Abstract

It was Dr. J. A. Voelcker, consulting Chemist, Royal Agricultural Society, who, in 1889, first recommended the use of fertilisers for India. At that time only ammonium sulphate, superphosphate and sodium nitrate were known. In 1909, the first permanent Manurial experiments in India were started at Coimbatore to compare the effects of N, P and K individually and and in combination with Farm Yard Manure. Later when the Council of Agricultural Research in India got interested in fertiliser studies, a number of manurial trials were initiated. At that time results had shown that nitrogen and organic matter responded to their use while response to phosphorus and potash were varying and conflicting. Meanwhile, the science of Statistics came to be well established as an adjunct to agricultural investigations and subsequent experiments on manures and fertilisers were laid out according to the requirements of this science. Many short term experiments to compare the effect of different forms of fertilisers were laid out throughout the country, particularly for the major crops like paddy, wheat, cotton and sugarcane.

Keywords: