“Basic and applied research should be centered on sustaining soil fertility as it is vital for the food, water, and energy security of the nation,” said M Velayutham, former director of Nagpur’s National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning.

Addressing the 5th Dr Ramamurthy Memorial Lecture on the occasion of World Soil Day on December 5 at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, the leading soil scientist said that the fundamental values of soil testing lies in contact with farmers for disseminating best management practices, realising targeted yield of crops and profitability from fertiliser use, and maintaining soil health and productivity.

While stressing that Web based Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System of crop management are the latest components in good soil management, he said that soil fertility maps at different spatial levels would help in area-wise soil fertility interpretation for scientific fertiliser distribution.

World Soil Day is celebrated to create awareness of the importance of soil as a critical component of the natural system that contributes to food, water, and energy security and helps prevent biodiversity loss and climate change. Dr K Arulmozhiselvan, head of the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, and others took part.