AAPI NEWS BULLETIN
Volume 18
Protection of Environment
been a strong advocate for an effective UDP applicator in the production of irrigated rice.
Under the traditional practice of broadcasting urea onto the soil surface, nitrogen (N) efficiency is only 30-40 percent. The remainder of the N is lost to the environment through ammonia volatilization, denitrification, leaching and runoff. In flooded rice, ammonia volatilization can account for 20-80 percent of N loss. Being transported and deposited in gaseous or dissolved forms, N can negatively impact the surrounding ecosystem. Moreover, nitrate can convert into nitrous oxide, a very powerful greenhouse gas that is a major factor causing climate change, a hot global issue of the day. Guti urea, which is placed deep into the soil near the root zone, is a vital technology to avert these dangers. If UDP technology is more extensively adopted, Bangladesh can earn global recognition by showing the world that a small, developing nation can be just as effective in helping to reduce greenhouse gases as any larger, more developed nation.
AAPI scientists say farmers can easily control the applicator to apply briquettes 7.0 to 7.5 centimeters beneath the surface soil in the paddy field. Farmers do not need to bend down while using the technology, which will save 15-20 percent of the time that is required to apply the briquettes. Fifty farmers were provided with applicators at the program.
While increased productivity and reduced production costs are the major concerns of individual farmers, the nation and its economy is benefit substantially from UDP technology, which is perfectly termed by the farmers as Magic Guti.
Farmer using AAPI injector-type applicator
Lauding IFDC’s role in expanding Guti urea, the Minister said that she looks forward to the day when scientists develop an automatic Guti applicator to ensure greater efficiency and save even more time. Farmers of the country have long toiled to feed the nation; scientists serve a crucial role in making these farmers’ efforts less difficult by developing new technologies.
*** AAPI Introduces Most Efficient UDP Applicator to Date In a significant development, IFDC has introduced an improved UDP applicator that is, to date, the most efficient model made available to Bangladeshi farmers. The new applicator is expected to cut the labor costs and time required to apply the urea briquettes, or Guti urea, manually. The injector-type applicator received praise from dignitaries during an August 5th workshop at the auditorium of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC).
The Minister also called upon IFDC to develop a complete package of balanced fertilizer, including muriate of potash (MoP), triple superphosphate (TSP) and urea, as the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers has been harmful to the soil, and fertilizer import costs continue to rise. “Fertilizer production at home also consumes much-needed natural gas,” Minister Chowdury said.
“I thank will save to some Minister
Agriculture Secretary Monzur Hossain termed development of the applicator as a “revolutionary advancement.” Secretary Hossain indicated that if the applicator has some deficiencies they could
IFDC for developing the applicator. It time, labor costs and ease farmers’ woes extent,” said Bangladesh Agriculture Matia Chowdhury, who has for years 6