Indian Tree - Emblica officinalis

Amla is a deciduous tree, the botanical name is Emblica officinalis, the English name is Indian Goose berry, and the Kannada name is Nellikayi. It belongs family Euphorbiaceac. The tree is small to medium sized, reaching 8 to 18 m in height, with a crooked trunk and spreading branches. The branchlets are glabrous or finely pubescent, 10–20 cm long, usually deciduous; the leaves simple, subsessile and closely set along branchlets, light green, resembling pinnate leaves. The flowers are greenish-yellow. The fruit is nearly spherical, light greenish yellow, quite smooth and hard on appearance, with 6 vertical stripes or furrows. Ripening in autumn, the berries are harvested by hand after climbing to upper branches bearing the fruits. The taste of Indian gooseberry is sour, bitter and astringent, and is quite fibrous. In India, it is common to eat gooseberries steeped in salt water and turmeric to make the sour fruits palatable.

According to Ayurveda, Amla is specific to pitta due to its sweet taste and cooling energy. However, amla is thought to balance vata by virtue of its sour taste, and kapha due to its astringent taste and drying action. It may be used as a rejuvenative to promote longevity, and traditionally to enhance digestion, treat constipation, reduce fever, purify the blood, reduce cough, alleviate asthma, strengthen the heart, benefit the eyes, stimulate hair growth, enliven the body, and enhance intellect. Amla rich in Vitamin-C

ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ನೋಡಿರುವ ವಿಶೇಷ ಕೀಟ.....

ಕೀಟಗಳ ಬದುಕಿನ ದಾರಿಯೇ ವಿಬಿನ್ನ. ಬಣ್ಣ-ಬಣ್ಣದ ಚಿಟ್ಟೆಗಳ ಹಾರಾಟವನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ ಆನಂದ ಪಟ್ಟರೆ, ಆದ್ರೆ ಕೆಲವರು ಕೆಲ ಕೀಟಗಳನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ ಭಯ ಪಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಕೀಟಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಕೃಷಿಕರಿಗೆ ಸಿಹಿ-ಕಹಿ ಮಿಶ್ರಣ. ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಕರ್ಣಕೀಟಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ತಿಳಿಯೋಣ. ಕರ್ಣಕೀಟವು ರಾತ್ರಿ ಮಾತ್ರ ಕಾರ್ಯನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಹಗಲು ನಿದ್ರೆಗೆ ಶರಣಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಹೊಟ್ಟೆಯ ಹಿಂಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಇಕ್ಕುಳದಂತಯ ಎರಡು ಕೊಂಡಿಯೊಂದಿದೆ. ಹಿಂಭಾಗದ ರಕ್ಕೆಗಳು ಮುಂಭಾಗದ ರಕ್ಕೆಗಳಿತ್ತ ದೊಡ್ಡ್ವವು. ಈ ಕೀಟಗಳ ರಕ್ಕೆಗಳ ಆಕಾರ ನಮ್ಮ ಕಿವಿಗಳಿರುವಂತೆ ಇವೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಇವುಗಳನ್ನು ಕರ್ಣಕೀಟಗಳೆಂದು ಕರೆಯಲಾಗಿದೆ.  ಹಿಂಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಕೊಂಡಿಯ ಸಹಾಯದಿಂದ ರಕ್ಕೆಗಳನ್ನು ಮಡಿಚಲು ಮತ್ತು ಬಿಚ್ಚಳು ಬಳಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತದೆ. ಇವುಗಳನ್ನು ಕೆಣಕಿದಾಗ ಹಿಂಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಕೊಂಡಿಯನ್ನು ಚಲಿಸಿ ಕೋಪವನ್ನು ವ್ಯಕ್ತಪಡಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ರಕ್ಷಣೆಗೊಸ್ಕರ ಈ ಇಕ್ಕುಳದಂತಹ ಕೊಂಡಿಯನ್ನು ಬಳಸುತ್ತದೆ.

