Organic Farming : A Holistic Approach Towards Sustainable Fruit Production
*Babita, Naseer, A., & Manish, T. (2015). European Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research, 2(6), 108–115.
ABSTRACT
India is the second largest producer of fruits in the world. With the increasing population, the cultivable land
resource is shrinking day to day. Green Revolution in the post independence era has shown path to developing
countries for self-sufficiency in food but sustaining agricultural production against the finite natural resource base
demands has shifted from the “resource degrading” chemical agriculture to a “resource protective” biological or
organic farming. The major component of organic farming is: manures, green manures, intercropping, mulching,
vermiculture biotechnology, biofertilizers, homa farming/agnihotra, biodynamic farming, biocontrol etc.
Application of bio-fertilizer was more effective than organic manures in enhancing fruit growth parameters. When
bio-fertilizer was grouped together in „Red Fleshed‟ guava, P-solubilizers were found to have more beneficial
influence on fruit physico-chemical characteristics than that of N-fixers. It has also been observed in „Bombai‟
litchi, combinations with farm yard manure + Azotobacter + phosphorous solubilizers + potash mobilizers showed
higher total soluble solids and total sugar content, whereas vitamin C content was higher where a combination of
neem cake + Azospirillum + phosphorous solubilizers + potash mobilizers was applied. The galloping explosion of
population has been made during last 5-6 decades only and food and nutritional security in respect to fruits is
therefore a serious global concern. Neither conventional farming with inorganic alone nor organic farming only
with the use organic input can face this challenge; therefore, the combination of organic and inorganic is
undoubtedly the best option.
KEYWORDS: organic farming, fruits, quality, yield, biocontrol.