Asia’s useful trees and plants
Neem
By K.L. Noatay
NEEM is a well-known beautiful tree of the Indian subcontinent. It grows naturally in black cotton soil of Deccan plateau and is cultivated in the Indo-Gangetic plains on a large scale. Its habitat is spread from Burma to Afghanistan and is extensively cultivated in roadside avenues. It is highly prized for its cool shade which is so comfortable during summer.

Industrial uses of rice husk
By Tejinder Singh
ANNUAL production of paddy in India is more than 120 million tonnes, out of which nearly 10 per cent is contributed by Punjab. Paddy has to pass through several milling operations such as dehulling, polishing and grading before obtaining good quality white rice. This job is being done by about 30,000 modern mills and 19,000 shellers in the country, while 2,500 shellers alone in Punjab get engaged in this business.

Farm operations for Nov

WTO agreement and Indian agriculture
By Khushwant Ahluwalia

SOME time ago the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, had chaired a meeting of farmers’ representatives, political parties and voluntary organisations to seek their views and suggestions in finalising India’s position vis-a-vis the WTO agreement before submitting the Government of India’s proposals at the WTO headquarters in Geneva by December 31, 2000. Recognising the sensitivity of the agriculture sector to the economies of several countries a provision was kept in the agreement of GATT signed in 1994 on agriculture to undertake a review in 2000 keeping in mind the experiences of implementation of the agreement. It was for the first time that an agriculture minister had initiated a debate by inviting farmers’ representatives to give their opinions.

Sitting in the meeting hall were astute politicians, farmers’ representatives and bureaucrats. My dossier contained the irony that the Indian agriculture is facing. How the caretakers of agriculture in India were trying hard to find out ways and means to protect the interests of the Indian farmers by documentation rather than realising that the efficacy of the treaty is based on gearing the Indian farmer to meet the challenge. The present plight of the paddy farmers’ of Punjab and Haryana is the result of Krishi Bhavan’s policies.

Each political man spoke with concern treading carefully on the politically chosen path highlighting the predicament of the poor, small and marginal farmer. Mr Madhu Dandavate asked the government to keep the interests of the Indian agriculture in mind when negotiating as 70 per cent of the population is involved in farming. How true! We are trying to open all the gates to the information technology sector which affects only about 5 to 6 per cent of our population in their day-to-day lives. In the USA the Internet revolution was based on the fundamentals of “brick and mortar’’ and it affects every man’s life in some way or the other but of what use is IT to the 70 per cent people of India when they have to worry about their two square meals.

Mr Balram Jakhar, a former Union Agriculture Minister and farmer, spoke with keen interests on the problems related to the post-harvest facilities, lack of infrastructure, poor transport facilities and other issues of the farmers till somebody in the August gathering pointed out to him that he should remember these things if he gets a chance to become the minister again. Mr Sharad Pawar talked about limitations of the Indian farmer to grow in stature and compete but didn’t offer any solution. A very sad day for the Indian agriculture, I thought. The people who matter to bring about a revolution in agriculture are helpless by the web cast by their own policies.

Mr Sharad Joshi highlighted the basic point that the competition is amongst equals and not unequals. But in the same breath he stressed on the point that subsidies should be removed as they were just filling the coffers of the industrialists. Well said, I thought, but does that mean that subsidies are bad or is it the way they are given that system is faulty. He also elaborated on the fact that the Indian farmer is capable of adjusting to the needs of competition and there is no need to worry. Capable they are, of course. But of what use is his capability under the present circumstances?

Nevertheless, here was one man who realised that the essence of the WTO lay in the fact that we need to fasten our seat belts to gear our farmers up to face the onslaught of the treaty because there is no backing out from it. So the remedy lies in fighting it out rather than brooding and creating such a shindy over a lapse done six years before. But the issue remains that how do we take on the developed countries that have highly mechanised farms running into thousands and thousands of acres. Their high subsidies over and above the low cost of production are the key areas of concern.

Well, the answer lies in the question that how can we compete with the giants in the industry with such small farms. Without a minimum viable holding there is no way mechanisation can set in and the Indian farmer produce quality horticulture or agriculture products to reap the benefits of the treaty which allows free trade. The Land Ceiling Act in India spelt death for the agriculture sector. The purpose for which it was created has lost significance. Gone are the days of the zamindari system. Today anybody who buys or possesses land wants to work and earn an income out of it. I should not be misunderstood when I say open up the land ceiling because anybody talking about big farms in India is considered feudal and people having a couple of thousands of acres in the USA, Australia or Canada are farmers. With 17.5 acres being the average land ceiling all over the country, it has killed all enterprise and enthusiasm of an individual who wants to take agriculture as a profession or wants to expand his present status. Why stop somebody from growing. Does anybody know of anybody who has taken to agriculture as a profession other than people having ancestral land? In Punjab alone there are about 10,000 marginal farmers being created every year due to fragmentation of land and farming has become unviable for these people but they don’t have a choice other than to remain at the subsistence level because of no other opportunities. The situation has its own dilemma. In fact, there is hardly anybody who can claim to be a farmer alone. People are pursuing different vocations to make their ends meet.

