MP-AES equipment at the referral lab in Bhubaneshwar.
A training program on analyzing soil using Microwave Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (MP-AES) was recently conducted in Odisha, India, for staff of referral soil testing laboratories. Analysts from the referral labs were trained on standard preparations, calibration of high-end equipment and SOPs of micronutrient analysis using MPAES.
Under the Odisha Bhoochetana project, two referral soil testing laboratories were upgraded at Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur, Odisha state. The labs cater to the state’s need for precision analysis of a large number of soil, water, fertilizer and plant samples. The referral labs started functioning in convergence mode and are now self-reliant, with staff at ICRISAT’s Charles Renard Analytical Laboratory (CRAL) providing support virtually owing to the pandemic.
The recent training was conducted onsite during 5-8 April 2021 by ICRISAT’s Scientific Officers, Mr Satish Venkata and Mr Chenna Vijayaranganatha, with the guidance of Dr Pushpajeet L Choudhari, Manager-CRAL.
Dr Choudhari said, “Referral soil testing laboratories will serve as nodal agency for data validation and cross-learning. There is need for such laboratories in every state of the country. These labs will help leverage the whole soil health assessment framework, eventually benefiting the farming community.”
Contributors
Written by Arun Seshadri, Scientific Officer, Asia Program.
Funder: Department of Agriculture, Government of Odisha
Partners: Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology; NGOs (CARR, Abhyudaya, HAVL, NJS, Sambandh, APOWA, Triranga Yubak Sangha, SEWAK, Mahashakti Foundation, Pragati, Parivartan, Loksevak, Harsha Trust, Foundation for Ecological Security, UDYAMA, NIRMAN, SGF, NIRDES, Jankalyan Pratishthan, Lokadrushti); and ICRISAT.
