Dr. S. Riazuddin Ahmed, Professor and Principal Scientist in the Department of Soil Science at A.N.G.R. Agricultural University, Hyderabad has developed a portable soil testing kit by which one can analyse soil at field level and know the soil fertility status on the spot. This kit consists of chemical reagents, without any equipment or instruments. Soil sample has to be taken in a beaker and mixed with one reagent and filtered through filter paper into a test tube. To the filtrate, a second reagent is added. Some colour shade develops and based on colour shade one can know the amount or level of the particular nutrient present in the soil sample as low, medium or high. Using this soil test kit, one can analyse pH, Organic carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulphur, Free Calcium Carbonate Zinc, Iron, and Boron. Different colour shades are available in the kit for detection of the level of each nutrient. This kit was popularised in most parts of India and the technology pertaining to it is patented.
A portable water testing kit was also developed and presently it is available with Dr. Ahmed. Using this portable water test kit one can analyse pH, Electrical Conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids, Anions like Carbonates, Bicarbonates, Chlorides, Sulphates, Nitrates, Fluoride Residual Chlorine and cat ions like Calcium + Magnesium, Boron, total alkalinity and total hardness of water. Sodium adsorption ration, residual sodium carbonates can be computed and thus we can know the class of water to which it belongs. The details of these soil testing kit and water testing kit are given as attachment to this e-mail
Dr. Ahmed was recently awarded Janna Reddy and Venkat Reddy award by the ANGR Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad during its 41st Annual convocation.
Dr. S. Riazuddin Ahmed may be contacted via email: [email protected] or [email protected]