Time has come to dig out the opportunities that lie in the WTO agreement and initiate farm reforms to upgrade the farming sector to dizzy heights.

Asia’s useful trees and plants
Neem
By K.L. Noatay

NEEM is a well-known beautiful tree of the Indian subcontinent. It grows naturally in black cotton soil of Deccan plateau and is cultivated in the Indo-Gangetic plains on a large scale. Its habitat is spread from Burma to Afghanistan and is extensively cultivated in roadside avenues. It is highly prized for its cool shade which is so comfortable during summer.

The scientific name of neem is azadirachta indica. It belongs to the meliaceae plant family. It is a fairly evergreen tree. Its foliage comprises compound leaf made of smaller leaflets. The leaflets are 1” to 2” long or ½” to 1” wide. The entire compound leaf is 20” to 30” long and 10” to 20” wide. Its flowers are small. They are in the form of recemes (bunches) of blue to lilac-white colour. These emit a very pleasant scent. The neem fruit, called “namolus”, are oblongish round with ¼” to ½’’ diameter. These are green when young but become yellow on ripenning.

Neem is a very useful tree. It is beneficial to human race in many a way. Its leaves, though bitter in taste, are greedily hogged by goats and camels. When dried these are kept in wardrobes and boxes containing clothes to protect these from fungus and moth. A kind of oil extracted from the neem seeds known as “margosa oil” in the trade is useful against leprosy and skin diseases. It is also used in many ayurvedic medicines, soaps, face creams, etc. The oil cake is a very potent and useful feed for milch cattle for inducing better yield of milk. The gum exuded by the bark of the neem tree is also used in certain ayurvedic medicines. The bark acts as tonic, astringent and antiperiodic too. It is useful in malaria fever. The leaves are also applied for curing skin diseases and boils. A decoction (tea) of neem leaves increases users immunity against many illnesses. The use of neem twig as a tooth brush i.e. datun, keeps the teeth safe from usual disorders of denture.

Neem is a fairly fast-growing tree. In suitable locations it attains nearly 20 metre height and 2 metre girth in 80 to 100 years. Its wood is very durable, easy to work and hence valuable. It is used in house construction, agriculture implements, furniture, etc.

Neem seedlings grow naturally from the seeds fall from the trees. Thorny bushes on the ground are ideal nurse for its young plants. In certain areas like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh new plants come up by coppice and also from root suckers. The tree can also be propagated (grown artificially) by raising seedlings in nurseries and transplanting the one-year-old saplings in the field.

Keeping in view the several uses of various parts of the neem tree, some US scientists had obtained a registered patent on its utility. However, keeping in view the overwhelming evidence of neem being an important medicinal plant as practised in ayurveda all over the Indian subcontinent, the said US patient has recently been withdrawn.

There is a legend about the good effect of the shade of neem tree on human body. It is said that once a trader was going out on a long business trip. His shrewed wife made him take a bow to rest only under kikar (acacia arabica) trees during his outward journey and neem trees while returning. The former is known to dampen a man’s libido and the latter sharpens it. The docile husband trader had complied with his spouse’s wish. He had to libido while away from home and had quite a happy union with his spouse on return.

Industrial uses of rice husk
By Tejinder Singh

ANNUAL production of paddy in India is more than 120 million tonnes, out of which nearly 10 per cent is contributed by Punjab. Paddy has to pass through several milling operations such as dehulling, polishing and grading before obtaining good quality white rice. This job is being done by about 30,000 modern mills and 19,000 shellers in the country, while 2,500 shellers alone in Punjab get engaged in this business.

Shelling of such a large amount of paddy results in the collection of significant quantity of husk, which contributes nearly 20 per cent of the grain. Unless properly disposed of, accumulation of husk poses several problems of quick flaming and spreading while blowing with air. Low bulk density and large volume of husk stalemate its safe storage. Though low nutritive value, abrasive, fragile and porous nature of husk restrict its worthily utilisation, the following are some of the products which could be prepared while using cellulose, lignin and silica of the husk.

