ICAR Officials Celebrate Dussehra with Farmers and Review Green Ammonia Demonstrations in Mahendergarh

Demonstrations across 300 acres aim to assess green ammonia as an alternative nitrogen source for mustard cultivation

20 October 2026, Mahendergarh, Haryana

Senior officials and scientists of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) visited Khatodhara village in Mahendergarh district to review field demonstrations of green ammonia conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Mahendergarh, under Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCS HAU), Hisar. The visit coincided with Dussehra celebrations, during which the officials interacted with farmers and reviewed the progress of the demonstrations in their fields.

The team inspected mustard crops sown following the application of green ammonia and observed good crop establishment at the initial stage. The demonstrations aim to scientifically assess the effectiveness of green ammonia as an alternative to conventional urea-based nitrogen management in mustard, with a focus on crop growth, productivity, nitrogen use efficiency and economic viability.

Dr Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR, highlighted that liquid ammonia contains approximately 82% nitrogen and is applied at an appropriate soil depth using specialised equipment. He noted that the demonstrations would help assess its potential to improve nitrogen availability to crops and enhance nitrogen use efficiency. He advised KVK scientists to provide farmers with accurate, practical and evidence-based information on emerging agricultural technologies.

Dr Singh also emphasised the importance of systematic data collection on crop growth, yield, fertiliser use, cultivation costs and economic returns to facilitate a scientific evaluation of the technology. He underscored the need for continuous interaction between scientists and farmers and stressed that the findings should be communicated effectively to farming communities.

Dr A. K. Nayak, Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management), ICAR, stated that the initiative seeks to identify effective, affordable and resource-efficient nitrogen management options for mustard growers in Mahendergarh district. He encouraged farmers to share their agricultural challenges and technical requirements with ICAR and CCS HAU, Hisar, through the KVK, enabling research institutions to develop appropriate, science-based solutions.

Green ammonia demonstrations have been undertaken across approximately 300 acres of mustard fields in Mahendergarh district. The results will be evaluated to determine the technology's effectiveness, agronomic performance and economic benefits under local farming conditions. The findings are expected to generate scientific evidence to guide future recommendations on nitrogen management in mustard cultivation.

The initiative reflects ICAR's commitment to strengthening farmer-scientist partnerships and evaluating innovative agricultural technologies to promote efficient nutrient management and sustainable crop production.

(Source: ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone-II, Jodhpur)