ಈ ಕೀಟದ ವಿಶೇಷತೆ, ನೆಲದಲ್ಲಿಟ್ಟ ಮೊಟ್ಟೆಗಳಿಗೆ ತಾಯಿ ಕೀಟವೇ ರಕ್ಷಣೆ ಒದಗಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಮರಿಗಳ ಕಾವಲನ್ನು ತಾಯಿ ಕೀಟವೇ ನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಕೀಟ ವರ್ಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊಟ್ಟೆ ಮತ್ತು ಮರಿಗಳನ್ನು ರಕ್ಶಣೆ ನೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿ ಇದೊಂದೆ ಕೀಟ ಮಾತ್ರ. 

ಕೀಟಗಳ ವರ್ಗೀಕರಣ.........

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Hexapoda
Class:	Insecta
Order: Genus: Species:	Dermaptera Forficula auricularia

Technology and Development – Punjab case study

Punjab pioneered green revolution among the other states transforming India into a food-surplus country; the state is witnessing serious consequences of intensive farming using chemicals and pesticide. A comprehensive study conducted by Institute of medical research has underlined the direct relationship between indiscriminate use of these chemicals and increased incidence of cancer in this region. Increase in the number of cancer cases has been reported in several villages including Jhariwala, Koharwala, Puckka, Bhimawali, Khara said by Kulthar singh of member of kisan sangha

Eco-feminist Dr. Vandana Shiva written extensively about the social, political and economic impacts in her book ‘Violence of Green Revolution’, she has shown how the Green Revolution's reliance on heavy use of chemical inputs and monocultures has resulted in a precarious situation of water scarcity, vulnerability to pests, and incidence of violent conflict and social marginalization.

In 2009, under a Greenpeace Research Laboratories investigation, Dr Reyes Tirado, from the University of Exeter, UK conducted the study in 50 villages in Muktsar, Bathinda and Ludhiana districts revealed chemical, radiation and biological toxicity rampant in Punjab. 20% of the sampled wells showed nitrate levels above the safety limit of 50 mg/l, established by WHO, the study connected it with high use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. With increasing poisoning of the soil, the region once hailed as the home to the Green revolution due to excessive use of chemical fertilizer, is being termed by one columnist as the "other bhopal"

Pesticides and cancer - Long term exposure to pesticides such as organochlorines and sulfallate have been correlated with higher cancer rates and organochlorines DDT, chlordane, and lindane as tumor promoters in animals. Contradictory epidemiologic studies in humans have linked phenoxy acid herbicides or contaminants in them with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) and malignant lymphoma, organochlorine insecticides with STS, with cancers of the lung and breast cancer, organophosphorus compounds with NHL and leukemia, and triazine herbicides with ovarian cancer.

Ban of Endosulfan may reduce farmers suicide rate

The Kerala government's plan to ban the use of a series of pesticides is likely to have a major positive spin-off: a substantial fall in the number of suicides in the State which has one of the highest suicide rates in the country. Psychiatrists, social workers, and researchers, who have welcomed the ban on several ‘Red' and ‘Yellow' pesticides, are certain that it will drastically cut the number of suicide deaths as well as suicide attempts in the State. For, they point out; pesticides (all kinds of pesticides) have, in the past decade, emerged as the first choice of tool for those attempting to end their lives in rural Kerala.

V. Sathesh, head of the Department of Psychiatry, Kottayam Medical College, said the ban would have a phenomenal change in the suicide landscape of Kerala. “In my review of 1,300 cases of suicide deaths and suicide attempts, I have noticed that a half of them had consumed pesticides,” he said.

Dr. Sathesh said that curbs on availability of pesticides had substantially reduced the number of suicides in Sri Lanka, a country which had a very high suicide rate. Pesticides needed for farming in a village would be kept locked in a big box by a village elder and would be handed out to the farmers only at the time of application on the crops.

