SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS OF BURNING RICE-STRAW AND WHEAT-STRAW IN PUNJAB

Yields from the rice-wheat cropping system in the Indo-Gangetic,plain ape declining despite the increasing use of chemical fertilisers, Crop residues are important components of soil fertility management, but a re burnt in same areas such as Punjab state. Not only does this mean a loss of nutrients but also causes environmental pollution land the as sociated health effects); the production of substantial quantities of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas cart adversely affect the environment . Limited published data suggest that rice-straw can be converted to h igh value manure of a quality better than that of farmyard manure (FYM ). Its use along with chemical fertilisers should not only sustain pre sent level of crop yields but also increase it. It would, however, req uire policy interventions perhaps both at the levels of the state and central governments.