Composite boards: Panel boards for exterior or interior uses in the form of wall boards, floor or ceiling can be prepared from rice husk with or without resin. While using synthetic resin at the rate of 8 per cent by weight, the moisture content of the husk is increased to 20 per cent. The ingredients are mixed, pressed at 1300 to 1600 C under a pressure of 80 km/cm2 for 30 minutes and conditioned for 12 hours. Either sulphuric acid, urea or both @ of 3 per cent could be added to make the board water proof.

In the second process without any binder, the husk is ground to a particle size of 40 to 60 mesh, mixed with dilute sulphuric acid (2 per cent) @ 5-8 per cent by weight of the husk and pressed in a hot hydraulic press at 1650 C under a pressure of 60 to 70 kg/cm2 for 20-25 minutes.

Furfural: The husk is treated with sulphuric acid till complete digestion of lignin. The liquefied husk is steam distilled to recover furfural. The yield of furfural varies from 4 to 12 per cent. It is widely used in synthetic rubber and oil refining industries.

Sodium silicate: The husk is burnt to grey ash, which is extracted by cold or hot process using 10 per cent sodium hydroxide solution or a mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide in the ratio of 10:1. Sodium hydroxide can also be replaced with calcium hydroxide. Sodium silicate obtained in the dilute form is bleached with activated carbon and then concentrated to 550 Be by heating and evaporation. Sodium silicate is used in the manufacturing of soap, detergents, silica gel and water proof cement. Silica gel is extensively used in sealing and lamination of paper, bleaching and sizing of textiles and paper pulp.

Molecular sieves: The dilute sodium silicate is mixed with sodium aluminate to prepare alumino-silicate gel which is crystallised to produce a desirable size of molecular sieve powder. Being highly absorbent, molecular sieves are extensively used in chemical, petrochemical and gas industry for desiccation, drying, bulk separation and recovery of gases and liquids.

Silicon tetrachloride: The husk is pyrolysed land chlorinated at 10000 C to provide intimate mixture of silica and carbon in the form of silicon tetrachloride, free from most of the other inorganic chlorides. Silicon tetrachloride is used in the manufacture of electronic grade silicon, colloidal silica and silicon polymers.

Activated carbon: The husk is saturated with 35 per cent solution of potassium thiocyanate, potassium carbonate or zinc chloride. Upon drying the treated husk is carbonised at 3000 to 5000 C and activated with steam at 7500 C or with CO2 at 8000 to 9000 C, followed by treatment with caustic soda for silica. The carbon is dried and ground to pass 100 mesh screen.

Electrical porcelain tiles: The white ash of husk is treated with sodium oxide, calcium carbonate, boric acid and alumina. The porcelain material possesses high electrical resistivity, high chemical resistance towards minerals acids and low sintering temperature.

Char: It is prepared by controlled pyrolytic conversion of husk such that the carbon contents of residue are more than 1.5 per cent. Char is used as insulating or anti-slagging material in iron and steel industry, as coagulant and filter aid in treatment of contaminated water, and as anti-skid abrasive in tyres and shoe soles. Char also supports the rhizobium multiplication and survival for more than six months.

Fuel

Husk is one of the most abundant renewable agriculture-based fuel material. The calorific value of husk is 3000 Kcal/kg. One tonne of paddy or 200 kg of husk generates nearly 600,000 Kcal hear per hour. Assuming mechanical conversion efficiency of 30 per cent, the heat is sufficient to undertake parboiling and milling operations. Thus, husk can be successfully used as fuel for boilers, furnaces and even for domestic stoves.

Boiler fuel: The husk fired boiler produce 15 to 18 kg steam/m2 of the surface. A mechanically drafted combustion-tube boiler capable of generating, 1500 kg steam per hour, have a fuel rate of 333 kg/hr of husk with an effective husk and steam ratio of 3.66 kg steam/kg husk.

Furnace fuel: The furnace is designed for a burning capacity of 200 kg husk/hr to generate 500 kg steam. The husk is introduced into the horizontal cyclone furnace along with air to impart whirling motion to husk, or it is introduced into the combustion chamber in the form of a jet. The furnace can be coupled with air or water heat exchanger to utiliser heat in the flue gases. The hot gases in the boiler can also be used for drying of paddy.

Briquettes: The husk is compressed or extruded adopting Hullite machine to prepare briquettes for using as industrial or domestic fuel. Briquettes in the form of bricks or small cubes diminish the problem of density and are easy to transport. 