Social workers engaged in suicide prevention efforts pointed out that one particular brand of insecticide; Furadan — which has been banned in the U.S., the European Union, eastern Africa and South Africa — was responsible for most of the individual and family suicides in the farming communities. Furadan is often identified with suicide in Idukki and Wayanad districts. Furadan was behind the deaths of scores of farmers in these districts in the middle of the last decade. Kerala, which has long been had a high suicide rate, however, is now gradually recovering from the longing for death. With the ban on some ‘easy-to-die' pesticides like Furadan, the suicide rate may come down further.

Join hands with stop Nuclear Energy in India

I am taking the unusual step of sending this direct request because I believe that the announcement by the PMO on the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl, to continue with the proposed French-built nuclear power park at Jaitapur is a serious mistake with long term implications for our people.

Along with several others I participated in the “Tarapur to Jaitapur” Yatra (March) in Maharashtra, to protest against the proposed nuclear plant in Jaitapur. [2] We did not reach Jaitapur because many of us were deta ined/arrested for participating in this peaceful protest.

It is well known that the Jaitapur nuclear plant is on an earthquake-prone zone [4] and the French EPR reactors have not yet been tested anywhere in the world. [5] Surprisingly the government has rejected the demands to cancel the project, which will result in the loss of land and livelihoods for many. Further, the government has shown disregard for the views of the many scientists, academics, military and other citizens from the rest of the country calling for a review of its earlier decisions on nuclear power plants.

Apart from announcing the creation of an independent regulatory board to ensure safety standards, the government has taken no action on the widespread demand for a complete fresh review of nuclear energy policy in the country. We need to tell Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that he cannot ignore serious concerns raised by the people of this country. You should send a fax to the PM asking him to stop the Jaitapur nuclear plant.

http://greenpeace.in/take-action/stop-dangerous-nuclear-power-in-jaitapur/fax-manmohan-singh.php

Add your signature to the message and we will fax it to the PM for you. 73,000 petition signatures opposing this plant have already been delivered to the PM. [6] Now a large number of faxes asking him to stop the plant will make it difficult for him ignore the demand.

Safe and clean renewable energy options and energy efficiency can help meet our energy demands, all of which are available and at a much lower cost than nuclear [7] . The government needs to invest in these instead of dangerous nuclear energy. Tell the PM to stop this dangerous plant now!

Thank you for taking action!

Development and various Indexes

Development is too complex but we have various indexes in front of us to measure whether nation developed or not. If see some of the indexes are completely based on money and there is no room for other criteria but some have other parameters. I am putting some critics with following development indexes. There is no connection between one index to index, for instance in GDP USA stands first but in HPI stand 150^th place – such a variation in the calculation system.

Human Development Index (HDI)

It is criticized on a number of grounds, including failure to include any ecological considerations, focusing exclusively on national performance and ranking. The index has also been criticized is a "reinvention of the wheel", measuring aspects of development that have already been exhaustively studied. The index has further been criticized for having an inappropriate treatment of income, lacking year-to-year comparability

Norway is first rank in HDI followed by Australia in 2^nd, New Zealand in 3^rd, USA in 4^th, Sri lanka in 91^st, Pakistan in 125^th and India in 119^th place during 2010 report released by UNDP

Happy Planet Index (HPI)

Much criticism of the index has been due to commentators falsely understanding it to be a measure of happiness, when it is in fact a measure of the ecological efficiency of supporting well-being. Criticism has focused on the following

· That the HPI completely ignores issues like political freedom, human rights and labor rights.

· That the world values survey covers only a minority of the world's nations and is only done every five years. As a result, much of the data for the index must come from other sources, or is estimated using regressions.

