Why in news? Cooperative organisation IFFCO, introduced nano liquid urea, reported that the government has approved the launch of its nano DAP fertiliser in the market.

Highlights:

• nano DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) has been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and notified in the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO) based on its results.
• The product has been developed at IFFCO’s Nano Biotechnology Research Centre at Kalol, Gujarat.
• South India’s first nano urea liquid production plant to be established by IFFCO at Naganayakanhalli in Devanahalli Taluk Karnataka
• Nano Urea Liquid, a nutrient to provide nitrogen to plants as an alternative to the conventional urea.
• The plant is being set up at Paradeep, Kalol and Kandla and the production is set to be started from current year.
• India also imports DAP and MoP (muriate of potash) in huge quantities to meet its domestic demand and this step helps towards achieving self-reliance

What is liquid Nano urea?

• Liquid Nano DAP is a concentrated phosphate-based fertilizer and provides phosphorous nutrition throughout the crop growth and development cycle.
• This urea in the form of liquid with a smaller particle size compared to conventional urea.
• It is cheaper than conventional urea, nano urea is expected to reduce the environmental pollution caused by the granular form, by reducing their excessive application
• It has been tested on more than 90 crops across 11,000 locations in India. Half a litre of nano urea priced at Ra 240 can replace about one bag of conventional urea.

How does Nano liquid urea works?

• When sprayed on leaves , nano urea enters through pores and other openings and is assimilated by the plant cells.
• Unutilized nitrogen is stored in the plant vacuole and is slowly released for proper growth and development of the plant
• The small size (20-50nm) of nano urea increases its availability to the crops by more than 80%

What are the benefits?

• Its aim is to reduce farmers’ dependence on packaged urea
• India also imports DAP and MoP (muriate of potash) in huge quantities to meet its domestic demand and this step helps towards achieving self-reliance
• This move will help India save foreign exchange and also reduce government subsidy significantly.