Certified Sole Manufacturers, Collaborators & International Suppliers of
IRRI, ICAR - NRRI, IIMR, PAU, KAU, TNAU, UAS - Dharwad & Raichur - Leaf Color Chart (LCC)
LCC is an intelligent, instant, easy and low-cost technique handy tool made by high quality plastic material for N diagnosis of current crop and N topdressing in crops and a simple alternative to expensive equipments like chlorophyll meter / SPAD meter (soil plant analysis development) and GreenSeeker. Nitrogen being a part of chlorophyll molecules (a and b) its deficiencies are reflected in Plant Leaf Colour. Hence Colour of crop leaves was measured to judge crop N status and its fertilization.
Leaf Color Chart (LCC) is a Real - Time N management technology of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) & Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to determine the exact requirements of nitrogen fertilizer of standing crops, by checking the greenness of Plant Leaf. The color panels of the LCC are designed to indicate whether plants are hungry or over-fed by Nitrogen fertilizer. The panels of LCC represent gradual transition of color from yellowish green to dark green matching the color range of the leaves that cover a continuum from leaf N deficiency to excessive leaf N content. By matching the color of the Paddy, Basmati Rice, Wheat, Maize, Baby Corn, Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl millet (Bajra), Finger millet (Ragi), BT Cotton and Sugarcane leaf to the color on the LCC, farmers can visually assess and decide proper time and amount of N fertilizer for application. LCCs manufactured in 4 Panel, 5 Panel and 6 Panel for different Crops. LCCs are supplied with a matte laminated folder with instructions on How to use and other related information for Farmers and agriculture extension officers.
Purpose of using LCC is to apply an adequate amount of nitrogen and avoid application of fertilizer more than required. Excessive, injudicious, blanket and untimely application of fertilizer nitrogen has become a common practice among farmers. Application of nitrogen fertilizers over and above the crop requirement does not increase yield, rather a large proportion of the applied nitrogen escapes from soil-plant systems to the atmosphere, creating pollution and climate change problems. Increased succulence, overgrowth and dark green colour produced due to excessive nitrogen use results in increased insect-pest incidence and the crop also become prone to lodging. The unaccounted LCC benefits of decreasing insecticides – pesticides consumption shall further reduce cost of production and facilitate the availability of quality food grains, air and water. Use of LCC helps to determine nitrogen demand of the crop and guide the right time and right amount of fertilizer nitrogen application. There is an urgent need to rationalize the use of urea and other nitrogenous fertilizer (organic and inorganic) in a way that these are applied as per the need of the crop by using LCC. Leaf Color Chart (LCC) improves the nitrogen use efficiency and increases the productivity levels of crops, helps to save Government’s exchequer on Urea or other N fertilizer subsidies and shall add to the income of the Farmers. Application of ‘N’ on the basis of LCC reading could reduce N₂O (a potent greenhouse gas with global warming potential more than 300 times that of CO₂) emission as compared to conventional ‘N’ application in these crops with a possibility of cutting down approximately 25% to 75% of total fertilizer consumption, which can save multi-crores of Urea subsidy amounts of the Government and also minimizes import cost of Urea.
The adaptation and use of LCC technique ensures only need-based optimum use of chemicals in agriculture. Chemical fertilizer particularly urea is being indiscriminately applied to Paddy, Basmati Rice, Wheat, Maize, Baby Corn, Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl millet (Bajra), Finger millet (Ragi), BT Cotton and Sugarcane in intrusively cultivated regions. Generally, LCC leads to saving nitrogen because farmers have tendency to use more, but if farmers are unable to apply N in some regions it may recommend more and would certainly improve grain yield. LCC is a real time N management tool which is a cost saving technology resulting in high benefit cost ratio and a key element for doubling the income of the farmers.
Site-Specific nutrient management (SSNM) enables the farmers to optimally supply their crops with essential nutrients. The SSNM approach aims to apply nutrients at optimal rates and times to achieve high yield and high efficiency of nutrient use by the crops, leading to high cash value of the harvest per unit fertilizer invested. With the SSNM approach, fertilizer N recommendations for these crops can be developed by estimating the total fertilizer N required by the crops in a typical season and the formulating a dynamic N management to distribute fertilizer N to best match the crops need for N fertilizer. Apply fertilizer N, based on the plant’s need for supplemental N, as determined by leaf N status with the Leaf Colour Chart (LCC).
Leaf Colour Chart (LCC) based N application enhanced yield by 10.3-13.3% and 9.9-10.9% over conventionally applied urea (RDF urea) in direct seeded (DSR) and transplanted rice (PTR), respectively. Yield enhancement with neem coated urea (NCU) when applied conventionally was 7.1-13.4% and 6.8- 10.0% respectively. Whereas NCU when applied on the basis of LCC, the yield enhancement over conventionally applied urea was 21.2-22.9% and 14.6-15.9% respectively for DSR and PTR.
