
6 billion USD
2007=46
...
9 billion USD

Oceania
51%

2009=54
...
1 billion USD
2011=62
...
8 billion USD
2013=68
...
0 billion USD
2015=81
...
0 billion USD
2017=97
...
0 billion USD
(Source: www
...
com)
3
...
80 billion USD
Germany= 10
...
53 billion USD
Italy = 3
...
67 billion USD
Switzerland = 2
...
37 billion USD
Canada= 3
...
59 billion USD
Spain = 2
...
fibl
...
Organic export in India = 0
...
9 million ha certified organic (1
...
9 m ha,
Europe – 14
...
0 m ha,
Asia – 6
...
2 m ha
Africa – 2
...
70 m ha (15 Rank in the World)
4
...
85 m MT organic products
Exported 263687 MT organic food; 298 m USD (oilseed, processed food, cereals &
millets, tea, pulses, dry fruits etc
...
6
...


Title of the exercise

No
...

No
...


Study of different organic materials and manures

2
...


Preparation of enrich compost and vermicompost

4
...


ITK for nutrient management

6
...


Cost of organic production system

8
...


Certification for organic farming

10
...
Seat No
...
________________

This is to certified that Mr
...
6
...


Course Teacher

Head of Department

PRACTICAL 1: STUDY OF DIFFERENT ORGANIC MATERIALS
AND MANURES
Organic materials or organic matter is composed of organic compounds that
has come from the remains of dead organisms such as plants and animals and their
waste products in the environment
...
Organic materials
have longer residual effect besides improving soil physical, biological and chemical
properties of soil
...
Cattle shed wastes: dung, urine and slurry from biogas plants
2
...
Poultry litter, dropping of sheep and goad
4
...
Fish wastes
6
...

7
...
Water hyacinth and other weeds
9
...
Therefore, manures are defined as the plant and
animal wastes which are used as sources of plant nutrients
...
Organic manure provides all the nutrients that are required by plants but in limited
quantities
...
It helps in maintaining C:N ratio in the soil and also increases the fertility and
productivity of the soil
...
It improves the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil
...
It improves both the structure and texture of the soils
...
It increases the water holding capacity of the soil
...
Due to increase in the biological activity, the nutrients that are in the lower depths
are made available to the plants
...
Dung comes mostly as undigested material and the urine from
the digested material
...
The nutrients from urine, becomes readily available
...
On an average well decomposed farm yard
manure contains 0
...
2 % P2O5 and 0
...

The quantity and quality of FYM depend upon the type (draught, mulch) and
age of the animals, the way they are feed and the care taken to collect and store the
material
...
Hence, effort should be made to prepare the better quality FYM for
increasing the fertility of soil
...

Compost is not particularly high in essential nutrients, (N-P-K), and is
considered a soil conditioner rather than a fertilizer
...

Composting is essential for microbial decomposition of organic residues
collected from rural area (rural compost) or urban compost (urban area)
...
The advantage of aerobic system is
that it is fast but requires moistening and frequent turning
...
are the
important methods of composting
...
It is richer in N, P and K than
farm yard manure and compost
...
5 % N, 4
...
0 % K2O
...
The solid portion in the sewage is
called sludge and liquid portion is sewage water
...

Green Manure
Green manuring can be defined as a practice of ploughing or turning of undecomposed green plant tissues into the soil for improving physical structure as well
as soil fertility is referred to as green manuring and the manure obtained by this method
is known as green manure
...
The green-manure crop supplies organic matter as
well as additional nitrogen, particularly if it is a legume crop, due to its ability to fix
nitrogen from the air with the help of its root nodule bacteria
...
Green manure to be
incorporated in soil before flowering stage because they are grown for their green leafy
material, which is high in nutrients and protects the soil
...
On an average, sheep and goat manure contains 3
...
0 % P2O5
and 2
...

Sheep and goat manure applied to the field in two ways
...
The
nutrients percent in the urine are wasted in this method
...


Poultry Manure
Poultry manure is the organic waste material consisting of feces and urine
...
03 %), phosphorus (2
...
4 %)
...
The added organic matter increases the
moisture holding capacity of the soil, lowers soil bulk density, and improves overall soil
structure, thus increasing the efficiency of the crop production and irrigation
...
Many oil cakes such as the castor, neem, madhuca, karanja,
linseed, rapeseed and cotton seed which are non-edible oil cakes may serve as useful
organic manure as these contain high amounts of plant nutrients
...
Edible oil-cakes which can be safely fed to livestock; e
...
: Groundnut cake,
coconut cake, cotton cake etc
...
Non-edible oil-cakes which are not fit for feeding livestock; e
...
Castor cake,
neem cake, mahua cake etc
...
Oil- cakes
need to be well powdered before application for even distribution and quicker
decomposition
...
It is used as an organic fertilizer for plants and as a
nutritional supplement for animals
...
Moreover, due to slow acting manure it is ideal for
acid soils and long duration crops
...
It is
collected periodically from island
...
It is comparable to bird
guano in its effect on soil and crops
...

Field residues are the materials left in an agricultural field or orchard after the crop
has been harvested
...
The residue can be ploughed directly into the ground
...


