The Hindu Business Line : AP farmer applies for patent for process to sustain soil fertility

According to Mr C. Venkat Reddy, a farmer from Alwal near here, fertility of soil can be sustained for years by replacement of the topsoil with sub-soil.

After successfully experimenting the technique for three years in his fields, Mr Reddy has now applied for an international patent for his process under the World Trade Organisation's Patent Cooperation Treaty.

The Andhra Pradesh Technology Development and Promotion Centre has helped him in filing for the patent.

Almost 15 years ago, Mr Reddy deepened a well in his grape orchard and pumped the water mixed with sub-soil from the well into the garden. That year, the grapes yield had increased from a normal of 150 per kg to 250 kg per plant.

Surprised, Mr Reddy started examining the reasons for the steep increase in the yield though he did not apply any additional fertilisers or chemicals. He came to a conclusion that the increase was on account of the soil dug out of the well and distributed to the plants mixed with water.

This realisation, Mr Reddy told Business Line, made him to explore how to sustain soil fertility. Eventually, he experimented with digging a long stretch of 4 ft deep and 2.5 ft wide trenches in a row to replace topsoil with sub-soil after harvesting each crop. Result was that the output of his paddy crop shot up to 10 tonnes per hectare from 5 tonnes continuously during the three years.

He said that he had successfully adopted the same process for growing vegetables and wheat. He had not applied any artificial fertilisers except bone meal, castor and neem cakes as the sub-soil was rich in micronutrients. "Besides, there is no problem of weeds sprouting all over the cropped area."

Mr Reddy said that by using his process the cost of cultivation would go up by Rs 400 per acre. But to that extent, the farmer could save on chemicals and fertilisers. And, with a substantial increase in crop yields, farmers could realise higher incomes.

Though Mr Reddy had applied for patent of his process on June 28, 2004, he said that Indian farmers were free to use his technique. "The patent is meant only for international applications and use of the process by the corporate sector," he added.