Fertilizer Recommendation Service
Md Nazmul Hasan
Principal Scientific Officer
(Head of Central Laboratory)
Soil Resource Development Institute
Ministry of Agriculture
Fertilizer Recommendation System in
Bangladesh
Research on soil test and crop
response:Bangladesh Agricultural Research
Institute (BARI)
Bangladesh Rice Research
Institute (BRRI)
Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear
Agriculture (BINA)
Bangladesh Jute Research
Institute (BJRI)
Bangladesh Sugarcane Research
Institute (BSRI)
Soil Fertility Database
Generation:Soil Resource Development
Institute (SRDI)
Based on soil test and crop
response research and soil
fertility database “Fertilizer
Recommendation Guides” are
developed under the leadership
of Bangladesh Agricultural
Research Council (BARC). NARS
institutes and Department of
Agriculture Extension are the
contributing agencies.
Fertilizer Recommendation Guides
Fertilizer Recommendation Guide is an outcome of soil
fertility research in Bangladesh.
* Fertilizer Use in East Pakistan, 1961.
* Soil Fertility Investigation in East Pakistan, 1967.
* Studies on Fertilizers and Soils of East Pakistan, 1969.
* Fertilizer Guides of Major Crops of Bangladesh, 1979.
* Fertilizer Recommendation Guide, 1985.
* Fertilizer Recommendation Guide, 1989.
* Fertilizer Recommendation Guide, 1997.
* Fertilizer Recommendation Guide, 2005.
* Fertilizer Recommendation Guide, 2012.
Major Soil Fertility Research in Bangladesh.
• Rapid Soil Fertility Survey and Popularization of the
Use of Fertilizer in East Pakistan-1957.
• Reconnaissance Soil Survey-1961-75.
• Fertilizer Demonstration and Distribution Project,
UNDP/FAO (On-farm trials & Demos.)-1975-80.
• Semi-detailed Soil Survey- Outcome-”Land and Soil
Resources Utilization Guide” -1985-2002(First round),
Updating (Second round) is going on.
• Soil Fertility Research conducted by NARS Institutes.
• Soil Fertility and Fertilizer Management Project.
• Soil Fertility Monitoring Programme
Fertilizer Recommendation Service provided by
different agencies
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE)– Training,
– Demonstration,
– Field Day.
Agriculture Information Service (AIS)Online and Offline Fertilizer Recommendation
through AICC.
Mobile based Service (7676)
Fertilizer Recommendation Service
Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI)- Publication of Upazila wise “Land and Soil Resources
Utilization Guide” popularly known as Upazila
Nirdeshika,
- Training (TOT and farmers training)
- Demonstration (at minimum scale) and Field Day,
- Festoon,
- Poster,
- Billboard,
- Publication of Union Land, Soil and Fertilizer use
Guides,
Fertilizer Recommendation Service
Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI)- Mobile Soil Testing Laboratory (MSTL)Service,
- Fertilizer Recommendations at Static
Laboratories,
- Fertilizer Recommendation at Field Offices based
on Upazila Nirdeshika Database,
- On-line Fertilizer Recommendation System,
- Computer based Off-line Fertilizer
Recommendation Service.
Fertilizer Recommendation in Fertilizer
Recommendation Guide (FRG)
• AEZ wise Fertilizer Recommendations for
major crops and cropping pattern (Based on
average soil fertility status (data generated in
SRDI and crop requirement research done in
NARS institutes).
• Soil
Test
Value
based
Fertilizer
Recommendations.
Fertilizer Recommendation in Upazila
Nirdeshika
• Mapping unit and land type wise average soil
fertility based fertilizer recommendations.
• Soil group and land type wise average soil test
value based fertilizer recommendation (need
some additional work that is calculation).
• Point/location specific data based fertilizer
recommendation (need some calculation).
Data Generation Process on Soil Fertility Status
of Bangladesh Soil
• Soil sample collection through semi-detailed soil
survey for the preparation of Upazilawise Land
and Soil Resources Utilization Guide. Analyses in
the Static Laboratory of SRDI.
• Soil sample analyses in Mobile Soil Testing
Laboratories.
• Soil sample collection and analyses under soil
fertility Monitoring Programme.
• Digitization of the data base in GIS.
• Soil mapping.
pH of Bangladesh Soil
Extremely Acid (<4.5)=
0.35million ha.
Strongly Acid (4.5-5.5)=
5.13 million ha.
Total 5.48 million ha
soils needs special
attention. Application
of lime is necessary.
Organic Matter Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (1%)=1.09 mha.
Low (1-1.7%)= 4.14 mha
Total 5.23 mha soils
deficient in organic
matter. Incorporation
of organic matter or
organic fertilizer is
necessary.
Phosphorus Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (≤ 6.0 µg/g) =
1.65 mha
Low (6.1-12.0 µg/g ) =
3.48 mha
Total 5.12 mha lands are
deficient in Phosphorus.
Management of P
needed considering soil
pH. Liming in low pH.
Potassium Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (≤ 0.075
meq/100g) = 0.40 mha
Low (0.076-0.15
meq/100g) = 3.36 mha
Total 3.76 mha of soils
are deficient in
Potassium.
Sulfur Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (≤ 9.0 µg/g) =
1.00 mha
Low (9.1-18.0 µg/g ) =
3.57 mha
Total 4.57 mha of soils
are deficient in Sulfur.
Zinc Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (≤ 0.45 µg/g)
= 1.00 mha
Low (0.451-0.90 µg/g )
= 2.77 mha
Total3.77 mha soils are
deficient in Zinc.
Boron Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (≤ 0.15 µg/g)
= 1.15 mha
Low (0.151-0.30 µg/g )
= 2.30 mha
Total 3.45 mha soils are
deficient in Boron.
