The people behind Krishi Gyan
Every article on Krishi Gyan is written by agronomists, scientists, and field experts who live and breathe Indian agriculture. Meet the people turning research into practical advice.
1 author|18 articles published
Team Katyayani
Editorial TeamThe Katyayani Organics editorial team brings you the latest in agricultural knowledge and farming best practices.
- Terrace garden soil mix: a recipe that drains and feeds
- Trichoderma and Beauveria for gardeners: using bio-agents at home
- SHG Bank Linkage Programme Explained for Rural Women
All articles by Team Katyayani
Terrace garden soil mix: a recipe that drains and feeds
A working terrace mix is roughly 40 percent coco peat for water holding, 30 percent compost for nutrition and biology, and 30 percent perlite or coarse sand for drainage and air. Garden soil should be no more than a quarter of the total, and can be left out completely. The mix must drain within a mi
Trichoderma and Beauveria for gardeners: using bio-agents at home
Trichoderma protects roots from soil disease and goes into the potting mix at planting. Beauveria bassiana kills soft-bodied insects and is sprayed on leaves. Both are living fungi, so they need cool storage, evening application, and a gap of at least a week from any chemical fungicide.
SHG Bank Linkage Programme Explained for Rural Women
The SHG Bank Linkage Programme is how a village savings group becomes a bank borrower. NABARD started it in 1992-93 with a pilot of around 500 groups, and it is now the largest programme of its kind in the world. There are two linkages, not one. Savings linkage is opening the group's bank account, a
Neem oil in the home garden: correct dilution and when not to use it
For a 3000 ppm azadirachtin neem oil, use 2 to 3 ml per litre of water for most garden pests. Higher concentrations need proportionally less: around 1 ml per litre at 10000 ppm, and 0.5 to 1 ml per litre at 50000 ppm. Always add an emulsifier, spray in the evening, and never spray a plant that is al
SHG vs FPO: Which Is Better for Farmers?
Neither is better. They solve different problems. An SHG solves your credit problem: ten to twenty members, savings first, collateral-free loans up to Rs 20 lakh, no registration needed. An FPO solves your price problem: at least 300 farmers, registered as a company or cooperative, buying inputs and
Organic pest control for home gardens: what works without chemicals
Organic pest control works when you catch the problem early. Neem oil handles soft-bodied insects such as aphids, whitefly and thrips. Fungal bio-insecticides like Beauveria bassiana and Verticillium lecanii handle the same pests more thoroughly but take a week. Insecticidal soap kills on contact. N
Self Help Group Loan for Agriculture Activities: Farmer Guide
Yes, an SHG loan can be used for farming. RBI classifies SHG loans taken for crop and allied purposes under agriculture for priority sector lending, treating the group as a set of individual farmers and applying the limits per member. The catch is repayment timing. Most SHG credit is structured as a
Root rot in containers: diagnosis and recovery
Healthy roots are white or cream, firm, and smell of soil. Rotted roots are brown or black, soft enough to squash between two fingers, and smell sour. If the outer layer slips off leaving a thin thread, that root is dead. Cut away everything rotted, repot into fresh dry mix, and do not water for sev
Yellow leaves on houseplants: a nutrient deficiency chart
Start with one question: are the old leaves yellowing, or the new ones? Nutrients that move inside the plant, including nitrogen, magnesium and potassium, cause symptoms on old leaves first. Nutrients that cannot move, including iron, zinc and calcium, show on new growth first. That single split nar
SHG Loan for Women Farmers: Complete Guide
The bank does not lend to you. It lends to your group, and your group lends to you. No land papers are needed, because the group's savings record and repayment discipline are the security. A women's SHG can borrow up to Rs 20 lakh without collateral, and up to Rs 10 lakh with no collateral and no ma
Stand-Up India Loan for Rural Entrepreneurs
Check the status before you plan. The Stand-Up India scheme period ran to 31 March 2025. On 16 March 2026 the Finance Minister told the Lok Sabha that the scheme came to an end in March last year and is being redrafted to give more benefits, with no launch date announced for the new version. Many we
Growing chillies in pots: from seed to first harvest
A chilli plant will fruit well in a 25 to 30 cm pot with at least six hours of direct sun. Sow indoors at 25 to 30 degrees Celsius, transplant at the four to six leaf stage, and switch from a balanced feed to a potassium-heavy one as soon as the first flowers open. First harvest comes around 80 to 1
Soil pH and nutrient lock: why your fertiliser is not working
If you applied fertiliser and the crop did not respond, the nutrient is often still sitting in the soil in a form the root cannot absorb. