Soil Exhaustion: Experts warn against land overuse

MULTAN: Agriculture experts have warned growers that ceaseless cultivation of food crops will leave their soil deficient in micro-nutrients, and have advised them to get farmland soil analysed every three-years in order to combat any deficiencies. Ceaseless cultivation renders soil deficient in important micro-nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorous, potash, sulphur, zinc, iron, bronze and boron, says a release issued by the media liaison unit of the Punjab agriculture department here on Tuesday. “The presence of micro-nutrients in the soil is also affected by water scarcity and unsuitable methods of fertiliser application at unsuitable times,” the release said. “Agricultural production can be enhanced two to three times by suitable application of fertilisers,” they added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2012.