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Dying fields

Dying fields agro-scientists in India are a troubled lot these days because there are indications that the soil in some of the most-productive regions of the country is losing its micronutrient content. “However, in India, little attention is paid to the possible health impact of depleting micronutrients in the soil,” laments V K Nayyar, professor, department of soil, Punjab Agricultural University ( pau ), Ludhiana.

Booming population, over-extraction and intensive cropping are the main culprits behind the depletion of micronutients, say experts. “Intensive cropping removes crucial micronutrients from the soil. This, in the long-run, will lead to serious health problems,” says C K Hira, senior nutritionist, department of food and micronutrients, pau .

Scientists cite other factors too. “This is happening due to the use of High Yielding Varieties ( hyv) , use of fertilisers rich in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (these are present in the ratio of 50:25:25) and changed cropping patterns,” says J S Kanwar of International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics ( icrisat ), Hyderabad.

There are 16 essential plant nutrients, out of which seven

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