Organic farming is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects.

1. Scope of organic & natural farming of
vegetable crops under protected conditions
DOCTORAL SEMINAR-II
(VSC-692)
Speaker
Manish Chauhan
(H-2018-42-D)
Ph.D. 2nd year

2. ֍Organic farming is a production system that sustains the health
of soils, ecosystems, and people.
֍It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted
to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse
effects.
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, Germany
What is Organic Farming…???

3. Principles
of Organic
Farming
Principle
of
Health
Principle
of
Ecology
Principle
of
Fairness
Principle
of Care

4. Particulars World India
Total area under Organic farming 69.8 m ha 1.50 m ha
Total market 72.0 billion $ 1.0 billion $
No. of organic certifiers 490 More than 24
No. of Organic producers 2.0 million 8.0 lakh
Source: World of Organic Agriculture 2018 Report
Present scenario of Organic Agriculture

5. Conventional production
Livelihood security crisis
Health crisis
Water crisis
Organic production
Reduced inputs & higher income
Agri-business opportunities
Drought management
Reduced health hazards
Conventional and Organic Production

6. Crops Production (q/ha)- Average of last 10 years
Organic farming* Conventional (with chemicals)** Average state production
Cereal crops
Maize 30.3 33-40 25.5
Paddy 33.2 38.0 19.6
Wheat 24.2 25-30 18.6
Pulse crops
Soybean 16.2 15-20 10-15
Mash 12.6 8-12 5-7
Gram 11.5 10-12 7.5
Vegetable crops
Pea 145.0 100-135 108.3
Potato 185.0 150-175 102.1
French bean 100.0 100-120 104.6
Radish 245.0 200-250 208.0
Garlic 220.0 200-250 121.0
Onion 300.0 300-350 225.0
Model Organic Farm, Deptt. of Organic Agriculture, CSKHPKV, Palampur **As per Package of practices
Comparative production of crops under different farming practices in
Himachal Pradesh

7. Environmental
safety
Human
health
Soil
health Globally, more than one lakh pesticide
poisoning cases & over 20,000
deaths/year
Why Organic &Natural Farming…??
WHO, 2017

8.  The most important example of
this is from Punjab, India where
indiscriminate use of pesticides
particularly in the cotton belt of
Malwa region has caused the people
to suffer from cancer
Singh et al., 2013

9. ♠ One train runs from Punjab to
Rajasthan which is called a
CANCER TRAIN because most of
the cancer patients travel by that
train to Bikaner in Rajasthan for
treatment
♠ This is the fact that synthetic
pesticides cause a lot of health
problems to the human, animals
and environment
Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com

10. Strengths
of
Organic
Farming In India, organic agriculture has a large potential. This is due to
a number of facts
India has large geographical and arable area with a wide
variety of agro-climatic zones.
Two-third of the arable area is rain fed-untouched by the green
revolution techniques and Most of the areas in the country are
organic by default
Global market demand-- can provide premium prices, as
demand is growing rapidly and supply is still behind. India can
take advantage of this situation
Kumar and Saraviya et al., 2016

11. Positives of
organic farming
under protected
conditions
Conserve
soil
moisture
Benefits of
supply of
quality
produce
Brings 10-
30%
premium
for produce
High
nutritional
quality
Greer and Diver, 2000

12. 3 Major challenges in
organic production in
protected conditions
Nutrient Management
Agronomic practices
Addition of Bio-fertilizers
Addition of Organic materials
Natural minerals
Weed management
Mulching
Bio-herbicides
Cultural control
IWM
Insect-pests and diseases
management
Neem based products
Biocontrol agents
Cow product based formulations

13. Sr. No. Organic Sources N(%) P(%) K (%)
1. Crab-shell meal 8.2 1.5 0.5
2. Blood meal 12.5 1.1 1.0
3. Dried whey sludge 5.3 2.5 0.9
4. Feather meal 13.6 0.3 0.2
5. Fish meal 10.1 4.5 0.5
6. Meat meal 7.7 3.1 0.7
7. Cotton seed meal 6.5 1.1 1.6
8. Fish-scale meal 10.0 3.7 0.1
9. Distiller’s dried grains 4.3 0.9 1.1
10. Soybean meal 7.5 0.7 2.4
11. Wheat bran 2.9 1.4 1.3
12. Alfalfa meal 2.5 0.3 1.9
13. Canola meal 6.0 1.1 1.3 Lynette, 1997
Nutrient sources for fertigation in organic farming

14. Matka khad Compost Tea Vermi wash Amrit pani Panchgavya
Liquid manures for fertigation/ spray in protected
organic farming

