Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
azadi ka amrit mahotsav

News report on fast tracking approvals for Nano Urea with incomplete trials is misleading and presents partial view of the existing facts and data available on the subject


Established and existing procedures fully followed for registration of the fertilizer as per Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), 1985

Nano Urea has been provisionally notified under FCO based on encouraging results and feedback received from ICAR and State Agricultural Universities

Central Fertilizer Committee (CFC) has recommended it based on data and after due deliberations with Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

Posted On: 04 SEP 2022 6:36PM by PIB Delhi

A leading national daily has carried a misleading news report today alleging that “Nano Urea has been fast tracked for approval despite incomplete trials”. The news report is erroneous, mis-informed and presents partial view of the existing facts and data available on the subject.

It has been wrongly quoted in the news report that the process has been "fast tracked". It is clarified that the established and existing procedure for registration of any fertilizer for notification as per Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), 1985 has been fully accounted for. Nano Urea has been notified provisionally under FCO based on existing procedure for introduction of fertilizers under FCO, 1985 which requires data from only two seasons. Nano Urea has been provisionally notified under FCO based on encouraging results and feedback received from scientists of ICAR and State Agricultural Universities. Central Fertilizer Committee (CFC), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA & FW) has also recommended it based on data and due deliberations in this regard. In addition, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has also been referred to for safety & biosafety issues. It is only after satisfaction with regard to efficacy, biosafety and biotoxicity that Nano Urea has been brought under FCO as a separate category of nano fertilizer.

Furthermore, the data is not limited to two seasons as have wrongly been communicated through the news report, as research and farmer field trials have been continued for last more than four seasons.

Consistent results have been recorded without any detriment to soil health/ fertility status (Table1).

Table 1. Season wise / Crop wise - Experimental trials undertaken

Experiments

Season

Crops & Trials (Nos.)

“On Station” Trials

Rabi 2019-20

(24 Nos.)

Cereals:  Wheat (11);

Oilseeds:  Mustard (1);

Vegetables: Onion (2); Capsicum (1), Cabbage (1), Tomato (3); Parthenocarpic Cucumber under polyhouse (1)

Sugar Crops: Suru Sugarcane (1)

Summer 2019-20

(3 Nos.)

Cereals: Paddy (1); Maize (2)

Kharif 2020

(16 Nos.)

Cereals: Paddy (6); Maize (5); Pear millet (3)

Fibres: Cotton (1)

Vegetables: Okra (1)

Rabi 2020-21

(8 Nos.)

Cereals:  Wheat (6);

Oilseeds:  Mustard (1);

Vegetables: Onion (1)

Summer 2020-21

(2 Nos.)

Cereals: Paddy (1); Maize (1)

Kharif 2021

(21 Nos.)

See Table 2.

 

Rabi 2021-22

(19 Nos.)

Wheat (8); Rapeseed/ Mustard (3); Onion (1); Groundnut (1); Sunflower (1); Ginger (1), Turmeric (1), Sugarcane (1), Paddy(1), Maize (1)

 

Kharif- 2022

(7 Nos.)

Paddy (3); Apple (1), Bajra (1); Fingermillet (2)

 

Rabi -2022-23

(6 Nos.)

Continued

“On Farm”

Trials

Rabi 2019-20

93 crops; 11224 trials (9037 recorded)

Kharif 2020

44 crops; 1511trials (1435 recorded)

Rabi 2020-21

34 crops; 1126 trials

Total

11,598 Trials

 

For evaluation of Nano Urea, premium ICAR research institutes and state agricultural universities have been at the vanguard of nano urea trials.  Different aspects associated with crop productivity; reduction in fertilisers dosage, farmers profitability have been addressed through these trials. A list of some key research institutes / SAUs engaged in nano urea trials are as under (Table 2).

SN

Crops

Location

Season/ Year Onwards

 
 

1

Maize

ICAR-  CRIDA, Hyderabad, Telengana

Kharif 2021

 
 

2

Fingermillet

AICRPDA Centre, Bengaluru

Kharif 2021

 
 

3

Upland Rice

AICRPDA Centre, Jagdalpura, Chattisgarh

Rabi  2021-22

 
 

4

Irrigated Rice

IRRI-ISARC,Varanasi

Kharif 2021

 
 

5

Rainfed Rice

IRRI-ISARC,Varanasi

Kharif 2021

 
 

6

Rainfed Rice

IRRI-ISARC, Assam

Kharif 2021

 
 

7

Wheat

CSSRI Karnal, Haryana

Rabi 2020-21

 
 
 

8

Paddy

CSSRI Karnal, Haryana

Kharif 2021

 
 

9

Wheat

AAU, Anand, Gujarat

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

10

Maize

AAU, Anand, Gujarat

Kharif 2021

 
 

11

Wheat

ANDUAT, Ayodhya, UP

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

12

Wheat

MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

13

Wheat

SKNAU, Jobner, Rajasthan

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

14

Wheat

IARI, New Delhi

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

15

Mustard

IARI, New Delhi

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

16

Pearlmillet

IARI, New Delhi

Kharif 2019-20

 
 

17

Wheat

BAU, Ranchi

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

18

Paddy

UAHS, Shivamoga, Karnataka

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

19

Paddy

TNAU ( Bhavanisagar Stn.) Drone Expt

Kharif 2021

 
 

20

Maize

UAS GKVK, Karnataka

Summer 2019-20

 
 

21

Maize

PJTSAU, Telengana

Summer 2019-20

 
 

22

Onion

MPKVV, Rahuri, Maharashtra

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

23

Cabbage

IIHR, Bengaluru, Karnataka

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

24

Cucumber

IIHR, Bengaluru, Karnataka

Rabi 2019-20

 
 

 

Summary of results of application of nano urea – liquid (Nano N) across different locations and agro-climatic regions has revealed that foliar application of nano urea at critical growth stages of crops like Rice, Wheat, Maize, tomato, cucumber and capsicum etc., lead to reduction in application of nitrogenous fertilisers and also increase yield in range of 3-23 % in wheat; 5- 11 % in tomato; 3-24 % in paddy / rice; 2-15 % in maize, 5 % in cucumber and 18 % in capsicum.

Science and scientific endeavours are a continuous process and significant efforts go in the process from concept to translation stage. Nano fertilizers are novel in the way that they provide immense opportunity in terms of addressing the challenges being faced by intensive agriculture practices currently underway which are ultimately harming the soil, air and water in the long run. It is therefore prudent that nano fertilizers like nano urea are holistically viewed in perspective of declining nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of chemical fertilizers and alternative solutions that need to be made available to farmers.

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MV/SK

C&F Nano Urea Rebuttal-4th Sept 2022-4


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