Process residues are materials left after the crop is processed into a usable resource
...
They can be used
as animal fodder and soil amendment, fertilizers and in manufacturing
...
5-1
...
4-0
...
5-1
...
0-2
...
0

1
...
4-0
...
3-0
...
7-1
...
5-0
...
1-0
...
6-0
...
0-3
...
0-5
...
2-0
...
0-7
...
1-4
...
5-0
...
5-5
...
8-1
...
0-1
...
5-2
...
9-1
...
8-1
...
9-4
...
9-1
...
3-1
...
2-5
...
0-1
...
4-1
...
8-4
...
4-1
...
2-1
...
4-6
...
8-2
...
1-2
...
9-4
...
8-1
...
6-1
...
0-7
...
5-1
...
3-1
...
0-10
...
0-9
...
3-1
...
0-8
...
0-14
...
0-3
...
0-4
...
0-25
...
0-2
...
0-30
...
65

0
...
5

Sorghum

0
...
23

2
...
42

1
...
65

Paddy

0
...
08

0
...
53

0
...
10

Sugarcane trash

0
...
10

0
...
44

0
...
66

Non-edible cakes

Edible cakes

Manual of animal origin

Straw and stalks

PRACTICAL 2: GREEN MANURING FOR ORGANIC FARMING
Green manuring can be defined as a practice of ploughing or turning into the
soil un-decomposed green plant tissues for improving physical structure as well as soil
fertility
...
The green-manure crop supplies organic matter as well as additional
nitrogen, particularly if it is a legume crop, due to its ability to fix nitrogen from the air
with the help of its root nodule bacteria
...

The practice of green manuring is performed in different ways according to
suitable soil and climatic conditions of a particular area
...
Green manuring in situ: In this system, green manure crops are grown and buried
in the same field, which is to be green manured, either as pure crop or an intercrop
with the main crop
...

2
...
This system is generally followed in the central
India
...
It should be a legume with good nodular growth habit indicative of rapid nitrogen
fixation under even unfavorable soil conditions
...
It should have little water requirements for it’s own growth and should be capable of
making a good stand on poor and exhausted soils
...
It should have a deep root system, which can be open the sub-soil and tap lower
regions for plant nutrients
...
The plant should be of a leafy habit capable of producing heavy tender growth
early in its life cycle
...
It should contain large quantities of non-fibrous tissues of rapid decomposability
containing fair percent of moisture and nitrogen
...
It should be fast initial growth with more leafy than woody
7
...
As they decompose rapidly, it is easy to retain the organic matter in the soil
...
Green manures improve both physical and chemical properties of the soil
...
They provide energy to microbes
...
They provide nutrients to the standing crop and also to the next crop
...
Addition of green manure crops to the soil, acts as mulch and prevent soil erosion
...
Leaching of nutrients in light soils can be prevented by addition of green manure
...
Cultivating green manure crops can control weeds
...
Majority of green manure crops being legumes, use of nitrogenous fertilizers can
be minimized
...
It increases the availability of certain plant nutrients like phosphorus (P2O5),
calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron
...

Some disadvantages are also associated with green manuring
...


1
...
This
particularly applies to the wheat regions of the India
...
Since green manuring for Rabi season (Wheat) means the loss for the Kharif crop,
the practice of green manuring may not be always economical
...

3
...

4
...

5
...


PRACTICAL

3:

PREPARATION
OF
AND VERMICOMPOST

ENRICH

COMPOST

Farm Yard Manure (FYM) is an organic form of fertilizer prepared by
decomposition of animal dung, urine and cattle shed wastes
...

Limitations with traditional method
Procedures followed by farmers in India for utilization of FYM are very
crude and far away from modern methods with respect to principle and
procedure
...
The dung added to the pit is not uniformly mixed with the urine and
litter
...
Large part of urine is
lost both in cattle shed and in the pit
...
Hence, follow certain
guidelines for the production of stable, matured and enriched quality of FYM
...

Nutrient Enrichment
 Feed the cattle with nitrogen rich feed materials like pulse stubbles and
green manures
...

 For K enrichment adds wood ash
...

Enrichment of compost with Biofertilizers:
 N-fixing bacteria-Azotobacter, Azospirillum each 2 kg/tone if solid, 1
litre/tone if liquid
...

 K-Mobilizing bacteria-Fraturia aurantia 4kg/tone if solid, 2 litres/tone if
liquid
...

Composting :
The process of decomposing organic waste is called composting and the
end product of the decomposed material is called compost
...
During composting under thermophilic and mesophilic
condition, heaps or pits are required adequate moisture and aeration
...

Key factors affecting the composting process
There are certain key environmental factors which affect the speed of
composting
...
When provided with a balance form, then they will
produce compost quickly
...

Method of composting:
Although utilizing crop wastes in crop production is known from the earliest
times, systematic work on composting was initiated only in the beginning of this
century
...
Composting is done either in
aerobic condition or in anaerobic condition
...
The advantage of aerobic system is that it is fast but it requires
moistening and frequent turning
...
Indore method:
Sir Albert Howard (1924-26) at Indore, Madhya Pradesh, developed this
method
...
Periodical turn the
materials to provide aeration and mix materials
...
Under
this aerobic process losses of organic matter and nitrogen are to the extent of 40
to 50% of the initial levels
...
8% N, 0
...
5 K2O
...
Windrow method:
Karnataka Compost Development Corporation Ltd
...
From the garbage plastics, glass, rubber and debris
are separated
...
5 to 0
...
Neem cake, rock phosphate and gypsum are also added in small quantities
to produce ‘BIOAGRORICH’ compost
...
NADEP compost:
Farm wastes are mixed with 30 times dung slurry and clay soil for
composting
...
Compos is ready
within 4 to 6 months
...
Moreover, it involves lot of labour and materials in building the
tanks
...
Coimbtore method of composting:
In pits 4x2x1m residue are filled to a thickness of about 15 cm in the pit
uniformly (Ramaswami, 1997)
...
Above this layer bone meal/rock phosphate at the rate
of 1 kg is spread
...
This process of residue, cow dung slurry and bone meal is repeated till
the height reaches 0
...
Then the material is covered
with mud plaster to prevent entry of rain water
...
The compost will be ready within five
months
...
The

application of bone meal/rock phosphate helps to cover the N loss from
composting pit and at the same time adds P to composting material
...
al
...

v
...
It involves heat fermentation which helps in effective
disposal of offensive wastes
...
Each
layer of night soil should be immediately covered over with refuse and the top
layer at the end of each day should be covered with thin layer of earth (5 cm)
...
During this initial
aerobic decomposition, a high temperature (60-50o C) is attained which helps to
destroy harmful pathogens, fly maggots, weed seeds and also completely
removes disagreeable odours
...
After this the decomposition proceeds on anaerobic lines and the
manure becomes ready in 5-6 months
...
Japanese method of composting:
In this method instead of pits composting is carried out in a enclosure of
18’- 30’ x 3’-4’ x 2
...
0’ (height) above the ground
...
The bottom of the structure is sealed
to avoid drainage loss of nutrients
...