15. ֍ The responses of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) to organic nitrogen (N) fertilizers were
investigated in a greenhouse
֍ Fertilizers were blood meal (BLO), feather meal (FM), cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal,
sewage sludge, compost, cow manure, a chemical fertilizer, and a treatment without
fertilizer
֍ Amounts of N from fertilizers were 100, 200, 400, or 800mg per pot

16. mg N/plot
Shoot fresh weight (g/plant)
Mean
BLO ALF CSM FM SEW COM COW CHEM
0 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52
100 85 73 66 82 60 55 57 69 69
200 95 82 76 70 66 59 61 78 73
400 76 75 74 66 74 65 69 81 73
800 36 30 32 39 71 74 75 84 55
Mean 73 65 62 64 67 63 65 78
Fresh weight of shoots of lettuce as a function of
nitrogen added and kind of fertilizers

17. Organic substrates
Vertical Tower
Straw bale
Shallow bed
Bag culture
Hydroponics
Aggregate : Inert,
organic & mixed
Liquid: NFT
Aquaponics
Greer and Diver, 2000
SOILLESS CULTURE

18. • Soil analysis: pH, SOC, Nutrients
• Apply 10% jeevamrit in soil at bed preparation.
• Apply higher doses of composts in polyhouses
(vermicomposts @4-5 kg/sq m at the time of bed
preparation)
Before
transplanting
• Vermiwash is one of the best sources of liquid
manure.
• 10% vermiwash@ 100 ml/plant should be fed
through drip irrigation at weekly interval
• Spray 10% Panchgavya at fortnightly interval
After transplanting
Organic production technology for vegetable
production under protected cultivation

19. Tips for Plant protection
Soil Treatment: with 10% Jeevamrit,
mix with soil by properly stirring the
soil at least one week prior to planting
Termites: Application of Beauvaria or
Metarrhizum @ 5ml/l water during
soil preparation
Powdery mildew: spray 5g of
asphoetida dissolved in 1 lt of milk,
spray on crop @10% dilution
Tips for Weed management
Stale seed bed technique Mulching Compost quality

20. ♣ Maintains soil moisture and
temperature
♣ Better seed germination
♣ Suppresses the weeds
♣ Protects from direct sunlight and
raindrops
♣ Protects against bird damage
♣ Paddy straw mulch (7.5 tones/ha) in
tomato gave 34% higher yield (40
t/ha) in comparison to non-mulched
control (29.8 t/ha) with 15% water
savings.
Uses of mulches

21.  The experiment was conducted to study the effect of mulch on growth and yield of
tomato varieties under polyhouse condition at Bahir Dar, Ethiopia in 2012 and 2013.
 The treatments were 4 × 2 factorial combinations of mulching material (Black plastic mulch
(BPM), White plastic mulch (WPM), Grass mulch (GM) and no mulch with two varieties
(Cochoro and Miya).

22. Parameter Plant Height
(cm)
Days to 50%
flowering
Days to
50% fruiting
Days to 50%
fruit maturity
(t ha-1 )
Total Yield
per hectare
(t ha-1 )
BPM 116.35 32.75 56.00 89.58 57.50
WPM 118.85 29.66 47.33 84.16 53.45
GM 105.70 35.66 60.33 92.75 66.76
No mulch 110.35 35.50 61.16 89.75 49.49
SE± 2.96 1.41 3.16 1.78 3.70
Results
Tegan et al, 2015

23. Protected structures give high yields of best quality produce
TOMATO CAPSICUM
CUCUMBER
LETTUCE

24. ♠ Trichoderma @ 10g per kg of seed with coating of the culture over the entire seed
coat. Dry the seeds in shade for 2 to 3 hours before sowing of the seed.
Seed treatment with Seed Inoculants and Bio-fertilizers
♠ Mix the 25g of biofertilizers with vermicompost 2 to 3 days before sowing and
then put the fortified compost over the seeds in lines at the time of sowing
♠ Azotobactor or Azosprillum and PSB @ 25g/kg of the seed. Dip the seeds in 10%
solution of molasses before treating with biofertilizers. Sow the seed after drying
in shade for some time.

25. Azotobacter Rhizobium Azospirillum
Blue green algae Phosphate solubilizing bacteria

26.  A research study was conducted in a plastic house (500m2 ) at the vegetable research field of the
protected cultivated department at Zakho Technical Institute, Dohuk Polytechnic University,
Kurdistan Region-Iraq.
 The field trial encompassed the foliar application of three levels of humic acid (0, 2, and 4)
ml/L and three levels of yeast (0, 2.5 and 5) g/L on the lettuce (cv. Romaine) under greenhouse
conditions.