Calculation for fertilizer required
Fr = Uf – (Ci/Cs) x (St-Ls)
Fr: Fertilizer nutrient required for given soil test value.
Uf: Upper limit of the recommended fertilizer nutrient for
the respective STVI class.
Ci: Unit of class intervals used for fertilizer recommendation.
Cs: Unit of class intervals used for STVI class.
St: Soil test value.
Ls: Lower limit of the soil test value within STVI class.
Note: STVI is Soil Test Value Interpretation.
Land and Soil
Resource
Utilization
Guide (Upazila
Nirdeshika)
Database
Soil Sampling Points (Location)
Latitude - Longitude
Sample Number
Organic Matter
Salinity
pH
N
P
K
S
Zn
B
Ca
Mg
Cu
Fe
Mn
National Database
Soil Sampling Point
Lat-Long
Sample
Number
Organic
Matter
Salinity
pH
N
P
K
S
Zn
B
Ca
Mg
Cu
Fe
Mn
Lat –Long
District
Upazila
Union
Physiography
Land Type
Soil Texture
Drainage
Soil Map
• জাতীয় ডিডজটাল মৃ ডিকা পু ডি মানের তথ্য ভান্ডার
• Online Fertilizer Recommendation System (OFRS)
• ডিডজটাল প্রযু ডি ব্যব্হার কনর সার সু পাডরশ সসব্া দ্রুত কৃষনকর কানে সপ ৌঁনে সেয়ার জেয
Online Fertilizer Recommendation System (OFRS) োনম
এই সফটওয়ারটি তাৎক্ষডিকভানব্ মৃ ডিকা পু ডিমানের জাতীয় ডিডজটাল তথ্য ভান্ডার
ব্যব্হার কনর সার সু পাডরশ ডেনয় থ্ানক।
Flow Chart
Software database
Upazila
Union
Physiography
Landtype
Nutrient
Crops
Fertilizer
Select
Location
(Upazila,
Union)
Select
Physiography
and
Land
Type
Physiography and
land type wise union
level data extraction
Averaging
nutrient data
Select Crop
Location Specific
Fertilizer
Recommendation for
Selected Crop
Nutrient
requirement of
selected crop
[BARC Fert. Rec.
Guide]
Convert to
Fertilizer
requirement
Soil Nutrient
Status
determination
Nutrient
requirement
assessment
ইউআই
এসসস
(UISC)
Digital Fertilizer Recommendation System
• Online Fertilizer Recommendation System (OFRS) was inaugurated
in September 2009 as trial basis to provide quick fertilizer
recommendation service to farmers of 30 Upazilla through CIC of
Gramin Phone (online) and mobile phone (call) of Banglalink
company(7676).
• Union Information and Service Center (UISC) was included as
service provider in 2011 and OFRS was extended to 200 Upazila and
now OFRS covers all the Upazila of the country.
• SRDI awarded best IT User in 2010 (BASIS) and Bangabandhu
Jatio Krishi Padak (Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award) in
2013.
How to get Online Fertilizer Recommendation Service
• Log on www.frs-bd.com or www.srdi.gov.bd then click
Online Fertilizer Recommendation System.
• Union Information and Service Center (UISC).
• Call 7676 from Banglalink.
• Customer Information Center (CIC) of Gramin Phone.
Benefits of Digital Fertilizer Recommendation
Service
• Based on soil fertility database.
• Quick recommendation service. Farmers needs to provide very
simple information such as location of the farm/field (Union,
Upazila and District), Land Type (Inundation level during
Monsoon) and the crop and variety he want to cultivate.
• As because recommendation is based on soil test and crop
requirement that is balanced, yield increases 15-30 percent.
• Reduces indiscriminate use of fertilizers. Reduces use of Urea.
• Reduces unit production cost.
• Soil health improves.
• Quality of harvest is better.
• Keep crop health better. Infestation of pest and diseases lower.
Benefits of Digital Fertilizer Recommendation
Service
• Manual calculation from database is difficult for SAAO’s and
also for other extension agents. It is time consuming. No manual
calculation is needed for OFRS. Service can be provided to the
farmers very quickly.
• Service can be provided to many farmers in a very short time.
• User friendly software. Computer and internet user can provide
the service. Technical knowledge on soil fertility and fertilizer
management is not necessary.
• No additional cost is involved. Internet connection is necessary
only.
• Service can be received from UISC. Very minimum charge is
applicable.
Fertilizer Recommendation
Yield goal 7.5 ± 0.75 t/ha
Land
Type
Crop
Fertilizer Recommendation (g/decimal)
Urea
TSP
MoP
Gypsum
ZnSO4
(Hepta)
Solubo
r
Khali Shawor Union, Purbadhala Upazila, Netrokona District, Old
Brahmaputra FP, MHL, Area-2306 ha
MHL
BR-29
1234
719
672
349
0
0
25
0
Old Brahmaputra Flood Plain, 7,23,037 ha
MHL
BR-29
1318
405
526
456
Site (Plot) specific (sample collection, analysis & recommendation)
MHL
BR-29
1285
765
525
240
6
0
39
0
Soil Unit-3, Purbadhala, AEZ-9, Area-4104 ha
MHL
BR-29
1241
729
672
225
Constrains
• Farmers are not aware that Service is in
place.
• Farmers are not willing to accept the
recommendation unless and otherwise
demonstrated in the field (Seeing is
believing).
• Lack of information.
• Information delivery system is not fast.
Way forward
• Advertisement in electronic media in prime
and non-prime time.
• Advertisement in print media.
• Posters, leaflets, festoon.
• Training and motivation.
• Demonstration.
• Involvement of DAE in the system.
Thank You
for
Patience Hearing.