· That the ecological footprint is a controversial concept with many criticisms

Norway is in 115^th rank in HPI followed by Australia in 139^th , New Zealand in 94^th, USA in 150^th, Sri lanka in 15^th,Pakistan in 115^th and India in 90^th place during 2010 report released by UNDP

In this case Vanuatu is the first place followed by Colombia and Costa Rica in 2^nd and 3^rd place respectively

Global Peace Index (GPI)

The Economist (weekly magazine and publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd.) in publishing the index admitted that, "the index will run into some flak." Specifically, according to The Economist, the weighting of military expenditure "may seem to give heart to freeloaders: countries that enjoy peace precisely because others (often the USA) care for their defense." The true utility of the index may lie not in its specific rankings of countries now, but in how those rankings change over time, thus tracking when and how countries become more or less peaceful. The Peace Index has been criticized for not including indicators specifically relating to violence against women and children

Norway is in 5^th rank in GPI followed by Australia in 19^th , New Zealand in 1^st, USA in 85^th, Sri lanka in 133^th, Pakistan in 155^th and India in 128^th place during 2010 report released by UNDP

In this case New Zealand is the first place followed by Iceland and Japan in 2^nd and 3^rd place respectively

Gross Domestic Products (GDP)

GDP is widely used by economists to gauge the health of an economy, as its variations are relatively quickly identified. However, its value as an indicator for the standard of living is considered to be limited. Not only that, but if the aim of economic activity is to produce ecologically sustainable increases in the overall human standard of living, GDP is a perverse measurement; it treats loss of ecosystem services as a benefit instead of a cost

GDP is not a tool of economic projections, which would make it subjective; it is just a measurement of economic activity. That is why it does not measure what is considered the sustainability of growth. A country may achieve a temporarily high GDP by over-exploiting natural resources or by misallocating investment

Norway is in 25^th rank in GDP followed by Australia in 13^th , New Zealand in 51^st, USA in 1^st, Sri lanka in 73^rd, Pakistan in 47^th and India in 10^th place during 2010 report released by UNDP

In this case USA is the first place followed by China and Japan in 2^nd and 3^rd place respectively

Facts on Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy production

1. Uranium mining - here ‘Redon’ gas is by-product of uranium mining, it makes lung cancer – 50% of mining workers killed by lung cancer
2. Fuel Enrichment – waste from enrichment has been used in Depleted Uranium bombs used in Iraq
3. Power generation – here Plutonium is by product of after uranium usage, it emits radiation for next 50 years – 210 tonne in the earth
4. Waste disposal – need lot financial resource to dispose the waste

If there is no accident happened around above four stages even an area of 30 to 35 Km radius gets contaminated by nuclear radiation

Accidents at nuclear reactor (Chernobyl case study)

There has been a 2,400% increase in the rates of thyroid cancer in Belarus since 1986

Following the accident hundreds of thousands of people had to be evacuated and between 1990 and 1995 an additional 210,000 people were resettled.

50,000 people from Pripyat, Ukraine were evacuated 2 days after the accident.

Milk—Farmers have to watch the radiation level in milk.

Fish—cannot be eaten, as water absorbs radiation and fats concentrate it

Radioactive Floods every spring

People must change their clothes twice a day, and may not walk in the woods for more than two hours a month.

Radiation level charts are printed in the newspapers and dictate decisions such as whether children can be allowed out to play.

People are told to wash food at least five times in clean water, but nobody is told where this clean water is to be found.

Cattle are not supposed to graze in areas where the grass is less than 10cm high so their mouths will not touch the earth.

Most people find it impossible to follow these nearly impossible instructions, so they simply give up trying.

There are also housing shortages in Belarus and the rest of the ex-Soviet Union. This is a problem because people have a hard time moving out of the contaminated zone, since there are no other places to live

There are GHG from our traditional energy production such as thermal and hydro power generation, but we have other options to meet our energy need not the greed.

Why nuclear power promoting in India

1. Current energy policies are designed to benefit of foreign multinational companies such as General Electric’s, Westinghouse and Areva – almost $ 40 billion

2. Commission for politicians, planners and scientist (Investment at the 9900 MW at Jaitapur nuclear power plant is one lakh crore)

India can save 30-40% of its electricity deficit by simple conservation techniques

1. Improving the efficiency of existing power plants

2. Decentralizing electricity generation to reduce long distance transmission loss

3. Improve or promote the efficiency of power saving equipments (CFL bulbs)

Box item lines

1. USA is the largest producer of wind power – why America is not promoting nuclear power and they are interested in alternative

