Application of green manure helps reduce cultivation cost as farmers are spared of using chemical fertilizers. However, not all farmers are keen on embracing the technique as they look to reap high yield through the use of chemical fertilizers.
With a view to sensitise farmers to the importance of green manure, a day-long training programme on green manure seed production was organised under the auspices of Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Vamban near here on Wednesday.
Inaugurating the training, R.P.Gnanamalar, Professor and Head of the Kendra, said that inorganic fertilizers were not only costlier but also caused severe harm to soil health.
Green manure not only offered the right alternative to inorganic fertilizers, it also improved productivity, she said. M.Kathiravan, Assistant Professor of Seed Science and Technology, explained the method to be followed in green manure seed production.
Application of sesbania aculeata commonly known as daincha was found to be effective in increasing productivity in sodic soil, he said. The green manure promotes aeration of soil and drainage in fields and improves water retention capacity of soil.