Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 4
COMPARATIVE GROWTH ANALYSIS
OF
CALLISTEPHUS CHINENSIS
L.
USING VERMICOMPOST AND
CHEMICAL FERTILIZER
DULAL CHANDRA DAS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
Modern day agriculture throughout the globe is fully dependent up on the
chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Immense and uninterrupted uses of
chemical fertilizers and pesticides have led to diverse pernicious effects
on soil and environment. Inorganic agriculture created the planetary en-
vironmental menace like loss of biodiversity, desertification, climate and
transboundary pollution. Increased use of inorganic fertilizers in crop pro-
duction deteriorated soil health, caused health hazard and created imbal-
ance to environment by polluting air, water, soil etc. The continuous use
of chemical fertilizers badly affected the texture and structure, reduced
organic matter content and decreased microbial activities of soil. The sol
degradation threatens the sustainability of cropping system (1-8). At pres-
ent to control this alarming situation and to overcome the dangerous affects
of modernized agriculture a new farming system “Organic farming” has