2. Solar energy has the potential to feed earth 1000 times – why India not working

3. Solar water heater in Bangalore saves 900MW of peak load already – just one example

Plant use for Fever

Tinospora cordifolia, which is known by the Kannada name Ambruthaballi, is a climber of the family Menispermaceae indigenous to the tropical areas of India. The plant is a vine found throughout India, typically growing in deciduous and dry forests. The leaves are heart shaped. The succulent bark is creamy white to grey in color, with deep clefts spotted with lenticels. It puts out long, slender aerial roots; flowers are yellow, growing in lax racemes from nodes on old wood. Fruits are drupes, turning red when ripe

Studies on human arthritis proved anti-inflammatory potency of the water extract of plant. It also has antipyretic action. This drug relaxes the intestinal and uterine smooth muscles. It is proved effective in prevention of fibrosis and in stimulating regeneration in hepatic tissue.

Kasaya for any kind of fever

Take one feast of Tinospora bark or leaves and add four glass of water, boiled and make it one glass and add little bit black jaggary

share this valuable information wherever possible

If you see children begging anywhere in INDIA, please contact:"RED SOCIETY" at 9940217816. They will help the children for their studies.

Where you can search for any BLOOD GROUP, you will get thousands of donor address. www.friendstosupport.org

Free Education and Free hostel for Handicapped/Physically Challenged children. Contact: - 9842062501 & 9894067506.

If anyone met with fire accident or people born with problems in their ear, nose and mouth can get free PLASTIC SURGERY done by Kodaikanal PASAM Hospital. Everything is free. Contact: 045420-240668,245732

If you find any important documents like Driving license, Ration card, Passport, Bank Pass Book, etc., missed by someone, simply put them into any nearby Post Boxes. They will automatically reach the owner and Fine will be collected from them.

Special phone number for Eye bank and Eye donation: 04428281919 and 04428271616 (Sankara Nethralaya Eye Bank). For More information about how to donate eyes plz visit these sites. www.ruraleye.org

Heart Surgery free of cost for children (0-10 yr) Sri Valli Baba Institute Banglore. Contact: 9916737471

Join hands with ban on Endosulfan campaign

We the undersigned are very much concerned about continued Endosulfan use in India. Despite being a poison and having caused many human sufferings and irreparable ecological damage this chemical is still sold and used in our country. Endosulfan which has been banned across 74 countries after elaborate studies, in our own country Kerala and Karnataka have banned this chemical after finding health and environment damages. We, the undersigned are demanding our government to bring a nationwide ban on Endosulfan. Also, we would like the Ministry of Environment & Forests to support the International Ban on Endosulfan in the upcoming Stockholm Convention. This would phase out the chemical globally. UNEP science panel Persistent Organic Pollutant Review Committee after three year deliberations finally recommended the pesticide Endosulfan for global ban and listing in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention. We feel your ministry will not succumb to the pressure of corporate lobby, as the chemical corporations are much worried about their profit than the safety of farm workers and consumers. Also, we as responsible citizens would be keenly watching the stand and proceedings both nationally and internationally till this toxic is phased out. Please click the link here http://www.PetitionOnline.com/endoban/ and registered your name and join hands with future India

RAIN WATER HARVESTING IS ECOLOGICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY VIABLE

Shift to Organic through Trainings

‘I am proud became a organic farmer’, ‘Respect farm women’, ‘I succeed in getting sustainable yields’ , ‘I earned one and half lakh rupees from the sale herbal medicine’, My children are getting educated from income of sale of herbal medicine’. I won’t sale my land and I will convert in to organic farm’, I will start community seed bank for exchange of local seeds’, ‘I will shift my house in to land. These kinds of farmers’ voices were raised in Bhavasangama program. It is alumni meet of such farmers finished training in Samvada.