The organic wastes are spread in the enclosure layer by layer leaving about 2’
at one side of the structure to facilitate turning
...
, coconut shells, leaves,
fibrous material, tender tree barks or pieces of wood, ash, etc
...

The next layer (10-15 cm) should be of dried leaves, grasses, residues,
groundnut haulms etc
...
Over this layer spread cow dung urine and biogas
slurry singly or mixed
...

In the third layer, dhaincha, sasbenia and crop residues rich in nitrogen
are added to about 10-15 cm thickness
...
) and potash (Calatropis,
datura, weeds, residues of tomato and tobacco, ash, poultry wastes, etc
...
Carbon rich materials like straw, Stover, etc
...
This forms the fifth
layer
...
Over
this old compost powder, tank silt or soil and ash in small quantity are to be
added
...
Care is to
be taken to maintain moisture around 65 per cent and temperature below 60 oC
...
Addition of lime can hasten decomposing hard
materials
...

Vermicompost :
Vermicomposting is a simple process of composting, in which certain
species of earth worms are used to enhance the process of waste conversion
and produce a better end product
...
It provides the vital macro elements such as nitrogen,
phosphorous, potash, Ca, Mg and Micro elements such and Fe, Mo, Zn, Cu, etc
...
African Nightcrawlers (Eudrilus eugeniae) is another set
of popular composter
...

Climate and temperature
The most common worms used in composting systems are redworms
(Eisenia foetida, Eisenia andrei and Lumbricus rubellus) feed most rapidly at
temperatures of 15–25 °C (59-77 °F)
...

Temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) may harm them
...

Type of earthworms
There are about 3000 species of earthworms reported in the world
...
These earthworms are mainly divided
into three groups
1
...

e
...
Eisenia foetida, Eudrilus eugeniae, Perionyx excavatus
Above species are prolific feeders and can feed upon a wide variety of
degradable organic wastes
...
Anecics: Are the species that live in burrows in mineral soil layers
...
Endogeics: Are species that inhabit mineral soil horizons
e
...
Lampito mauritii
Characteristic of compost worms
The following are the basic characteristics of earthworm species suitable
for vermicomposting:
i) The worms should have feeding preference to wide range of organic
materials
...

iii) It should be tolerant to diseases, wide adaptability to environmental
factors and have least inactivity period
...

vi) Growth rate, maturity from young one to adult stage should be fast
...

Advantage of vermicompost in Soil
 It improves soil aeration
 Enriches soil with micro-organisms (adding enzymes such as
phosphatase and cellulase)
 Enhance microbial activity in the soil




Attracts deep-burrowing earthworms already present in the soil
Improves water holding capacity of the soil
Plant growth
 Enhances germination, plant growth and crop yield
 Improves root growth and structure
 Enriches soil with micro-organisms (adding plant hormones such
as Auxin and Gibberellic acid)
Environmental
Minimizes the pollution hazards
Methods of vermicompost
In general, following are the three methods of Vermicomposting under field
conditions
...
Vermicomposting of wastes in field pits
2
...
Vermicomposting of wastes in large structures
Vermicomposting of organic wastes in field:
i) Pits: It is preferable to go for optimum sized ground pits and 10 x 11 x 0
...
Series
of such beds are to be prepared at one place
...
Dome shaped beds (with organic wastes) are prepared
and vermicomposting is taken up
...
0 x 1
...
0 m (L x W x H)
...
, which are filled with organic wastes and composting
is taken up
...

 Spread 15–20 cm layer of organic waste material on the polythene sheet
...

 Paste the top of the ring with soil or cow dung
...

 After decomposition of the materials (15–20 days after heaping), release
selected earthworms (500 to 700) through the cracks developed
...

 Sprinkle water every three days to maintain adequate moisture and body
temperature of the earthworms
...

 The processed vermicompost is black, light in weight and free from bad
odor
...
Pile the compost in small heaps and leave under ambient
conditions for a couple of hours when all the worms move down the heap
in the bed
...


 The culture in the bed contains different stages of the earthworm’s life
cycle, namely, cocoons, juveniles and adults
...
Pack the
compost in bags and store the bags in a cool place
...


PRACTICAL 4: BIO FERTILIZERS/BIO INOCULANTS FOR
ORGANIC FARMING
The atmosphere over a hectare of land consists of 80,000 tones of N
...
Biological nitrogen fixation is the conversion of
atmospheric N by living organisms into forms that plants can use
...

Use of bio-fertilizers
Azospirilum is applied as seed treatment or soil application in crop like rice,
sugarcane, pulses, soybean and vegetables
...
The inoculants like
nitroplus (legume inoculants) and VAM (Vesicular Arbuscular Micorrhizae) are also
effective for crop yield improvement
...
and pseudomonas sp
...
The combined
applications of phosphobacteria, rock phosphate and FYM to commercial crops
have greatly enhanced biomass production, uptake of nutrients and yield
...

