Green Manures

7/28/2019 Green Manures

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[Green Manure

*green manure is a type of cover crop grown primarily to add nutrients and organicmatter to the soil.

* Typically, a green manure crop is grown for a specific period of time, and thenploughed under and incorporated into the soil while it is green or shortly afterflowering.

* Government of India provides subsidy Subsidy on the purchased of seeds & coston production of seeds for green manure plants.

Examples of Green Manure plants

Leguminous plants Non-leguminous plants

Example Cowpeas, soybeanssudangrass, millet, sorghum,

and buckwheat.

Why are they used? for their nitrogen fixing abilitiesfor weed suppression and

addition of biomass to the soil.

Pros and Cons of Green Manure?

Advantages

* soil improvement and soil protection.

* provides forage forpollinating insects.

* Root systems of many green manure crops to efficiently penetrate compact soilsthus increasing the aeration of the soil.

* The deep rooting properties of many green manure crops make them efficient atsuppressing weeds

* They fix nitrogen in soil, thus Less chemical fertilizers are required.

* provide habitat for predatory beneficial insects, they kill and eat the pests /harmful insects thus less pesticides are required.

Disadvantage

* Leguminous plants require good amount of irrigation.

* The time factor: you cannot plant the primary marketable crop during greenmanuring phase.

[Science] Genetically Modified Crops, Bt-Brinjal, Cartagena & Nagoya Protocol:Meaning, Issues

A guest article byManikandan Soundararajan


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* What are DNA and Gene?

* What do we need here?

* What is the necessity for GM technology?

* Current issue:

* Recommendations of the committee:

* What is this GEAC:

* Procedure to accord approval:

* Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

* Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB)

* Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)

What are DNA and Gene?

* Always a human gives birth to humans, and a baby is said to inherit his/herparents characters. This is made possible only because of the so called genes.Genes are the books where all your personal, family characters are coded passedon to you from your parents.

* DNA is a polymer of nucleic acid specifically deoxyribonucleic acid which is in turnis comprised of sugar component and nitrogenous base.there are 4 type ofnitrogenous base that is adenine , guanine, cytosine and thiamine. It is thesequence of theses nitogenous bases that determine our genetic charecter.[courtsey- Ritesh's comment]

* DNA aids in protein synthesis.

* Their expression gives you characters.

What do we need here?

* Scientists have now mapped, analyzed these genes of various plants and animals.i.e., understood the ABC of gene make up

* Here now they are capable of manually rearranging these genes, inserting a part,deleting one changing the way one behaves, like stunted coconut trees givingcoconuts at your arms stretch.

* Such organisms are called TRANSGENICS, transformed genetic make-up.

What is the necessity for GM technology?

* Already a population of 7 billion and growing energetically.

* 3% increase in agri production needed to ensure food security to this population,while current growth rate is only 2%.

* Stress on land resource already huge- use of insecticides, pesticides.

* 27% of worlds undernourished people proudly are Indians- Urgent need to feed

those hungry mouths. Else National shame will be the result- as our PM remarkedon the HUNGAMA report.

To address above problems GM aids the development of specific traits in crops like:

* Herbicide resistance

* Pest resistance


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* Viral resistance

* slow-ripening

* Fungal and bacterial resistance

* Quality improvement (protein and oil)

* Value addition (Vitamins, micro-and macro-elements)

Ok then let us move quick into this akshayapaatra Hold on, every coin has one moreside:

* Biosafety first concern

* Direct health effects (toxicity)

* The stability of the inserted gene

* Nutritional effect associated with genetic modification

* Any unintended effects which could result from the gene Insertion.

* Autonomy of farmers affected because the seeds of these tech crops aremonopolized and are marketed by big private firms. If he is unable/does notprovide us the requisite seeds, we have a problem.

* Genetic erosion of our local varieties.

Bt Brijnal

Current issue:

* In India it all started with Bt cotton and Bt Brinjal, regarding control, regulation,

marketing production, safety of such crops.

* Here the Bt refers to Bacillus thuringenesis soil bacterium from which the genesare introduced in to the native cotton and brinjal varieties.

* The gene gave an expression in cotton which produced a protein in the cotton cropthat was toxic to the boll worms and stem borers (pests) i.e., pest resistantvariety.