27. Yeast g/l Humic Acid ml/l Yeast g/l
0 2 4
0 586.50 808.83 632.50 675.94
2.5 747.50 797.33 868.25 804.36
5 774.33 762.83 981.33 839.50
Humic Acid
ml/l
702.78 789.67 827.36
Effect of humic acid and bread yeast and their interaction in the head weight g of lettuce
Results
Ibrahim IR, 2020

28. ֍ The experiment aims to evaluate the effects of vermicompost produced from sheep manure
on growth, yield and quality of 2 fruit cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) varieties (cv. ‘Sultan
F1’ and cv. ‘Storm F1’) under greenhouse condition.
֍ Four vermicompost treatments at the rate of 0 (control), 10, 20 and 30 t ha-1 were
incorporated into the top 15 cm of soil.
֍ During the experiment, fruits were harvested three times per week and fruit number and
weight were recorded for 3 months.
֍ Leaf number, plant height and chlorophyll content were measured at 30, 60 and 90 days
after transplanting, while leaf area, stem and leaf dry weight and fruit qualitative properties
were evaluated at 90 days after transplanting.

29. Vermicompost
(t ha-1 )
Number of fruit plant-1 Total yield g plant-1
Sultan Storm Sultan Storm
0 29.67 31.67 2817 2967
10 33.00 34.00 3067 3275
20 35.55 37.00 3393 3583
30 37.33 39.67 3537 3703
Effect of vermicompost rate on yield parameters of
cucumber cv. ‘Sultan F1’ cv. ‘Storm F1’.

30. i. Can we sustain the food security of the ever-increasing population
through organic farming..??
ii. Is it possible to meet the nutrient requirement of the crops entirely
through organic sources..??
Now the two important questions…??

31. ֍ No Govt. policy for organic farming
֍ Lack of consumer’s awareness
֍ Lack of adequate information to farmers
֍ Lack of a guarantee system for the domestic market
֍ Lack of market information on supplies, prices & quality
֍ High subsidies on fertilizers overshadows the scope of organic farming
֍ Research system is yet to be geared up
֍ High cost of certification
Then where is the limitation….??

32. ♣ Who will do the organic farming in the present scenario…??
♣ Availability of organic inputs & other resources..
♣ Organic biomass and dung has competing uses…
♣ Availability of manpower is a serious issue..
The real challenges…??

33. What should be done…??
The ministry of agriculture should introduce favorable government policies and strategies for the
promotion of organic agriculture. These should include:
֍ A programme of assistance to farmers who want to convert their lands to organic farming
֍ An increase in investment on research in organic agriculture
֍ A strengthening of links between the government, private sectors and NGOs
֍ Awareness campaigns
֍ Govt. assistance in micro-credit and micro-enterprises to self-help groups for the preparation of
organic inputs
֍ Support structures for small farmers group certification and marketing access
֍ The establishment of monthly information bulletin on local and international prices

34. ♠ Certification is essentially aimed at regulating and facilitating the sale
of organic products to consumers
♠ Organic certification addresses a growing worldwide demand for
organic food, which intends to assure quality and prevent fraud.
Organic Certification

35. Why is Organic Certification Needed
The consumer requests for healthy and environmentally sound
products and is willing to pay a higher price for them

36. Important considerations for successful Organic Certification
COMPILANCE
DOCUMENTATION
PLANNING
INSPECTION
FEE
RECORD-KEEPING

37. Agencies involved in certification of organic food in India

39.  It is also referred to as “The Fukuoka Method,” the “Natural way of
Farming” or “Do –Nothing farming.”
 The system is based upon the recognition of the complexity of living
organisms that shape an ecosystem and deliberately exploiting it.
Natural farming is an ecological farming approach established
by Masanobu Fukuoka (1913–2008), a Japanese farmer and philosopher,
introduced in his 1975 book ”The One-Straw Revolution’”
Concept of Natural Farming

40. ֍ Human cultivation of soil, ploughing, or tilling are unnecessary, as is the use of powered
machines
֍ Fertilizers are not needed, as is the process of preparing composts
The five principles of Fukuoka’s Natural
Farming

41. ֍ Weeding, either by cultivation or by herbicides is unnecessary
֍ There is no need of applying pesticides or herbicides
֍ Pruning of fruit trees is not required
The five principles of Fukuoka’s Natural
Farming

42.  Environment-friendly
 Farmers friendly
 Improves soil health
on sustainable basis
 High quality produce and
hence improves human health
Fukuoka’s philosophy of Natural Farming

43. Subhash Palekar Natural Farming
֍ - Padamshri Subhash Palekar
֍ B.Sc in Agriculture (Maharashtra)
֍ Expense-free farming
֍ “Adopt principles of nature in farming using locally available ingredients”
֍ Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) as the name implies, is a method of farming where the cost of cultivation
of crops (purchased inputs) is almost zero.
֍ Farmers need not to purchase fertilizers & pesticides for taking higher yields.