 They reduce the pressure on non-renewable nutrient sources/fertilizer
...

 They also stimulate plant growth due to excretion of various growth hormones
...

 The economic benefits to cost ratio of bio-fertilizers is always higher
...

Types of Bio-fertilizers
 Biological N fixing micro organisms
 Phosphate solubilizing and mobilizing micro-organisms
 Potash solubilizing micro-organisms
 Sulphur mobilizing micro-organisms
 Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
 Growth promoting substance excreting micro-organisms
a
...

The N-fixing organisms such as Rhizobium spp
...
and Azospirillum spp
...
There are two types of Rhizobia; (i) the slow growing
Bradyrhizobium and (ii) the fast growing Rhizobium
...
Azotobacter inoculation

saves N fertilizer by 10 to 20%
Rhizobium and bradyrhizobium
They symbiolically fix N with leguminous plants increasing the amount of
available N for uptake by plants
...
i
...
cow pea 80-85 kg/ha, Red
gram 168- 200 kg/ha, G
...
An increase in yield about 10-20
% has been observed in pulses treated with Rhizobium
...

Azotobacter
Azotobacter is free living aerobic N-fixing bacteria can fix 10-25 kg N/ha/season
in cereals
...
A
...
Vegetable crop such as tomato, brinjal and cabbage responded better to
Azotobacter inoculation than other crops
...
It is useful in
cereals for better vegetative growth and also saving inputs of nitrogenous
fertilizers by 25-30 %
Beijerinckia :
Its production is high in acidic soils
...
idica is a common species
...

b
...

Several soil bacteria particularly Pseudomonas straita and Bacillus polymixa
and fungi Aspergillus awamori and Penicilium spp
...
Arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are also responsible for converting fixed Phosphorus
into available phosphorus through inoculation of efficient strains of AMF, 25 to
50 % of P fertilizer can be saved
...
Potash solubilizing micro-organisms
The bacterium, Frateuria aurantia was isolated from banana plant from Orissa
soil
...
These bacteria were tested on banana and
paddy which increased the yield by 20 & 25%, respectively
...
5 kg/ha
...
The bacterium can save up to 50-60 %
of cost of K fertilizer
...
Sulphur mobilizing micro organisms
...
Acetobacter pasteurianus helps
in converting this non-usable form to usable form
...

pasteurianus influenced the levels of sulphur in crops like vegetables, cabbage,
turnip, onion etc
...
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)
AMF improve plant growth through better uptake of nutrient like P, Zn, Cu etc
...
AMF saves 25-50 kg P/ha in
addition increase the yield up to 10-12%
...
Growth promoting substance erecting micro organisms
...
They enhance
plant growth indirectly by depriving the harmful micro organisms
...

General recommendations of bio-fertilizers for different crops
1
...
and legume oil seeds such as groundnut and soyabean use Rhizobium +
PSB 200 gm each per 10 kg of seed as seed treatment
...
Non legume crops such as pearlmillet, wheat, sorghum maize, cotton, etc
...

3
...
use
Azotobacter/Azospirillum + PSB, 1 kg each as seedling root dip
...
Low land transplanted paddy Azospirillum + PSB 2 kg each/acre as seeding
root dip for 8-10 hrs
...
For sugarcane crop, use Acetobacter + PSB 4 kg each/acre as seed set dipping
...
Mix this paste with 10 kg seeds and dry in shade
...

Seedling root dip
For vegetables 1 kg recommended bio-fertilizers is mixed in sufficient quantity
of water
...

For paddy make a bed in the field and fill it with water
...

Soil treatment
Mix 4 kg each of recommended bio-fertilizers in 200 kg of compost, make moist
and leave it overnight
...

PRECAUTIONS
 Store bio-fertilizer packets in cool and dry place away from direct sunlight and
heat
 Rhizobium is crop specific, so use in specified crop
 Do not mix with chemicals
 Use the packet before expiry, only on the specified crop, by the recommended
method
...
Panchagavya consists of nine
products viz
...
When suitably mixed and used, these have miraculous effects
...
After 15 days mix the following and panchagavya will
be ready after 30 days
...
500 kg or Sugarcane juice 3 liters
...

Preparation
All the above items can be added to a wide mouthed mud pot, concrete tank or
plastic can as per the above order
...

The content is to be stirred twice a day both in morning and evening
...
(Care should be taken not to mix buffalo
products
...
It should be kept in the shade and covered with a wire mesh or plastic
mosquito net to prevent houseflies from laying eggs and the formation of maggots in
the solution
...


Physico-chemical and biological properties of Panchagavya
Chemical composition
Microbial Load
Fungi
pH
: 5
...
22
:
Lactobacillus
Total N (ppm)
: 229
:
Total anaerobes
Total P (ppm)
: 209
:
Acid formers
Total K (ppm)
: 232
:
Methanogen
Sodium
: 90
:
Calcium
: 25
IAA (ppm)
: 8
...
5

38800/ml
1880000/ml
2260000/ml
10000/ml
360/ml
250/ml

Physico-chemical properties of Panchagavya revealed that they possess
almost all the major nutrients, micro nutrients and growth hormones (IAA & GA)
required for crop growth
...

The low pH of the medium was due to the production of organic acids by the
fermentative microbes as evidenced by the population dynamics and organic detection
in GC analysis
...

3
...
Three liters of Panchagavya to every 100 liters of water
is ideal for all crops
...

When sprayed with power sprayer, sediments are to be filtered and when sprayed with
hand operated sprayers, the nozzle with higher pore size has to be used
...

Seed/seedling treatment
3% solution of Panchagavya can be used to soak the seeds or dip the seedlings
before planting
...
Rhizomes of Turmeric, Ginger
and sets of Sugarcane can be soaked for 30 minutes before planting
...

