In our Agriculture for Everybody blog series, we are going to see Subhash Palekar's SPNF/ZBNF.
Here we are going to see the basic details and not the entire models as they are well covered in his books and seminar.
Basic Information
- One Desi Cow is sufficient for 30 acres of land.
- Carbon & Nitrogen (C:N) in 10:1 ratio is required for humus creation.
- Top soil 4.5-6 inches /10-15 cms has humus. So, only the top soil of about 10 cms to be harrowed or cultivated.
- High humus can be created by cutting down the crops after seed maturation.
- 200 to 400 Kg Ghanjiwamitra per acre to be applied on the soil per year.
- Last cultivation to be done by shallow harrowing operation so that Ghanjiwamitra mixes well in the soil.
- Cultivate the land very well and no deep ploughing is necessary.
- Trenches to be dug against the slope. If there is no visible slope, the trenches can be dug in any direction.
- The size of the trenches varies according to the model implemented.
- (eg., 36 X 36 model requires 2.5-3 ft wide X 1.5-2 ft deep)
- Dig "V" shape trenches.
- Dugout soil of the trenches to be placed on either side of the trenches.
- Alternate trenches to be dug.
- Mulching to be done in the trenches as and when the harvest of the crop is completed.
- Irrigate in alternate trenches in alternate times.
- Pour 200-400 Litres per acre Jiwamitra in the irrigation water.
- In rainy season, one cup of Jiwamitra to be poured in between the two plants.
Mulching
- All intercrops supply regular straw material though out the year to be placed in the trenches.
- After harvest of Drumstick pods, leaves to be used as mulching.
- Straw mulching to be placed in the trenches before monsoon starts.
- 200-400 Litres per acre to be poured on the straw mulch after 3:00 pm for better results.
- Both monocot & dicot to be used as mulching (2/3rd dicot legumes and 1/3 rd monocot)
- Not more than 6 inches of straw mulching to be applied on the soil.
- Straw mulching thickness should be 12 fingers (22 cms).
- Sugarcane trash of 6 tons per hectare can be applied. 3 tons for 2 times/year.
- Annual grasses are a necessity in fruit trees or sugarcane crops as the Mycorrhiza are available in the roots of the grasses.
- In newly planted fruit trees, cut the grass at 20 cms height and mulch.
- Perennial grasses to be removed entirely. Straw mulching reduces the growth of perennial grasses.
- If there is existence of eggs of insects on the leaves, immediately spray the pesticides.
- Neem Paste to be applied on the surface of the stem of fruits trees (cashewnut, coffee, cocoa, coconut etc) three times a year.
- Before monsoon start i.e. in the last week of May.
- After South West monsoon returned back i.e. last week of Oct.
- After North East monsoon returned back i.e. in Jan.
- After harvesting of pods & fruits of creeper vegetables, pull the creeper plants into the trenches as act as mulch.
- Spread 100 kg GJ on both the bank sides of the trenches.
- Dibble winter pulses & winter creeper vegetables.
- Repeat Step No.1.
- Dibble summer pulses & summer creeper vegetables.
- Repeat Step No.1.
- Spread 200 kg GJ on both the bank sides of the trenches.
- Dibble rainy pulses & rainy creeper vegetables.
- Repeat this process every year.
- First 3 months of planting, the weeds have to be uprooted.
- After 3 months of planting, the weeds to be cut down (3 inches from the soil).
- Vacant belts to be harrowed twice a month.