Back ground

Training will be held for youths from agricultural families, having 0-5 acres of agriculture land. It demonstrates how small holder agriculture can be a viable and sustainable option. Organic farming is combined with agro-based diversification. Agriculture is celebrating life not death, it needs celebration while production of foods. The present agricultural crisis and the situation of small and marginal farmers in the era of globalization, increasing capitalization of agriculture, chemical intensive/ bio-technology farming, implications of soil and water degradation and for farmers livelihoods. The concept and practice of sustainable agriculture and the practicalities of a transition to organic farming will be taught through a process of accompanying the participants through one cropping season.

Core content…

Skills and knowledge required to plan crop mixes, produce farmyard manure, liquid manures, manage kitchen gardens, herbal medicines, to introduce bio-pesticides, to produce and distribute indigenous seed varieties, maintain soil moisture and fertility, harvest and conserve rainwater and to engage with the market, will be the core content.

We conducted 24 days training program and it spread in six months. Struggle a lot in getting suitable candidate for the program. At the end we got good response from Karnataka farmers association. Finally we selected 25 people based on our selection criteria.

Outcome…

Regularly we visited farmers’ field. We met our students and also their family members during the visit. It was good interaction with bunch of family members. In way our visit is boosting their effort in the farm. Some are working hard to motivate others in the village, especially Ramesh Kasavanahalli, Kanthalaxmi, Surendra etc.

Sustainability quantification (SQ) level before training was 32.42% and now they achieved 57.14 %. That means they achieved 24.72 % sustainability due to intensive training. Farmers are achieved well in mulching strategy, Nutrient management and Seed sovereignty, but they still need to work on increasing live-stock number, crop protection strategies and soil & water management measures.

Surendra has started working on two crops namely Paddy and Finger millet. He took fifteen varieties of finger millet and two varieties of paddy for variety multiplication in his farm; finally he identified five and one good varieties in finger millet and paddy respectively. He stared rearing rabbit in his farm as one of the additional activity; already he had 10 pairs of rabbits in the farm. He also started doing vermi compost, Azola cultivation, Seed bank. Special thing of surendra is working with other farmers to convert whole village in to organic and his dream also.

Kanthalaxmi has started working in her one acre farm; she is mainly focusing on banana. She collected seven varieties of banana in and around her village. She wants to collect some more banana varieties. Agriculture University of Bangalore recognized her work and awarded “District level best farm women in Integrated Farming System category”. All India Radio broadcasted her experience in two times.

Girish is another farmer implementing organic elements his farm. He had little bit resistance from his father especially doing some innovative farming system in paddy and finger millet. We negotiate with his father and finally his father convinced to give small piece of land to experiment with SRI (System of Rice Intensification) system. SRI gives more yield compare with traditional system then his father is supporting Girish work.

Marketing Linkage…

We organized a unique program for better marketing strategy. HASIRU SANTHE is platform where organic consumers can meet and interact with those farmers who produce “SAFE” food for them. HASIRU SAN THE is planned because of following reason

1. To provide safe and healthy food

2. To promote eco friendly/non violent production practices

3. To avoid middlemen and provide better price to farmers

4. To build a culture of trust

5. To assert consumer’s right to know the producer of their food

6. To localize food production and distribution

HASIRU SANTHE is happening once in a month in Vyasa international school premise. Samvada’s five farmers’s are continuously participating and supplying organic products in the Hasiru Santhe. Our farmers had Sale diverse organic vegetables and foods. Products ranges from over 15 products including breakfast cereals, pickles, flours, herbal balms and ointments, nutritious millets, snacks, drinks, compost, free range eggs… all products are certified by the farmers through a rigorous peer certification process called PGS (Participatory Guarantee Scheme)

Conclusion

For farmers to switch to organic methods they almost need an attitudinal shift, as it is more than a simple calculation of changing the input to get a better output? The whole process of organic farming seems to require change in both subtle and obvious ways. Organic farming blends the art and science of farming along with its philosophy. The farmer listens to nature, and natural synergies are exploited and methods are tailored to local conditions