Periodicity
1
...
Flowering and pod setting stage : Once in 10 days, two sprays
3
...
The photosynthetic system is activated for enhanced biological
efficiency, enabling synthesis of maximum metabolites and photosynthates
...
Branching is comparatively high
...
Further they remain fresh for a long time
...
All such roots help maximum
intake of nutrients and water
...
The key feature of
Panchagavya is its efficacy to restore the yield level of all crops when the land is

converted from inorganic cultural system to organic culture from the very first year
...
It not only enhances the shelf life
of vegetables, fruits and grains, but also improves the taste
...

Drought Hardiness
A thin oily film is formed on the leaves and stems, thus reducing the evaporation of
water
...
Both the above factors contribute to reduce the irrigation water
requirement by 30% and to ensure drought hardiness
...
Cost: Cost of Panchagavya is Rs
...
0
% level (3 litre panchagavya in 100 liters of water)
...
water
All the above items can be added to a wide mouthed plastic tank having a
capacity of 300 liters
...
The container should be kept under shade
...
The jivamrut stock solution will be ready after 7 days
...
It should be kept in the
shade and the mouth of the tank is tied with a cotton cloth
...
The rate of application is 500 lit
...
It may be applied
on soil when it is wet
...
00 hrs
...

BIJAMRUT
PREPARATION
Ingredients of BIJAMRUT
 5 kg Cow fresh dung
 100 g lime
 5 lit cow urine
 50 g sajiv soil
 20 lit water
Take 5
...
The soluble
elements in the dung will be dissolved in water
...
water in it
...
The solid portion of the cow dung
will be separated by squeezing it and in this solution add 5
...
Keep this mixture for 12-16
hours
...

BIODYNAMIC FARMING
Bios = life dynamic = energy
Dr Rudolf Steiner explained how modern science and therefore chemical
agriculture was based on the study of dead things in laboratories, rather than on the

observation of living nature and the complex relationships constantly changing therein
...
As modern human
beings, we must find this connection once more to understand how to work best with
nature, but this time in a very conscious, measurable way
...
Rudolf Steiner introduced a few preparations based on homeopathic medicine
to enhance the beneficial cosmic influences on plants and the soil, and encouraged
people to experiment and find new ones as well
...
This knowledge and work with the life forces
brings balance and healing to the soil, and therefore to anything that grows in that soil
and every being that eats those plants
...
To increase the vitality of food
2
...
To create a personal relationship with the world in which we live, with Nature of
which we are apart of, and to learn to work together
4
...
At the heart of this activity is the intelligence
and consciousness of the human being who is caring for this piece of the Earth, and
who is the 'ordering principle'
...

Advantages
1
...
Yields always above the average level, higher on average than those produced
by organic farming, and consistently high throughout the years as opposed to the
falling yields obtained by chemical farming as the soil is mineralized and pest
populations become unbalanced and become a problem
3
...
No spreading of insect pests, and no great economic damage due to their
presence: the question of insect pests is one of balance and control which can
be restored by proper management such as planting shrubs and trees which will
house natural predators
HOMA THERAPY OR AGNIHOTRA :
Homa is a Sanskrit word used synonymously with yajna or havan
...
This
means the healing and purification of the atmosphere with fire as the medium
...
This is the central idea in

homa therapy
...

Agnihotra is the basic homa for all homa fire practices mentioned in ancient
Vedic science
...
The process involves
preparing a small fire in a copper pyramid of fixed size and putting some grains of rice
into the fire exactly at sunrise and sunset accompanied by the chant of two simple
mantras
...
There are many
reports from India and abroad which claim that the use of homa therapy in agriculture
improves degraded lands, controls pests and diseases and improves the quantity and
quality of the produce
...
These practices are region and
crop specific
...
CULTURAL
PRACTICES : The cultural methods are the traditional practices
followed by farmers for modulating crop growth through selection of seed varieties,
appropriate time of sowing and maintenance of specific plant population density for
altering the microclimate
...
Crop rotation : Rotating the crop belonging to one family with one of a different
family helps to reduce pest incidence to a large extent
...
Rotating pigeon pea or chickpea with other nonleguminous crop helps to control fusarium wilt and nematode problems
...
Trap crops : Insects are strongly attracted by certain plants and when these are
sown in the field or along the border, they will gather on them rather than on the main
crop
...
Mustard is a trap crop along with cabbage
for the control of diamond back moths, aphids and leaf webbers
...
Maize plants are a trap crop to attract fruit flies which
are a pest in vegetable cultivation and the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera
...
Intercropping : Intercropping generally has positive effects in terms of reducing the
occurrence of insect pests
...
Intercropping
also interferes with the population development and survival of insect pests
...
Sowing cowpea as intercrop with groundnut
minimizes leaf miner infestation
...
Growing short-duration pulses like black
gram, cowpea, soybean and green gram as intercrops in cotton, increases the
effectiveness of natural predators like coccinellids, syrphids, trichogrammatids, etc
...
Use of resistant
/ tolerant
varieties : Genotypes showing tolerance and
resistance to insect pests and diseases are to be selected for sowing
...
Certain
genotypes act as deterrents and antifeedants and some encourage the predators of
pests
...
A
number of resistant varieties are available for every crop from all agro climatic zones
...
BIOLOGICAL APPROACHES : Biological approaches to pest management
comprise the use of:
• plants or botanicals
• microbial pesticides
• biocontrol by insects
• biorationals
1
...
Various plant products have been in use for many centuries in India to
minimize losses in crops and grain storage
...

