Farmers during the field day at Bhavanisagar in Erode district in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.
A field day and State-level stakeholders’ interaction on the use of biofertilizers was held at the Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Bhavanisagar, on Tuesday (June 30, 2026) to showcase the results of field trials conducted under the Biostimulants Efficacy Testing Structure (BETS) project, funded by the Gates Foundation.The project, implemented at the station since June 2023, aims to validate the efficacy of bioinoculant technologies across different crops and cropping systems in the State. Field evaluations are being carried out in rice, maize, sorghum, pearl millet, black gram, cowpea and soybean using different combinations of biofertilizers.Around 100 participants, including farmers, bio-input manufacturers and distributors, scientists of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), and officials of the Department of Agriculture, attended the programme.Addressing the gathering, M. Raveendran, Director of Research, TNAU, and D. Balachandar, Professor of Agricultural Microbiology, highlighted the role of beneficial microbes in improving soil health and reducing the use of inorganic fertilizers without affecting crop yield. Representatives of bio-input companies discussed the commercial potential of biofertilizers, while scientists and agriculture officials spoke on the challenges in adoption, quality standards and strategies to increase their use among farmers.P. Balasubramaniyan, Director (Open and Distance Learning), TNAU, stressed the need to promote biofertilizers to protect soil health and ensure sustainable agriculture. Progressive farmers from different parts of the State shared their experiences in using bioinoculants in organic farming.An exhibition of biofertilizers developed by TNAU and the results of field demonstrations was organised as part of the event. Published - July 01, 2026 07:19 pm IST
