Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

Vol. 22, June Suppl. Issue 2016; Page No.(5-10)

PADDY STRAW MANAGEMENT BY BALER-CUM-KNOTTER VIS- VIS OPEN BURNING: AN ECONOMIC COMPARISON

G.S. Dhillon, G.S. Romana and Jagdish Grover

Abstract

The Front Line Demonstrations were conducted on paddy straw management with Baler-cum-knotter conducted by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra Bathinda during the year 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15. In Punjab,a small part of paddy straw is utilised in generating power at biomass thermal plants but rest about 20 million tonne of the paddy straw is set on fire in the open sky. The open paddy straw burning causes environmental pollution leading to many diseases. Burning also produces CO2, which creates Green House Effect by producing the 17.23 million tonnes of CO2 during the short span of 15-20 days (1 kg of paddy straw on burning produces about 1.46 kg CO2). A machine called Baler-cum-Knotter has been introduced by PAU Ludhiana for management of paddy straw which makes bales of loose straw. The overall average running cost of Baler cum Knotter has been assessed as Rs.926.90 per acre. On an average Rs.1946.75 were obtained from selling of bales of paddy straw of one acre during years 2011-2015. As one ton paddy straw contains 5.5 kg Nitrogen, 2.3 kg Phosphorus, 1.75 kg Potash and 0.85 kg Sulphur content. Thus on an average 700 kg of paddy straw (33 %) per acre left over in the field after the making of bales saved 8.37 kg Urea, 3.5 kg DAP, 2.04 kg Muriate of Potash and 3.72 kg SSP fertilizers, respectively, thus saving of Rs.187.09 per acre. Overall productivity increase of wheat crop worth Rs.1197.75 per acre was recorded as an additional benefit on account of higher yield.

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