Some of the plants widely used in the preparation of botanical pesticides are Anona

sp, Azadirachta indica, Chrysanthemum sp
...
, Nicotiana sp,
Pongamia sp, Vitex sp
...
Seeds, leaves, extracts, fruits, kernels, oil and decoctions
from botanicals are used to control the pests
...

Method
• Collect 25 kg of neem seeds and crush them into a coarse powder
...

• Squeeze the cloth containing the crushed neem seeds and remove the extract
entirely
...

• Add 400 liters of water to the concentrated solution of 100 liters extract
...
For every 100 litres of the spray solution add about
50 gm of khadi soap or soap nut which acts as an emulsifier to spread the spray
solution uniformly on the foliage
...

• This spray is effective for a variety of leaf eating insects and is also undertaken as a
prophylactic or preventive measure for pests
...

• Khadi soap or soap nut are mild emulsifiers
...

Liquid manure for pest management
A variety of plants (weeds) which have pesticidal value are used to make liquid
manure
...
g
...
, are ideal for this preparation
...

• Chop them into small pieces and put them into a 200 liter barrel
...

• Add about 5 kg of local soil to the barrel to facilitate faster degradation
...

• The barrel is stirred every day for seven days and then stirred once a week for the
next three weeks
...

• The concentrated solution is diluted ten times in water and used as a foliar spray
...

Precautions
• The liquid manure has to be diluted ten times before spraying on the crop otherwise
it scorches the plant
...

• The solution has to be used within one month as its efficacy diminishes after that
period
...
Microbial pesticides or biopesticides :

The use of microorganisms as bio control agents is gaining importance in recent
years
...

Entomopathogenic viruses of the baculovirus group, bacterial insecticides, particularly
Bacillus thuringiensis, entomo-fungal pathogens, protozoans and insect parasitic
nematodes have been found to control important pests of crops
...

Types of microbial biopesticides :
• Bacterial bio pesticides
• Fungal bio pesticides
• Viral bio pesticides
Table Commercially important microbial bio-pesticides and biorationals used in India
Sr
...

1
...


Fungi

Trichoderma viride
Trichoderma
harzianum
Trichoderma hamatum

Fungal
pathogens

3
...
and
Chilo infescatellus

American Boll
worm,
tobacco
caterpillar and
shoot borer

Cotton,
sunflower,
tobacco
sugarcane

Bactocera sp
...

Dacus sp
...


Wheat,
rice,
pulses,
vegetables,
plantations,
spices and
sugarcane
Beauveria bassiana
Insect
pests Cotton,
pulses,
Verticillium lecanii
such as
oilseeds,
Metarhizium anisopliae bollworms,
plantation crops,
Paecilomyces lilacinus white flies, root spices
Nomuraea rileyi
grubs, tea
and vegetables
mosquito bugs

Biorationals Pheromone traps
Pheromone lures,
sticky traps and mating
disruptants

and

fruit

gossypiella
Plutella
xylostella
3
...

There are three main ways in which pheromones are used to control pests:
• to trap insects;
• to disrupt mating;
• for survey and monitoring
...
Depending on the quantity of seeds to be treated, sufficient solution
has to be prepared
...

• Mix the contents of the bio pesticide packet in the above solution
...

• Heap the seeds to be treated on a polythene sheet and pour the bio pesticide solution
over the seeds and mixed thoroughly
...

Nursery bed
• One kilo of biopesticide is mixed with 100 kilograms of good quality soil
...
In areas where forest soil is not available, 30 kg of well-rotted
dung can be mixed with 70 kg of soil to prepare a good soil mixture
...

Soil drenching
• Prepare a solution by adding 10 grams of biopesticide to a litre of water and stir the
solution well
...

Seedling dip
• Prepare a solution by adding ten grams of biopesticide to a litre of water
...

4
...
Accordingly these biocontrol agents are categorized as:
Egg parasites
These parasites damage the egg stage of the insect pest
...
Telenomus spp
...
These
parasites control top shoot borer in sugarcane, internode borer in sugarcane, cotton
bollworms, paddy stem borer, sorghum stem borer, fruit borers, etc
...
Some examples are the
Bracon spp
...

Pupal parasites
The pupal stage of the pests is destroyed by the pupal parasites
...
, in their pupal stages
...
are very useful in controlling a wide
variety of insects like aphids, white flies, cotton bollworms, leaf insects, etc
...
Each egg card (e
...
,
Trichogramma) contains 20,000 live parasitised eggs which have 90–96% hatching
rate within 7– 10 days of parasitisation
...
Each egg
card costs Rs
...
50
...
is available in vials containing 1,000–5,000
live eggs/larvae
...

Each vial costs Rs
...
200
...
It is important
to have good quality quartz crystals, well formed and clear, which allow the light to
flow right through them
...

Method
• Collect translucent quartz crystals and grind them into a fine powder, as smooth as
talcum powder
...

• Bury the horn in the soil (similar to BD 500) during spring and summer (April/May)
...

Usage
Preparation 501 is stirred in a manner similar to preparation 500
...
5 litres of water, which is sufficient for one acre of land
...
For smaller
areas a knapsack sprayer may be used turning its fine nozzle skywards to produce
the desired misting effect
...
Preparation 501 is generally sprayed in the morning, during
spring and early summer, and sometimes in the autumn if the lushness of growth
demands it
...

Because of the stimulation of the light, it is advised not to use 501 in drought
conditions and it should be used only once in the spring on pasture as overuse can
accentuate drought conditions
...

Mineral based pesticides for managing diseases:
Sulphur: Sulphur is probably the oldest known pesticide in use
...
It is very effective in controlling powdery
mildews, rusts, leaf blights and fruit rots
...

Lime sulphur : Boiling lime and sulphur together makes lime sulphur
...