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* Now the issue with us already with many political parties, farmers complainingintroduction such GM cotton, Brinjal(stopped after initial intro) as the cause forincreasing farmer suicides in Karnataka, Vidharbha region. High input cost ofseeds, genetic erosion of local varieties, farmers dependence on private seedcos are said to be the reasons.

In this scenario our parliamentary committee on Agriculture has submitted a report on

CULTIVATION OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD CROPS PROSPECTS AND EFFECTS

Recommendations of the committee:

* No GM food trials, till a stronger regulatory system is established.

* Current regulation by GEAC (Genetic Engineering appraisal committee) flawed,GEAC under dept. of Biotech which has one of its aims to spread modern biotech.One cannot regulate his own product is the reports view.

* Farmers of cotton already under strain, new Bt cotton seeds are expensive, inputcosts high, yet farmers are left with zero choice.

* Strict labeling giving choice for consumers to know what they buy is must.Especially imported foods are now a concern.

What is this GEAC:

* Established under MoEF,

* GEAC is the apex body to accord approval of activities involving large scale use ofhazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrialproduction from the environmental angle.

* GEAC is also responsible for granting approvals relating to release of geneticallyengineered organisms and products into the environment including experimentalfield trials.

* The GEAC also has the powers to prohibit, revoke, supervise and take punitiveaction in case of non-compliance, furnishing of wrong information or in case ofany damage to the environment.

Procedure to accord approval:

laboratory and greenhouse experiment,

open field trials for generation of biosafety data,

commercialization and market approval

Large scale production.

International conventions related to this:

The committee report passes references to all these conventions.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

* CBD is a legally binding agreement adopted during Rio Earth Summit in 1992.India signed the CBD and ratified it. USA is not a party to this Convention.

* While reaffirming sovereign rights of nations over their natural resources, thisConvention establishes three goals: conservation of biological diversity,sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of benefitsarising from the use of genetic resources.

* India is hosting CoP-11 to the CBD to be held in Hyderabad in October 2012, whichis the year of 20th anniversary of Rio Earth Summit is an added information.


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Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB)

* The CPB, the first international regulatory framework for safe transfer, handlingand use of LMOs(living modified organisms) signed on 2000. India has acceded tothis Biosafety Protocol.

* Difference between LMO and GMO is that GMO is a broader term including LMOs

within it, all organisms live, dead whose genes are modified are GMOs but LMO asthe name suggests are living organisms which are genetically modified.

* The objective of the Protocol is to contribute to ensuring an adequate level of

protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs resultingfrom modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservationand sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks tohuman health, and specifically focusing on trans-boundary movements.

* As a Party to the Protocol, the first and foremost requirement is the setting up of aNational Biosafety Regulatory Framework India has introduced the nationalbiosafety rules even before the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) wasadopted at Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

* Even though the text of the Protocol has been adopted, several critical issues suchas risk assessment, liability and redress, documentation and identification ofLMOS for Food Feed and Processing etc., are still under discussion.

Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)

* The CoP-10 to the CBD held in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010 adopted the NagoyaProtocol on Access and Benefit Sharing .India is a megadiverse country rich inbiodiversity and associated traditional knowledge. Hence, implementation of theABS provisions of CBD is of special interest to us.

* The objective of Nagoya Protocol is the fair and equitable sharing of benefitsarising from utilization of genetic resources. The Protocol establishes a clearframework on how researchers and companies can obtain access to geneticresources and to associated traditional knowledge, and how benefits arising fromthe use of such material or knowledge will be shared with locals.

* The ABS Protocol is expected to address the concerns of biodiversity rich countriessuch as India relating to misappropriation of genetic resources and associatedtraditional knowledge.

EnB] Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)

Guest article by Mr.Manikandan, For Environment and Biodiversity topic in CSAT GSpaper. (Preliminary exam)

* What is GIAHS?

* What is FAO?

* What are the objectives of GIAHS?

* Why is it done?

* How is a GIAHS site chosen?

* GIAHS Sites in India:

* Koraput, Odisha State

* Kashmir Valley, Pampore region


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* Kuttanad

* What will GIAHS do in Indian Sites?

* Other Potential sites:

* Ladakh:

* Raikas:

* Korangadu:

* Catamaran Fishing, Tamilnadu:

* Soppina bettas systems, Western Ghats:

What is GIAHS?

* Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)

* Purpose of GIAHS is to create public awareness, safeguard world agriculturalheritage sites.

* It was started in 2002 by FAO (Food and agricultural organization).

What is FAO?

* FAO an intergovernmental organization, headquartered at Rome with 191 membernations. Aims at helping world population get ensured food security, eliminatehunger, poverty.

What are the objectives of GIAHS?

* To understand and appreciate the nature friendly agricultural practices of local andtribal populations around the world.

* To document indigenous knowledge.

* To conserve and promote these knowledge at global scale to promote food

security, sustainable development.

* Providing incentives for local population by measures like eco-labeling, eco-

tourism.

Why is it done?

* Globalization, increasing population pressure, environment degradation putting

food production under stress.

* Loss of Biodiversity, loss of livelihood and economic returns for marginalized andpoor- major impacts.

* To overcome all these, combat climate change, move towards MDGs, eradicatepoverty this initiative undertaken.

How is a GIAHS site chosen?

* The provision of local food security

* High levels of agricultural biodiversity and associated biological diversity,

* Store of indigenous knowledge and

* Ingenuity of management systems.

-A site with all the above characteristics, if under stress or threat of degradation is


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chosen. Various sites across the world from china, srilanka, argentina, peru etc. havebeen recognized under GIAHs.Now our focus: two sites recognized in India and 6 more recognized aspotential sites:

GIAHS Sites in India:

Koraput, Odisha State

* This region has rich biodiversity, growing several varieties of paddy, millets,pulses, oilseeds, vegetables.

* Region primarily a tribal district inhabited by khonds, bonda tribes practicingpoddhu (shifting) cultivation.

* Shifting cultivation loss of forest cover = hurting the biodiversity.

* Soil erosion, Soil degradation, habitat loss.

* Illiteracy, large family, small farm holding size.

* The socio-economic indicators are very poor here nearly 84% living in abjectpoverty.

Kashmir Valley, Pampore region

Saffron Heritage Site of Kashmir in India

* Grains such as maize, rice, rajmah/lentils, fruit and vegetable crops and pulses.

* A set of unique low-tillage traditionalagricultural practices are carried

* During the fallow period, growth of fruit, fodder and mulberry trees along the farmboundaries (Agro-forestry) is practiced, thereby maintaining traditional agro-biodiversity.

Problems

* Loss of productivity due to the lack of agricultural management practices

*Climate change vulnerabilities, water scarcity and weather vagaries

* Efforts from the younger generation to appreciate and conserve heritage systemsabsent.

Kuttanad:

* Kuttanad is a delta region of about 900 sq. km situated in the west coast of KeralaState, India.

* Unique feature: Below sea level rice cultivation site, only such system inIndia.

* Farmers of Kuttanad have developed and mastered the spectacular technique ofbelow sea level cultivation over 150 year ago.

* They made this system unique as it contributes remarkably well to theconservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services including several livelihoodservices for local communities.

What will GIAHS do in Indian Sites?

* Contribute to awareness-raising

* promote use of modern technologies to conserve the heritage systems.

* Documenting the traditional knowledge.


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* Provide capacity building training for farmers to increase productivity andmarketing practices.

* Modernization, commercialization strategies establishing standards, eco labeling.

* Establishing sustainable practices amongst the tribals utilizing their knowledge,modern technologies.

Other Potential sites:

Ladakh:

* Ladakh is located on the high Tibetan plateau between India and the HimalayanMountains to the south, China and the Karakoram Mountains to the north, andIndian Kashmir to the west.

* Four types of land are cultivated: Zhing (cultivated land), Zhing Zhang (wellfertilized land), Rizhing (stony land), Thang Zhing (pasture land). Apricots, applesand walnuts are cultivated in deep valleys.

* Organic composting is said to be an indigenous technique here

* Western cultural intrusion, urban consumerism are said to be threatening factors.

* Promoting its uniqueness especially amidst harsh terrains is essential.

Raikas:

* The Raikas are a pastoral caste Camel herding is their heritage. They live ingroups of 4-20 families on the outskirts of villages and combine crop productionduring the summer rains with pastoralism during the autumn-spring dry season.

