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Bio-decomposer for paddy residue Photo: Katherine Mihailova · Pexels License · source ↗

Bio-decomposer for paddy residue

Bio-decomposers for paddy residue are microbial consortium products applied to chopped rice stubble after harvest to accelerate in-situ decomposition before the next crop. They are the principal recommended alternative to Rice Stubble Burning Punjab Haryana and are distributed in India through two main flagships: the ICAR-IARI Pusa Bio-Decomposer (Rice Pusa Decomposer) and the NCOF Waste Decomposer.

Principle

Rice straw is lignified and has a high C:N ratio (60-80:1), so unaided decomposition takes 45-90 days - longer than the rice-wheat turnaround window in Punjab and Haryana. A balanced inoculum of cellulolytic, lignolytic and nitrogen-mobilising microbes shifts the residue microbiome toward rapid breakdown, mineralising straw within 20-25 days of application. The released nutrients are partly retained in microbial biomass and partly mineralised for the following crop.

Implementation

The Pusa formulation comes as four capsules per acre, dissolved in 5 L of water with 150 g jaggery and 50 g besan and fermented for 4-5 days into a 25 L stock solution. The stock is mixed with another 500 L water (200-250 L per acre after dilution) and sprayed onto chopped rice stubble. The NCOF Waste Decomposer is a 30 g bottle multiplied in 200 L of 1.5% jaggery solution and used at the same field rate. Both products require chopping by combine straw-management system, super-SMS rotor or stubble shredder, followed by light irrigation to maintain moisture.

Adoption context

Pusa Decomposer and NCOF Waste Decomposer have been promoted across Punjab, Haryana, western UP and Delhi NCR since 2020 as part of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) action plan and the National Air Quality Programme. State agriculture departments subsidise spraying through custom-hiring centres, and decomposed fields are sown to wheat with Happy Seeder or super-seeder to drill seed through residue. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and ICAR-CIPHET have provided regional efficacy data validating the practice (In Situ Residue Decomposition).

Limitations

Cool, dry post-monsoon conditions in late October and November slow microbial activity; supplementary irrigation may be needed. Decomposition is slower than the 7-10 day turnaround many growers want for timely wheat sowing - the practical floor remains 18-25 days. Heavy stubble loads above 5 t/ha require thorough chopping for adequate spray coverage. Without complementary machinery (Happy Seeder / SMS / shredder), the alternative is still burning despite legal prohibition.

See also Rice Pusa Decomposer, Rice Stubble Burning Punjab Haryana, In Situ Residue Decomposition, Mulching Organic Residue.

Sources

  1. Pusa Decomposer Capsules. ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.
  2. NCOF Waste Decomposer. National Centre of Organic and Natural Farming via Vikaspedia.