The general recommendation is 1% lime sulphur as a foliar spray

PRACTICAL 7: COST OF ORGANIC PRODUCTION SYSTEM
No-cost inputs are those inputs which cost nothing or cost the bare minimum
but have high benefits
...
Indicator plants
2
...
Homa therapy or agnihotra
INDICATOR PLANTS
When a nutrient is not present in sufficient quantity in the soil or is not
supplied in sufficient quantity to the plant, the plant will show deficiency symptoms
described below to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the extent of the
deficiency
...
These plants are markedly susceptible to a
particular deficiency and deficiency symptoms like poor growth and colour changes
in leaves are shown more prominently by such indicator plants
...

Deficient element Indicator plants
1
...
Phosphorus
Rapeseed
3
...
Calcium
Cauliflower, cabbage
5
...
Iron
Cauliflower, cabbage, oats, potato
7
...
Copper
Wheat, oats
9
...
Boron
Sugarbeet, cauliflower
11
...

Farmers can irrigate the crop looking at the wilting symptoms of these plants
...
The
modern science world may not accept the influence of these cosmic rhythms and
constellations on life forms
...
Similarly, plant and animal life
is also influenced by the syndic relationships of the sun, earth, moon and other
planets
...

The moon opposite to Saturn
Occurs approximately once in 29
...

Activities to be undertaken:
1
...

2
...

3
...

Full moon
Occurs every 29
...
Sow seeds two days before sowing
...
Apply liquid manures and CPP (cow pat pit) manure
...
Spraying bio pesticides to control pests and diseases
...
Drenching the animals to remove internal parasites (48 hours
before)
...
5 days
Activities to be undertaken:
1
...

2
...

Ascending periods
The moon moves in an arc from east to west and when this arc gets higher, the
moon is ascending
...
Sowing of seeds
...
Spray BD 501
...
Spray liquid manures and CPP
...

Activities to be undertaken:
1
...

2
...

3
...

4
...

5
...

Nodes
These are the days when the moon passes the sun’s path
...

Avoid all agricultural activities during nodes
...
The point where the moon is furthest
away from the earth is called its apogee
...
Planting potatoes
...
Irrigating the field
...
The point where the moon
is closest to the earth is called its perigee
...

Seed and fruit days
These days influence the growth of seed and fruit crops and are good for sowing
and harvesting of the same, e
...
, paddy, wheat, brinjal, bhendi and tomato
...

Flower day
These days influence the growth and development of flowers and are good for
sowing and harvesting of them: cut flowers, cauliflower, rose, jasmine, etc
...


PRACTICAL 8: POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT: QUALITY ASPECT,
GRADING, PACKAGING AND HANDLING
Processing
Processing of organic food products and handling should be optimized to
maintain the development of pest and diseases
...

Processing of organic fresh produce requires cleaning, grading followed by
peeling, stoning or slicing
...
Fruit can be coated in sugar or in syrup that contains
an antioxidant like ascorbic acid
...
The products may be packaged before
or after freezing
...

1
...
Nutritional quality is maintained when the product is sold from
colour, odour and taste are retained well by freezing
...

Practical storage life of frozen products
Products
Practical storage life (Month)
-18oC
-25oC
-30oC
Fruits in sugar
12
18
24
Cauli flower
15
24
<24
Carrots
18
24
<24
Potatoes
24
<24
<24
2
...
Dried vegetables
are produced in low quantities for the local market but can be useful for soup mixes
...

3
...
Under these conditions, there are no microbiological problems during storage of
the products
...

Additives and processing aids:
Permitted processing aids helps to retain quality of dry produce, such as
ascorbic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, which resulting in low pH, it limits the
development of micro organisms and browing
...
Salt can be used for drying
...

Blanching :
A brief period at high temperature destroys most of micro organisms and
inactivates eazymes which promote browning and degradation i
...

Fruits /Vegetables
Process
Banana
Boiling water for 5 min
Mango, Papaya
Hot water (56oC) for 1 min

Cabbage
Boiling water 3 min
Carrot
Boiling water 4-6 min
6
...
Hence, a
rapid drying is followed
...

Fruits/
Drying temp (oC)
Moisture content Storage
life
vegetable
(%)
(Month)
Mango
55
14
6
Banana
55
12
6
Tomato
55
6
6
Onion
50-55
5
3-12
Labeling :The label should convey clear and accurate information on the organic status
of the product
...
The details like name of the product, quality of the product, name and
address of the producer name of the certification agency, certification, lot number etc
...
for example;
nformation required on the label
Crop
OG (Organic Ginger)
Country
I (India)
Field No
...
)
Year
2009
Lot No
...
is helpful in tracking back the product particularly field number in which
it is grown in case of contamination
...

Packing :
For packing, recycling and reusable materials like clean jute bags should be
used
...
Un necessary packaging
material should be avoided
...


PRACTICAL- 9: CERTIFICATION FOR ORGANIC FARMING
Organic certification -standards and procedures (as per OHGA STANDARDS)
Converting a farm as organic:
Converting a farm to organic requires the development of a viable and sustainable
farm-ecosystem over a period of time
...

Procedures:
1
...
If CRC recommends the farm enter the certification system, it will
be placed "Under Supervision" for the first 12 months
...

2
...
The farm must then complete two years "In Conversion"
before it is considered for certifying as "Organic"(otherwise known as "A GRADE
Organic")
3
...
Whatever the length of the conversion period,product may not be sold
as "In conversion to Organic" until a farm has been under an inspection system for 12
months
...
First there must be an examination, then once the
person's suitability is confirmed the contract is then finalized
...
Once satisfied,
the
committee
will
then
recognize
the
farm
as
organic
...
Once satisfied, the committee will then recognize the farm as organic
4
...
There can not be organic and non-organic growing (parallel production)of
the same species on the same property-or on any other property under the same
grower's management or control
...
When a defined area is certified, the remainder of the farm must be converted to
organic within 10 years
...
TNAU-Coimbatore
...
APOF-Association for promotion of organic farming,Bangalore-560046
...
INDOCERT- (refer also-'useful links' page
4
...

