Micronutrient [antikvár]

The project "Micronutrient Assessment at Country Level (GCP/INT/379/FIN)", the results of which are reported in this document, is a direct follow-up to another project called "Trace Element Study (TF/INT/129/FIN)", the results of which were reported in FAO Soils Bulletin No. 48, 1982. Both projects were financed by the Government of Finland through FINNIDA and were carried out in cooperation with FAO. The results of the previous project provided guidelines for the activities of the new project. Accordingly, fifteen of the thirty countries involved in the previous project were invited to participate in the present project. The countries were selected on the basis of the expected severity or extent of micronutrient problems. With the exception of Finland, the donor country, the participants were developing countries. Although the results of the previous project "Trace Element Study" gave a good overall picture of the micronutrient status in the countries involved and indicated areas where micronutrient problems could be expected, they did not provide quantitative data on the effects on yields of different crops. Therefore, the main objective of the new project "Micronutrient Assessment at Country Level" was to quantify the effects of various micronutrients on yields, especially on those of the economically important food and cash crops. Further, as stated in the Project Document, "the purpose of the project is to familiarize the governments of the participating countries with their natural soil micro- (and macro) nutrient status, to draw the attention of agricultural authorities to existing problems, to assist in developing national micronutrient investigation programmes by building up national expertise in diagnosing and curing micronutrient disorders, to find more information on the critical deficiency and toxicity limits and to give quantitative guidelines for solving the problems at a practical level." The implementation of the project was based on field trials in which both plants and soils were analysed. Each participating country nominated an Institute and a Head Cooperator to be responsible for the project activities in the country concerned. The following persons acted as Head Cooperators for the countries participating in the project: Ethiopia: Dr. Desta Beyene; Iraq: Dr. Khalid Mosleh; Malawi: Mr. W.A. Kadyampakeni; Mexico: Ing. G. Flores Mata 1/, Ing. M. Arguijo Alonso; Nepál: Dr. R. Shah; Pakistan: Prof. J.K. Khattak; Philippines: Mrs. Lydia Francisco, Mrs. Redemcion B. Grifal, Dr. M.R. Recel; Sierra Leone: Dr. D.S. Amara; Sri Lanka: Dr. S. Nagarajah, Dr. S. Amarasiri; Tanzania: Mr. J.A. Kamasho; Thailand: Dr. Samrit Chaiwanakupt; Turkey: Dr. M. Sungur; Zaire: Mr. E. Bomans; Zambia: Mr. C. Malama. In October 1982 a Consultation was organized in Romé for briefing the Head Cooperators in project activities. During the Consultation the establishment and layout of micronutrient trials for various conditions and instructions for carrying out the field programmes were discussed in detail. These included selection of trial sites, determination of the number of trials for each country, selection of test crops, plánt and soil sampling, preparation of seed bed, fertilization, obtaining and recording yield and other relevant data. Micronutrient fertilizers specially "tailored" for the layout of the planned trials in respect of nutrient contents, combinations and amounts were manufactured and packed by the Kemira Co., Finland. The fertilizers, together with plánt and soil sample bags were shipped to the participating countries. The soil and crop samples from all trials were sent to Finland and analysed in the laboratory of the Institute of Soil Science, Agricultural Research Centre of Finland. 1/ Died April 1984