Why in the News?
For the first time, researchers at the Central University of Rajasthan (CUoR) have successfully grown wheat in arid land of western Rajasthan using desert soilification technology.
What is Desert Soilification Technology?
- Overview: It is an innovative biotechnological method that transforms barren desert sand into soil-like material capable of supporting agriculture.
- Technology: It uses bioformulations and polymers to bind loose sand particles, improve soil texture, and enable water retention.
- Utility: It is designed to combat desertification, enhance agricultural productivity in arid zones, and ensure sustainable land use.
- How does it work?
- Polymer-based Bioformulation: Natural polymers and microbial formulations are applied to desert sand.
- Cross-Linking of Sand Particles: Bio-polymers create a structural network, binding sand grains together into a soil-like matrix.
- Water Retention: The cross-linked structure traps water, drastically reducing irrigation needs and preventing rapid percolation of water through sandy soil.
- Microbial Boost: Introduced beneficial microbes stimulate plant growth, improve soil fertility, and enhance stress resistance of crops.
- Soil-like Properties: The modified sand mimics fertile soil — enabling nutrient retention, microbial colonization, and sustainable cropping.
Key Features:
- Sand-to-Soil Conversion: Cross-links sand particles into a soil-like structure, creating porosity and root-holding capacity.
- Water Retention Efficiency: Increases moisture-holding ability of sand, thereby reducing irrigation requirements by 30–40%.
- Microbial Boost: Bioformulation stimulates beneficial soil microbes, enhancing nutrient cycling and crop stress resistance.
- Crop Versatility: Tested successfully with wheat, bajra, guar gum, chickpea, and is now being expanded to millets and green gram.
- Low Input Agriculture: Reduces number of irrigation cycles (3–4 vs 5–6 in normal wheat farming).
- Climate Resilience: Provides a sustainable model for food production in water-stressed and desertified regions.
- Scalability: Can be replicated in other arid ecosystems beyond Rajasthan (potential use in Middle East, Africa).
| [UPSC 2023] Which one of the following best describes the concept of ‘Small Farmer Large Field’?
(a) Resettling war-displaced people on shared cultivable land (b) Marginal farmers group to coordinate farm operations * (c) Marginal farmers lease land collectively to a corporate (d) A company funds and guides farmers to grow required crops |
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