Movement against Chemical usage in Agriculture

The World Health Organization and the UN Environment Programme estimate that each year, 3 million workers in agriculture in the developing world experience severe poisoning from pesticides, about 18,000 of whom die. According to one study, as many as 25 million workers in developing countries may suffer mild pesticide poisoning yearly. There have been many studies of farmers intended to determine health effects of ocupational pesticide exposure. Associations between non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, and soft tissues sarcoma have been reported in studies, with less associations found for other cancersProblems of inorganic fertilizer - Trace mineral depletion

Many inorganic fertilizers do not replace trace mineral elements in the soil which become gradually depleted by crops. This depletion has been linked to studies which have shown a marked fall (up to 75%) in the quantities of such minerals present in fruit and vegetables.

However, a recent review of 55 scientific studies concluded "there is no evidence of a difference in nutrient quality between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs" Conversely, a major long-term study funded by the European Union found that organically-produced milk and produce were significantly higher in antioxidants (such as carotenoids and alpha-linoleic acids) than their conventionally grown counterparts.

In Western Australia deficiencies of zinc, copper, manganese, iron and molybdenum were identified as limiting the growth of broad-acre crops and pastures in the 1940s and 1950s . Soils in Western Australia are very old, highly weathered and deficient in many of the major nutrients and trace elements. Since this time these trace elements are routinely added to inorganic fertilizers used in agriculture in this state

Effects of fertilizer use

1. Eutrophication

The nitrogen-rich compounds found in fertilizer run-off is the primary cause of a serious depletion of oxygen in many parts of the ocean, especially in coastal zones; the resulting lack of dissolved oxygen is greatly reducing the ability of these areas to sustain oceanic fauna Visually, water may become cloudy and discolored (green, yellow, brown, or red).

About half of all the lakes in the United States are now eutrophic, while the number of oceanic dead zones near inhabited coastlines are increasing. As of 2006, the application of nitrogen fertilizer is being increasingly controlled in Britain and the United States If eutrophication can be reversed, it may take decades before the accumulated nitrates in groundwater can be broken down by natural processes.

High application rates of inorganic nitrogen fertilizers in order to maximize crop yields combined with the high solubilities of these fertilizers leads to increased runoff into surface water as well as leaching into groundwater. The use of ammonium nitrate in inorganic fertilizers is particularly damaging, as plants absorb ammonium ions preferentially over nitrate ions, while excess nitrate ions which are not absorbed dissolve (by rain or irrigation) into runoff or groundwater.

2. Blue Baby Syndrome

Nitrate levels above 10 mg/L (10 ppm) in groundwater can cause 'blue baby syndrome' (acquired methemoglobinemia), leading to hypoxia (which can lead to coma and death if not treated)

3. Soil acidification

Nitrogen-containing inorganic and organic fertilizers can cause soil acidification when added. This may lead to decreases in nutrient availability which may be offset by liming.

4. Persistent organic pollutants

Toxic persistent organic pollutants ("POPs"), such as Dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) have been detected in agricultural fertilizers and soil amendments

5. Heavy metal accumulation

The concentration of up to 100 mg/kg of cadmium in phosphate minerals (for example, minerals from Nauru and the Christmas islands increases the contamination of soil with cadmium, for example in New Zealand. Uranium is another example of a contaminant often found in phosphate fertilizers (at levels from 7 to 100 pCi/g) Eventually these heavy metals can build up to unacceptable levels and build up in vegetable produce. Average annual intake of uranium by adults is estimated to be about 0.5 mg (500 μg) from ingestion of food and water and 0.6 μg from breathing air. Steel industry wastes, recycled into fertilizers for their high levels of zinc (essential to plant growth), wastes can include the following toxic metals: lead arsenic, cadmium chromium, and nickel. The most common toxic elements in this type of fertilizer are mercury, lead, and arsenic. Concerns have been raised concerning fish meal mercury content by at least one source in Spain Also, highly-radioactive Polonium-210 contained in phosphate fertilizers is absorbed by the roots of plants and stored in its tissues; tobacco derived from plants fertilized by rock phosphates contains Polonium-210 which emits alpha radiation estimated to cause about 11,700 lung cancer deaths each year worldwide. For these reasons, it is recommended that nutrient budgeting, through careful observation and monitoring of crops, take place to mitigate the effects of excess fertilizer application.