Farm operations for Nov

Vegetables

Carrot, radish and turnip:

Apply 15 tonnes of farmyard manure per acre and mix it with the soil by ploughing about 10 days before sowing these crops. Drill 55 kg of urea and 75 kg of superphosphate per acre at the time of sowing. For carrot, 50 kg of muriate of potash per acre should also be added.

Root crops:

— Start sowing English varieties of radish (Japanese White), turnip (Golden Ball, Snow ball, Purple Top, White Globe) and carrot (Nantes).

— Irrigate these crops only when it is must, otherwise excessive vegetative growth will lead to hairy, cracked, deformed small and forked roots.

Cole Crop:

— Transplant 4 to 6 weeks old seedlings of cabbage. Chinese cabbage and late season cauliflower in line at 45 cm x 30 cm. Repeat watering once a week. Fill the gaps to obtain good control stand after a week and irrigate.

— Transplant fully developed true-to-type and selected plants of early cauliflower for seed multiplication with root system intact. Keep lines and plant at 60 to 45 cm, respectively. Scoop the heads from the centre to obtain more seed stalks.

Potato:

— Rogue out virus-affected plants from seed plots. Apply second dose of 85 kg of urea per acre and increase the dose of urea 115 kg per acre in case of light soils and do earthing up in 40-45 days old crop. At the time of earthing up, apply 4 kg of Thimet 10 G per acre in the seed plots.

— Spray crop with Idofil M-45 @ 500-700 g or Copper Oxychloride 50 WP @ 750-1000 g/acre in 250-350 litres of water in the first week of November before the appearance of disease followed by five more sprays at seven days interval. Under heavy disease situation instead of third and fourth sprays of Indofil M 45 give two sprays of Ridomil MZ @ 700 g/acre at 10 days interval.

— Spray the crop with 300 ml of Rogor 30 EC of Metasystox 25 EC or 75 ml of Dimecron in 80 litres of water per acre for control of jassides and aphids, etc.

Tomato:

— Sow 200 g seed of TH-2312, TH-802, Punjab NR-7, Punjab Tropics, Punjab Chhuhara and Punjab Kesri on raised beds. One marla area is sufficient to grow seedlings for an acre. At the time of preparing beds add well-rotten farmyard manure @ 125 kg per marla.

— In the last week of this month, start transplanting. Mark line at 1.5 metre for Punjab Tropic and 0.75 metre for other varieties. Apply 10 tonnes farmyard manure and 55, 150, and 50 kg of urea, superphosphate and muriate of potash per acre respectively. Transplant two seedlings per hill and keep 30 cm space between the plants. Irrigate immediately, fill gaps next week and irrigate.

— For kitchen gardening and for local market, prefer hybrid (TH-2312), or varieties like Punjab Kesri or Punjab NR-7. For processing, sow Punjab Tropic or Punjab Chhuhara. For medium distance marketing, plant Punjab Kesri and for long distance marketing plant only the Punjab Chhuhara variety. In nematode infested soils, plant only the resistant variety Punjab NR-7.

Garlic and onion:

Complete planting of garlic and onion in the first fortnight of this month. Plant 4-6 quintals medium size healthy bold and duplication free bulbs of onion varieties Punjab Naroya, Punajb Red Round, Punjab Selection or Punjab 48 or Punjab White per acre for seed multiplication purpose. Plant bulbs on ridges spaced at 60 cm and keep bulbs at 30 cm. Apply light irrigation once after 10 days. Sow 4 kg seed either of the varieties in 8 marla bed area to raise seedlings for an acre.

Leafy vegetables

1. Start harvesting, grading, packing and marketing of spinach, Chinese cabbage and methi. After each harvest apply 20 kg of urea per acre for quick rejuvenation and healthy foliage development. In case single harvest crop is to be taken resow the Punjab Green variety after preparing the plot.

— Irrigate methi and spinach once a week.

— Sow seed or transplant seedlings of lettuce (Punjab Lettuce-1) after applying 20 kg of urea and 150 kg of superphosphate and 50 kg muriate of potash per acre. Keep lines and plants 30 and 15 cm apart, respectively.

Pea:

Apply 25 kg of urea, 155 kg of superphosphate/acre and sow Punjab-87 or Punjab-88 varieties.

— Use 30 kg seed per acre.

— After sowing spray Stomp 30 EC @ 1.0 litre per acre as pre-emergence herbicide.

Chilli:

Sow 100 g seed of CH-1 and 200 g seed of Punjab Surkh Punjab Lal or Punjab Guchhedar in 15 cm high raised beds for planting m an acre.

— Progressive Farming, PAU