ICAR-MGIFRI, Motihari Promotes Soil-Health-Centred Orchard Management under Khet Bachao Abhiyan–2026 in Bihar

30 June 2026, Motihari

As part of the nationwide Khet Bachao Abhiyan–2026, the ICAR–Mahatma Gandhi Integrated Farming Research Institute, Motihari, organised a farmer awareness-cum-training programme at Chintamanpur village in Chakia Block of East Champaran district, Bihar. The programme focused on scientific soil health management, balanced nutrient use, eco-friendly pest management, and sustainable orchard production practices to enhance farm profitability and long-term agricultural sustainability.

The training emphasised that soil testing should serve as the basis for all fertilizer application decisions. Farmers were advised to avoid indiscriminate and excessive use of fertilizers, as imbalanced nutrient application increases cultivation costs, disrupts soil nutrient balance, and adversely affects long-term soil productivity. Participants were encouraged to adopt soil-test-based nutrient management by integrating chemical fertilizers with farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, green manuring, crop residue recycling, and biofertilizers to improve soil organic carbon, soil structure, nutrient availability, and water-holding capacity.

Special emphasis was placed on nutrient management in mango and litchi orchards, two major fruit crops of the region. Farmers were advised to apply fertilizers in circular trenches beneath the tree canopy rather than near the trunk to enhance nutrient uptake. For mango orchards, balanced application of FYM along with recommended doses of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium was recommended, while excessive nitrogen application was discouraged due to its adverse effect on flowering and fruiting. In litchi orchards, application of FYM, phosphorus, and potash after harvest, along with split application of nitrogen, was recommended to improve nutrient-use efficiency. The use of organic amendments such as neem cake and karanj cake was also encouraged to improve soil health and reduce soil-borne pest incidence.

The programme also highlighted the importance of soil and water conservation practices, including proper land levelling, strengthening field bunds, and in-situ rainwater conservation. Farmers were advised to minimise repeated and excessive use of rotavators, as continuous shallow tillage can create hard-pan layers below the plough zone, restricting root growth, reducing water infiltration, and limiting nutrient uptake.

Sessions on pest management promoted eco-friendly approaches through Integrated Pest Management (IPM), including regular field monitoring, timely pest identification, use of neem-based formulations, botanical extracts, bio-pesticides, and conservation of beneficial insects. In mango and litchi orchards, orchard sanitation, pruning of infested branches, removal of pest-affected plant parts, and biological control measures were recommended to reduce pest pressure while minimising dependence on chemical pesticides.

An interactive discussion enabled farmers to raise concerns related to nutrient deficiencies, declining orchard productivity, waterlogging, soil compaction, organic manure use, and pest management. Practical, location-specific recommendations were provided to address these challenges through cost-effective and sustainable interventions.

The programme concluded with a strong emphasis on the importance of healthy soils, balanced nutrition, organic matter management, eco-friendly pest control, and conservation-based farming practices for sustaining crop and orchard productivity in Bihar. Farmers expressed their willingness to adopt soil-health-centred nutrient management, integrated pest management, and resource-conservation practices promoted under the Khet Bachao Abhiyan–2026.

A total of 29 farmers, including 22 men and 7 women, participated in the programme and actively interacted with scientists on various aspects of soil fertility, orchard management, nutrient deficiencies, pest management, and water conservation.

(Source: ICAR–Mahatma Gandhi Integrated Farming Research Institute, Motihari, Bihar)