* The Raikas face several threats: Camel herding is no longer profitable, Droughts,Decrease in common pasture lands, disease and fodder scarcity, privatization ofland

* Government support, help to withstand climate change, drought conditions needto be provided to preserve this heritage group.

Korangadu:

* The Korangadu silvo-pastoral system exists in the semiarid tract of the Erode,Coimbatore, Karur, Dindigul districts of Tamil Nadu.

* Innovative fencing mechanism of land by live mullukiluvai (Commiphora berryi),a thorny drought resistant shrub.

* No fertilizer or nutrients, use of natural animal droppings, use of Phaseolustrilobus, a crop which provides a very nutritious feed. The leaves and pods ofAlbizia amara serve as a natural hair conditioner.

* Now monocropping, horticulture, tube wells haunt the natural heritage of this area.

Deficient monsoon, water scarcity have also changed the cultivation patterns.

* The Korangadu pastureland shows people how to live with nature, while conservingit , utilizing it and this needs to be preserved, propagated.

Catamaran Fishing, Tamilnadu:

* Catamaran- Two words in Tamil: Kattu-to tie, Maram- Tree;

* The Bay of Bengal waters source of unique resources, marine biodiversity. People

of coastal tamilnadu have shown a sustainable way of exploiting the marine


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resources which is very important as India is the worlds fourth largest fishingnation.

* Modern fishing problems:pollution, stress over exploitation. Also problems ofmechanization in this area and 2004 Tsunami effects still threatening thelivelihoods of these people.

* It thus represents a set ofAgricultural Biodiversity of Global Significance(ABGS), associated knowledge systems and cultural practices which areendangered and needs international recognition.

Soppina bettas systems, Western Ghats:

* Western Ghats of Karnataka- 16 varieties of rice grown

* Compost made from foliage and leaf litter (Soppina Bettas) used as fertilizer-localinnovation.

* Soppina Bettas provide manure, botanical pesticides, fuel wood, fodder, medicineand timber to the communities.

* The existence of this unique self-sustaining system is threatened due to overexploitation, conversion of land and lack of awareness.

[Environment] Landslides in Himalayas: Reasons, Solutions

* Three main geological divisions of India.

* Classification of Himalayas

* Hazards in the Himalayan Eco-System

* Regions and disasters

* Landslides: Reasons

* Landslides: Damage

* Suggestions to fix problem

Three main geological divisions of India.

* Himalayas, also known as the Extra-Peninsula

* Indo-Gangetic Plains

* Peninsula

Classification of Himalayas

Method #1

* Himalayas are classified, from west to east, into four regions:

* Punjab Himalaya area between Indus and Sutlej rivers.

* Kumaon Himalaya area between Sutlej and Kali rivers

* Nepal Himalaya- area between Kali and Tista rivers.


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* Assam Himalaya- area between Tista and Brahamputra rivers.

Method#2

* three regions: the Western, Central and Eastern Himalaya

* Nepal Himalaya constitutes the Central Himalaya and the mountainous area to itswest and east are known as Western and Eastern Himalaya respectively

Hazards in the Himalayan Eco-System

* All major types of disasters, prominently


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* earthquakes,

* landslides,

* avalanches,

* flash floods

* forest fires

* soil erosion

Regions and disasters

Altitude Type of disaster

Over 3500m snow avalanches and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs)

500 to 3500 m flash floods; landslides and mudflows

Landslides: Reasons

*indiscriminate chopping down of trees.

* slash and burn cultivation technique called JHUM,

* Road construction and mining.

* Every increasing population, grazing, urbanization etc. has destroyed the densenatural evergreen forest cover.

Such activities have disrupted the ecological balance, thereby resulting in loosening ofthe soil. During the heavy rain, this leads to soil erosion and frequent landslides

Landslides: Damage

* Every year, landslides in the region kill dozens of people and cause widespreaddamage to several villages such that they have now become almost unfit for

habitation.

* They create blockades in the road network and river system, which in turn, causefloods.

* The terraced farm fields have been destroyed that cannot be easily renovated ormade productive again.

* The road network remains closed for long periods causing indescribable hardshipto the villagers who get their basic supplies and provisions from the neighbouringareas.

* Water source is also disrupted due to landslides as they are breached from severalplaces and are choked by the debris.

* The sediment load of rivers has also increased considerably, causing problems likeirregular courses and frequent breaching of the banks, which create uncertaintyregarding the river course and unexpected floods.