Benefits of organic fertilizer

In addition to increasing yield and fertilizing plants directly, organic fertilizers can improve the biodiversity (soil life) and long-term productivity of soil, and may prove a large depository for excess carbon dioxide

Organic nutrients increase the abundance of soil organisms by providing organic matter and micronutrients for organisms such as fungal mycorrhiza, (which aid plants in absorbing nutrients), and can drastically reduce external inputs of pesticides, energy and fertilizer, at the cost of decreased yield

Alternatives for chemicals...

1. Vermiwash

Take 10 lit of mudpot or plastic container for preparation of vermiwash. Arrange a tap for it at the bottom. Then place 10 cm gravel or broken bricks at the bottom. Spread coconut husk upto 4 cm. on this. Place partially decomposed agricultural waste material and dung and moisten the material with water. After wetting the material for 2 days, release ………….earthworms. in 2 weeks the wastes get transformed into black compost. At this stage pour 3 litres of water. After 24 hrs 2 lit vermiwash can be collected through the tap. Continue this method for one week, remove the compost from the container and it can be used as manure. Again refill the container as explained above and prepare vermiwash.

2. Chilli-Garlic solution

1. Grind the chillies after removing the petioles and add 10lts of water to it. Keep this solution throughout the night.

2. Grind the 1/2 kg garlic and add 250 ml kerosene keep it for a night

3. Next day morning filter the chilli solution through a thin cloth

4. Do the same for garlic solution

5. Mix chilli solution, garlic solution and surf powder thoroughly and make a mixture

6. Add 100 lts of water to the above solution. This can be applied for

one acre

3. 5% Neem seed kernel extract

• 5 Kgs of Neem seeds dried under shade with good quality can be Powdered

• This powder canbe packed in cloth and keep in 10lts of water for 10-12 hrs

• Extract the decoction by pressing the cloth pack for 10-15mints

• Filter this solution through a thin cloth

• Add 100grs of surf to the filtered solution

• Add 100lts of water to the solution and spray it in 1acre during evening time

4. Dry chilli –Garlic solution

Take 1 kg dry chillies & soak in 10ltrs of water throughout the night. Grind 1/2 kg garlic and keep it in 250 ml of kerosine over night. Filter the dry chillies mixer

Filter the garlic solution through a thin cloth. Add chilli

solution and garlic solution and 75 gms detergent to make a mixture After 4 hrs this solution is ready to spray in one acre

5. Vermicompost

Cover the bottom of the cement ring with a layer of tiles or coconut husk or polythene sheet, Spread 15–20 cm layer of organic waste material on the polythene sheet. Sprinkle rock Phosphate powder if available (it helps in improving nutritional quality of compost) on the waste material and then sprinkle cow dung slurry. Fill the ring completely in layers as described. Paste the top of the ring with soil or cow dung. Allow the material to decompose for 15 to 20 days. When the heat evolved during the decomposition of the materials has subsided (15–20 days after heaping), release selected earthworms (one Kg) through the cracks developed. Cover the ring with wire mesh or gunny bag to prevent birds from picking the earthworms. Sprinkle water every three days to maintain adequate moisture and body temperature of the earthworms. The vermicompost is ready in about 2 months if agricultural waste is used and about 4 weeks if sericulture waste is used as substrate. The processed vermicompost is black, light in weight and free from bad odor. When the compost is ready, do not water for 2–3 days to make compost easy for sifting. 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. Separate upper portion of the manure and sieve the lower portion to separate the earthworms from the manure. The culture in the bed contains different stages of the earthworm’s life cycle, namely, cocoons, juveniles and adults. Transfer this culture to fresh half decomposed feed material. The excess as well as big earthworms can be used for feeding fish or poultry. Pack the compost in bags and store the bags in a cool place. Prepare another pile about 20 days before removing the compost.