Kerala Agricultural University is set to revive the state agriculture and all possible standing crops. The Varsity, as a crisis management measure, has released an advisory on crop management. It has formed multi -disciplinary teams of scientists to interact with farmers in the flood affected areas to assess crop and soil conditions. The soil quality loss due to floods is to be assessed based on tests. Though floods are believed to improve soil structure due to organic matter deposits, there are reports that floods also cause nutrient leaching (especially potash) and that there can be an imbalance of secondary and micro nutrients.
Root damage
The persistent flooding in the uplands restricts aeration in the soil, thus leading to root damage and secondary infections. Such a situation is very prominent in a crop like nutmeg, which has been gaining acceptance among farmers as one with a promising yield. Another major challenge is potentially higher levels of pest and disease incidence due to high humidity and water logging. In the rebuilding process, the university has initiated steps to apply remote sensing technology to assess crop damage.
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