5
...
ofai
...

Name & Address of the organic producer
Phone No
...
(e-mail)
2
...

Map attached
3
...
of plots/segments

4
...

Inputs applied to previous crops
6
...

Boundary of the farm
8
...

Source of manure
10
...
Soil type
12
...
Weed management practices Followed
14
...
Contaminants risk, if any
16
...
Drying yard facility
18
...
Animal husbandry details
20
...

Signature of farmer
Enclosures:
1
...
Field map
3
...
Copy of water test analysis
5
...
Allotted: O(F) :
Allotted to OCI
:
Tentative Inspection Date
:
Fees remitted details
:
Verified by:
Signature of Quality Manager
Annual Cropping Programme
Name and Address of the operator
Year
Total area
Crop and
Variety

Plot No
...
Name & Address of Group/unit/Society/Farm
:
2
...

:
3
...
00
acres

Source Farm
of
animal
water
Nos
...
Rout map of organic production area with distance:
5
...
Information about Agriculture
Crop season:
Farmer Name Name Total Details of area & Animals
code/
of
of
area Name of the crops
Animal Husbandry
Sl
...
Farm Father (in
grown and area (in ac) (in No
...
Contamination risk noticed:
DECLERATION
I declare that I shall abide by the rules and regulations of OCD and carry out
the organic production according to the norms prescribed by OCD
...

Date:
Signature of the responsible
person of the Organic Group
Enclosures:
1
...
Field map
3
...
Copy of water test analysis
5
...
Allotted: O(F) :
Allotted to OCI
:
Tentative Inspection Date
:

Fees remitted details
Verified by

:
:
Signature of Quality Manager

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION DEPARTMENT (OCD)
FROM- 11
OCD Agreement with operator
I (we) affirm that I (we) will:
1
...
Comply with the applicable India organic NSOP organic
production and handling regulations;
3
...
Permit on-site inspections with complete access to the production
or handling operation, including non certified production and
handling areas, structures and offices;
5
...

6
...
Maintain all records applicable to the organic operation for not less
than 5 years beyond their creation;
8
...
Allow authorized representatives of OCD to take samples of
plants, soil, crops or other substances for testing to be used in the
assessment of compliance to certification standards;
10
...
Submit the applicable fees charged by the certifying agent;
12
...
Immediately notify the certifying agent concerning any;
a
...
Change in a certified operation or any portion of a certified
operation that may affects its compliance with the regulations;
14
...
Any use of the OCD name, without current certification by OCD
or written permission from OCD, is strictly prohibited and
constitutes an infringement of the OCD trademark
...
Upon surrender, suspension or revocation of certification,
discontinue use of any lables or advertising materials that contain
any reference to certification by OCD and return or destroy all
certificates and packaging material containing references to OCD
I (we) affirm that I (we) are owner(s) of or authorized to sign on behalf of
_________________________________________________________
...

Name________________________________ Signature date
________________
Name________________________________ Signature date
_________________

PRACTICAL 10: VISIT OF ORGANIC FARMS TO STUDY THE
VARIOUS
COMPONENTS
AND
THEIR
UTILIZATION
Major components of organic farming are crop rotation, maintenance and
enhancement of soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation, addition of organic
manure and use of soil microorganisms, crop residues, bio-pesticide, biogas slurry,
waste etc
...
The various components of organic
farming have been discussed in details below:
1
...

Crop rotation is important for soil fertility management, weed, insect and disease
control
...

2
...
Incorporation/composting of crop residues in conjunction with organics
have been shown to improve availability of plant nutrients, soil organic matter,
aggregate stability, infiltration rate, microbial population etc
...
Organic manure
The organic manure is derived from biological sources like plant, animal and
human residues
...
Moreover, it
showed the beneficial effect on soil microorganisms and their activities and thus
increases the availability of major and minor plant nutrients
...
Industrial and other waste
By products like molasses and pressmud from sugar industry possess good
manurial value
...
While municipal and sewage waste also forms an important
component of organic farming
...
Separation of the toxic waste at the source will minimize the
concentration of such elements in the sludge
...
Biofertilizers
Bio-fertilizer is microorganism's culture capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen
when suitable crops are inoculated with them
...
Microorganisms are capable of mobilizing nutritive
elements from non-usable form to usable form through biological process
...
The Biofertilizers containing biological
nitrogen fixing organism are of utmost important in agriculture in view of the following
advantages:
1
...

2
...

3
...

4
...

5
...


Types of Biofertilizers: There are two types of bio-fertilizers
...
Symbiotic N-fixation: These are Rhizobium culture of various strains which
multiply in roots of suitable legumes and fix nitrogen symbiotically
...

2
...

Mycorrhizae: Mycorrhizae are the symbiotic association of fungi with roots of Vascular
plants
...
In many cases the Mycorrhizae have been shown to
markedly improve the growth of plants
...

6
...
Botanical insecticides are ecologically and environmentally safer
generally affect the behaviour and physiology of insects rather than killing them
...
All parts of the
Neem tree possess insecticidal property but seed kernel is most active
...
Vermicompost
It is organic manure produced by the activity of earthworms
...
It is generally estimated that 1800 worms which is an
ideal population for one sq
...
These are
rich in macro and micronutrients, vitamins, growth hormones and immobilized
microflora
...
Application of vermicompost facilitates easy availability of essential plant
nutrients to crop

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