As compared to RDF urea, LCC based urea enhanced N recovery efficiency by 10.7-12.4% and 9.1-12.2% in DSR and PTR, respectively. The increase of N recovery efficiency with NCU applied conventionally was 6.6-8.9% and 6.2-6.7% respectively. Whereas NCU when applied on the basis of LCC, the increase in N recovery efficiency over conventionally applied urea was 16.3-18.0% and 11.6-14.6% respectively for DSR and PTR.
Application of N on the basis of LCC reading could reduce N₂O (a potent greenhouse gas with global warming potential more than 300 times that of CO₂) emission by 13-21% as compared to conventional N application in puddled transplanted rice.
As compared to conventionally applied urea, LCC based urea reduced NO₃ - N leaching by 29.8% in direct seeded aerobic rice. Neem coated urea could reduce NO₃ - N leaching by 18.6% as compared to urea when applied conventionally. Whereas NCU when applied on the basis of LCC recommendation the extent to reduction was as high as 39.8%.
Since LCC based N recommendation could increase N recovery efficiency from applied urea by 9.1-2.2% as compared to conventional practice in transplanted rice it has the potential to save 18.5-27.3% urea to produce the same level of yield. Field trials also demonstrated application of 75% of recommended N on the basis of LCC reading produced similar yield as that of 100% RDF, thereby saving 25% of fertilizer.
Results of on-station and farmer’s field experiments showed that at the same level of N application yield advantages of 0.5 - 0.7 t ha and 0.5 - 1.0 t ha could be achieved that following LCC recommendation over RDF application and farmers practice, respectively. That can lead to monetary benefits of INR 6680 - 10080 and INR 7776 - 14544 respectively per hectare. In addition to this with a potential of cutting down approximately 25% of total fertilizer consumption. It can save upto INR 1514 crores from the total urea subsidy bill of Govt of India.
The IRRI and ICAR institutes has developed LCC as a diagnostic tool that guides farmers to make need-based N fertilizer / Urea application decisions based on the leaf color of the first fully exposed top leaf. Considering the urgent need to address the issue of climate change at the farm level, Leaf Colour Chart (LCC) is one of the technologies promoted by ICAR & IRRI. Leaf Colour Chart (LCC) is one of the CSA technologies recommended by ICAR which is used to determine the requirements of nitrogen fertilizer to crops like Paddy, Basmati Rice, Wheat, Maize, Baby Corn, Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl millet (Bajra), Finger millet (Ragi), BT Cotton and Sugarcane based on the greenness of the plant leaf.
Climate change has far serious implications concerning the food and nutritional security of nations like India where agriculture is the backbone of nation’s economy and growing population is the biggest reason to worry. In future, it will be even more difficult to predict occurrences of phenomena such as droughts, floods, cloud bursts, etc. due to climate change. Transforming agriculture through adoption of climate resilient practices and technologies would be inevitable to stabilize agricultural production and enhance farmer’s income. Participatory demonstration of location specific and climate smart technologies is necessary for enabling farmers to cope climatic variability and extreme weather phenomenon. The LCC can be used for synchronizing N application with crop demand to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emission and overall climate change. Studies providing direct evidence of reduced losses of N to environment due to LCC guided fertilizer N management rather than regional blanket recommendations suggest that LCC is going to be an incredible tool to enhance food security and minimize N related environmental degradation.
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) introduced the model of “Climate Smart Villages (CSVs)”, in some states in India. The idea was to raise awareness among farming communities in South Asia about the Leaf Color Chart (LCC) and various technological, institutional and Policy-oriented options that have the potential to increase their climatic resilience, adaptation, agriculture productivity and income, while reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases. The villages, initially started in South Asia, are now being replicated at other CCAFS regions in East and West Africa. This important research will help Policy Makers, Farmers and others affected by climate change understand the implications of their decisions when making difficult compromises.
With the use of LCC in the irrigated Rice, let us assume a potential saving of 23 Kg N or 50 Kg Urea per Ha per season. The calculated annual savings of Urea are provided in the Table below for selected Asian Countries (except China). The estimated annual saving of Urea is 834,000 Tons for India if 50% of farmers use LCC in the irrigated Rice area of 22.3 million Ha.
Other countries that could save substantial amounts of Urea, when they adopt LCC are Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand and the Philippines. For the whole of Asia, except China, the potential annual saving of Urea is estimated at 1, 2, 3 and 4 million Tons, respectively, with 25, 50, 75 and 100% of farmers using LCC in irrigated Rice.
If all the farmers use Leaf Colour Chart (LCC) in Rice and other Crops in India on a consistent basis, the savings of Subsidy on Urea for the Central and State Governments and the savings on the cost of purchasing Urea for the farmers amounts to INR. 18000 Crores per year approximately.
Apart from that, the unaccounted benefits of using LCC are reduced consumption of insecticides and pesticides, resulting in higher yields as well as reduced nitrate contamination in ground water and reduced emission of Nitrous Oxides into the atmosphere is priceless.