44. Key points of Palekar’s NF
♠ Plants nutrient requirement from soil: only 1.5 to 5 %
♠ Remaining is absorbed through water & air, and hence using fertilizers is not
prudent.
♠ Huge trees in forests loaded with the countless fruits without the fertilizers &
pesticides are proof that plants do grow healthily without any chemical help.
♠ This is because the microorganisms help convert nutrients present in soil to the
available form to the plants

45. Whapasa
Four pillars of Natural
Farming
Jeevamrita
Beejamrita
Acchadana

46. ֍ It is a fermented microbial culture
֍ It provides nutrients, but most importantly, acts as a catalytic agent that
promotes the activity of micro-organisms in the soil as well increases the
earthworm activities
֍ Jeevamrita also helps to prevent the fungal and bacterial plant diseases
Preparation of Jeevamrita :
♣ Add 10 kg cow dung and 10 liters cow urine
♣ Add 2 kg jaggery
♣ Add 2 kg of pulse flour and a handful of soil from
the bund.
♣ Put water to make 200 liters volume in a barrel.
♣ Stir the solution well and let it ferment in shade for
48 hours.
Jeevamrita

47. ֍ Effective in protecting young roots from fungus as well as from soil borne and
seed borne diseases.
֍ Add Beejamrita to the seeds of any crop, coat them mixing by hand and dry
the seed in shade and use then for sowing.
Preparation
The ingredients of Beejamrita are :
♣ Water: 20 litres
♣ Cow dung - 5.0 kg
♣ Cow urine - 5.0 liters
♣ Lime - 250 g
♣ Soil - 50 g
Beejamrita

48. ♦ It is necessary to create the micro-climate under which micro-organization can well
develop i.e. 25 to 320c temperature and 65 to 72 % moisture
♦ It creates darkness and warmth in the soil
♦ It conserves humidity of soil, cools it and protects its micro-organizations
♦ Mulching promotes humus formations, suppresses weeds and maintains the water
requirement of crops
♦ According to Palekar, what roots need is water in the form of vapours
♦ Whapasa is the condition where there are both air and water molecules present
in the soil and he encourages reducing irrigation, irrigating only at noon in
alternate furrows
Acchadana (Mulching)
Whapasa (Moisture)

49. ֍ Intercropping:
♣This is primarily how ZBNF gets its “Zero Budget” name
♣It does not mean that the farmer is going to have no costs at all, but
rather than any costs will be compensated for by income from
intercrops, making farming a close to Zero Budget activity
֍ Contours and bunds
֍ Contours and bunds help preserving rain water
Other important principles of Natural Farming

50. ♠ Local species of earthworms:
♠Palekar opposes the use of vermicompost
♠Revival of local deep soil earthworms through increased organic matter
is most recommended
♠ Cow dung:
♠ According to Palekar dung from the desi cows/ Indigenous breeds have
highest concentrations of micro-organisms as compared to European
breeds and hence more beneficial
♠ As per him, one cow is sufficient for raising crops in 30 acre

51.  Various preparations like Neemastra, Bramhastra, Agniastra etc. are
used initially and later stages there is very little or no need of these
preparations.
 Neemastra:
 Take 100 L water add 5L of cow urine + 2kg cow dung + 5kg crushed
neem leaves and ferment for 24-48 hrs. Stir the solution twice a day by
any stick.
 Filter using a cloth. It is ready for spray for sucking pests & mealy bugs
Insect pest management..

52.  Take 10L of cow urine + 1/2Kg tobacco +500gm green chili +500gm local
garlic+5kg crushed neem leaves.
 Boil solution well 5 times continuously.
 Filter using cloth & ferment for 24hours Ready to spray on pests like leaf
roller, stem borer, fruit borer etc.
 Take 100L water in a pot and add 10L cow urine+5kg crushed neem leaves + 5kg
Ipomoea leaves +2kg Datura leaves+ 2kg Pongamia leaves +2kg castor leaves.
 Boil this solution 5 times. Filter using cloth, fermented for 24 hrs. Ready to spray for
controlling sucking pests, pod borer, fruit borer etc.
Agniastra
Bramhastra

53. ֍Organic farming under protected conditions offers lot of opportunity to encash its
productive potential to a wider extent with greater assurance of high quality and toxin free
vegetables.
֍The low yield of vegetables in initial phase of organic farming can be compensated with
higher market price for quality produce provided properly labelled products are marketed.
֍Visualizing the greater demand of quality vegetables in UPCs and very negligible research
on organic farming under protected conditions, initiatives may be undertaken to
channelize research activities under such conditions
Conclusion