المنتدى العالمي المعني بالأمن الغذائي والتغذية

1. Biodiversity is contributing in achieving food security and improved nutrition?

Through our research we have screened several arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth promoting rhizomicroorganisms (PGPR), studied their compatibility and using such microbial consortia (MC) we have inoculated crops important in agriculture, horticulture and forestry and have shown that 25 - 50% of NPK fertilizer can be saved through inoculation with MC. These have been proved under field conditions. Inoculation not only saved chemical fertilizer input but also crop yield up to 10% with no adverse effect on nutrients. This has been shown in crops like french bean, chilly, capsicum, tomato, finger millet and many medicinal plants like Ocimum sanctum, Coleus forskohlii, Withania somnifera, etc.  Another interesting observation in medicinal plants is that inoculation also increased secondary metabolite concentration which is of industrial/medicinal importance.

2. Where a (sustainable) production system played a key role for the conservation of the biodiversity surrounding it? 

We have screened and developed the best AMF for inoculating several forest tree species in the nursery. Inoculation resulted in healthy vigourously growing seedlings which established better when planted in the field site. These seedlings were planted in wasteland and monitored periodically. The inoculated trees were nearly twice the size of the uninoculated trees when monitored 60 months after planting. This was studied in tree species like Tectona grandis, Dalbergia sissoo and Acacia auriculiformis.   

3. Do you have any examples of such enabling factors and initiatives or the lack of it?

a) There is one place called Palamaner in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India. One of the crops raised in this region is peanut. The yield of peanut in this region is low. We felt that it may be due to lack of effective Rhizobium in soil. In our experiment for 3 years we treated the seeds with an effective strain of Rhizobium and raised the crop. The growth and yield of peanut was nearly 25% more as compared to uninoculated crop.

b) In South India tomato is affected by a disease called wilt disease complex. It is caused by a fungus (Fusarium udum), a bacterium (Ralstonia solanacearum) and a nematode (Meloidogyne incognita). We have developed a MC consisting of Glomus bagyarajii, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Paecilomyces lilacinus which effectively protected tomato against the wilt disease complex. 

4. What needs to be done to increase awareness of farmers, livestock keepers, fisher folks and foresters, their organizations and the industry of the relevance of biodiversity and ecosystem services for the food and agriculture production in their sector?

There is a need to strengthen popularization of biofertilizers and biocontrol organisms for the benefit of farmers through media, training programmes and demonstration trials.