A key to healthy plants, healthy people and a healthy environment!

he concept of Balanced Plant Nutrition is not a revolutionary one; it is a poorly understood one! BPN is an integrated approach to meet the nutritional needs of the crop throughout its life-cycle. The focus of BPN is the sustainability of the agro-system. It encompasses the basics of nutrient management and nutrient balancing based on crop type, soil type and stage of plant growth to ensure optimal crop-soil-environment health. BPN does not stop at administering the BIG 3 (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium), but also incorporates the use of secondary nutrients, micronutrients and organic manures.

• Optimizes quantitative as well as qualitative yields.
• Maximizes cost: benefit ratio.
• Avoids wastefulness of applied agro-inputs (better utilization of N, P, K).
• Avoids nutrient antagonisms in soil and plant systems.
• Lowers incidence of plant deficiencies, toxicities and "hidden hunger".
• Produces normal or near-normal crop even under poor soil conditions.
• Maintains a clean and productive soil.
• Renders the plant competent by increasing its immunity to stress and pest attack.
• Reduces environmental hazards.

orld hunger is growing. World populations are on a steady rise. In effect, world demand for food has shot up. Two greatest global issues of concern are population growth and generalized micronutrient malnutrition. Intensive cultivation of high yielding cultivars and heavy application of N, P, K fertilizers alone has lead to the human population suffering from micronutrient deficiencies and health problems. Extensive research over the past 100 years has indicated that 15 micro-nutrients are required for human growth and development and 17 elements are required for plant growth of which 7 are micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, Ni). Each nutrient has its own specific role to play in plant biochemistry and physiology and no other element can replace the functions of that element.

Still, a whole century later we concentrate on the BIG 3 (major elements) to fulfill the needs of plants and humans! This has led to excessive use of NPK fertilizers, overuse of pesticides and insecticides, progressive environmental damage and a tremendous expenditure on the part of the grower amongst other problems.

Now can we define this as a sustainable agro-environment? We think not. We strongly believe that the current system of agriculture is inconsistent with the principles of sustainability because it fails to incorporate the need for ALL essential nutrients in a balanced plant nutrition program.

There has to be a shift in paradigms which not only focuses on food production as the primary goal, but one that recognizes the urgent need for agriculture to pay attention to producing enough food of high nutritional quality and diversity to satisfy a balanced diet for all people, thereby, insuring healthy and productive lives.