BIOFI
Finger millet and pigeon pea are widely grown in India, particularly by marginal farmers. BIOFI aims to optimize such rainfed mixed-culture schemes using bio-irrigation and bio-fertilization (boosting yields, improving nutritional quality).
Factsheet
- Schools involved School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences
- Institute(s) Agriculture
- Research unit(s) International Agriculture and Rural Development
- Funding organisation Others
- Duration 01.05.2014 - 31.12.2017
- Head of project Dr. Dominic Blättler
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Project staff
Prof. Dr. Urs Christoph Scheidegger
Dr. Dominic Blättler
Pia Clara Fehle -
Partner
Pondicherry University
Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau FibL
Bharathiar University
Small Millets, GKVK Bangalore
ICRISAT
Institute of Botany, Uni Basel
ISCB Indo-Swiss Collaboration in Biotechnology
MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, India - Keywords India, pigeon pea, finger millet, intercropping system, bio-irrigation, bio-fertilization
Situation
The aim of the project BIOFI is the development and implementation of an environmentally, economically and socially improved finger millet and pigeon pea intercropping system for arid/semi-arid zones, using bio-inoculants and bio-irrigation
Course of action
BIOFI combines biotechnology and socio-economic research. Biotech uses arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as "biofertilizers" central to the hydraulic lift ("bioirrigation"). Socio-economic groups aim to better understand local farming and seed systems, intercropping patterns, farmers’ decision making and the bio-inputs market (incl. "eco-enterprises"). Ecological and economic assessment of biofertilizer production/application.
