There was once a time when the rubber farmer had to collect separate samples of top and bottom soils from representative locations in his holding and get it tested in laboratories to know their nutrient status, so that he could apply the correct dose of fertilizer.
All this, and the associated hassles and expenses, will become history with the introduction of a mobile app-based online manurial recommendation developed by the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), the first of its kind for rubber farmers anywhere in the world and the first for any crop in India.
The app will tell the farmer the current nutrient status as well as the quantity of fertiliser to be applied in his holding, irrespective of his location, through a satellite-based system.
This was announced by A Ajith Kumar, Chairman and Executive Director of the Rubber Board, at a press conference in Kottayam.
Christened the Rubber Soil Information System or RubSIS, the powerful Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tool for agricultural extension was formally launched by Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Commerce and Industry, in New Delhi.
The Android App of this system has now been made ready, for use on smartphones.
RubSIS brings soil data to the fingertips of rubber growers and recommends the optimum mix and quantities of chemical fertilisers that their holdings require.
It applies satellite-based remote sensing, Geographical Information System (GIS) and fertility mapping of rubber-growing soils to develop an online web-based fertiliser recommendation for rubber growers.
RubSIS combines principles of geospatial technology with soil science, agronomy and ICT for the benefit of rubber growers.
RubSIS enables a grower to access the status of 13 fertility parameters of his/her rubber holding instantly and at no cost. It gives location-specific and need-based recommendation for use of chemical fertilisers in one holding, according to the age of the rubber plants and the extent of the holding.
At a time when rubber prices are low, it is crucial that cost of production too is kept low even as productivity is sustained.
RubSIS ensures that expensive chemical fertilisers are applied only if required, based on the existing fertility of the soil.
Avoiding indiscriminate and excessive use of chemical fertilisers not only saves money for the grower, but also helps avoid air and water pollution and soil degradation.
RubSIS is literally taking modern technology to the fingertips of growers or rather “from pixels to farmers”. RubSIS empowers the rubber grower to take an informed and need-based decision regarding fertiliser application.
Salient features of RubSISAdoption of RubSIS recommendations will result in optimal use of fertilisers, lowering cost of cultivation, maximising productivity and ultimately in enhancing farmers’ income.
It will also help reduce soil degradation and environmental pollution.
RubSIS combines principles of soil science, agronomy, geospatial technology and ICT, has been conceived entirely by the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) and developed in collaboration with the National Remote Sensing Centre, ISRO (for mapping rubber plantations using satellite-based remote sensing techniques), the National Bureau of Soil Survey & Land Use Planning, ICAR (for soil fertility analysis) and the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management–Kerala (for software development).
This is an example of inter-institutional collaboration for effective convergence of expertise and efficient use of resources available at various institutions.
Currently, RubSIS is available for all rubber-growing regions in South India (from Kanyakumari to Maharashtra). An app for the North-Eastern states will be ready in 2018.