* The water channels are affected from the up hillside due to which the villagers aredevoid of water for irrigation purposes. This adversely affects agricultureproduction in the region.

Suggestions to fix problem

* Excess water should be stored in the catchments areas, which will reduce the fury


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of flash floods, recharge the ground water and improve the environment.

* Runoff collection ponds in the catchments, though they might get silted up in a

few years, will be more useful than the measures in the lower reaches.

* To prevent rapid siltation of tanks, the contributing catchments (even if they arenot cultivated but used for grazing or forestry purposes) need to be wellmanaged so that soil erosion is prevented.

* All common lands should be put under fuel/fodder trees.

* Planting of barren areas, especially on slopes, with grass cover is an importantcomponent of integrated watershed management programme.

* Grazing should be completely restricted. After the area is completely protectedfrom grazing, better grasses can be planted.

* The grasses of industrial importance should also be planted so that there is someeconomic return to the farmers as well.

* The surface vegetative cover will not only protect the land from the beatingaction of rain drops and bind the soil particles but would also decrease thevelocity of flowing water and cause less of soil erosion .

[Biodiversity] National Aqatic Animal

This is shared by Varoon Bakshi.

* The River Dolphin is found in the River Ganges.

* In 2009, The Ganga River Dolphin was declared the National Aquatic Animal ofIndia by the National Ganga River Basin Authority which is chaired by the PrimeMinister.

* The Ganga River Dolphin is basically found in the Ganga and Brahmaputra riversystems.

* Around 1500-2000 River Dolphins are found in the aforementioned two riversystems.

* The scientific name of the Ganga River Dolphin is Platanista Gangetica.

Problems faced by River Dolphins

* The habitats of the Ganga River Dolphins are shrinking as smaller rivers are drying

up and bigger rivers do not have uninterrupted flow of water in various parts.

* Thus the Ganga River Dolphins are perhaps one of the few creatures which faceextinction due to the destruction of their habitat instead of being hunted or

poached.

* Although, these river dolphins are hunted for their oil and sometimes they getstuck in the nets of the fishermen and die.

* By declaring the Ganga River Dolphin as the National Aquatic Animal of India therewill be some focus on the plight of these animals.


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[EnB] National Seabuckthorn Initiative

* What is Seabuckthorn?

* What are the uses of Seabuckthron?

* What is National Seabuckthorn Initiative?

*What will they do?

* CSAT 2012 Actual Question

* Mock Questions for GS Mains (Paper I)

* Previous Articles under EnB

What is Seabuckthorn?

* Seabuckthorn (Leh berry) is a shrub

* It grows in the dry temperate and cold desert of the Himalayas.

* Found extensively in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttatrakhand, Sikkimand Arunachal Pradesh.

What are the uses of Seabuckthron?

* Has multi-purpose medicinaland nutritional properties,

besides being useful for soilconservation and nitrogen

fixation.

* Since this is the only plantthatcan grow in high

altitude regions it can beeasily used for water and

soil conservation.

* Can aid in climate changemitigation and provide

livelihoods support therebyreducing pressures on the

ecosystem.

* Ideal plant fordesertification control.

Every part of the plant viz. Fruit, leaf,twig, root and thorn has beentraditionally used as medicine,

nutritional supplement, fuel andfence, and therefore, seabuckthorn is

popularly known as

* Wonder Plant,

* Ladakh Gold,

* Golden Bush or

* Gold Mine.


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What is National Seabuckthorn Initiative?

* Indias National Action Plan on Climate Change

* It has a key Mission called Green India Mission

* Under this Green India Mission, there is a Sub-Mission on Cold Desert Ecosystems

* This Sub-Mission will include the National Seabuckthorn Initiative.

* In 2010, Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) and the Defense Research andDevelopment Organisation (DRDO) have jointly launched a major new nationalinitiative for seabuckthorn cultivation in the high altitude, cold desert ecosystems

of the country.

What will they do?

* Under this initiative, Eco Task Force Battalions and Womens Self-help groups willbe mobilised for plantation of seabuckthorn in remote areas.

* Research and Development (R&D) for cultivation and commercial processing incollaboration with China, Russia, Pakistan, Germany etc nations where this plantis found.

Green Manures

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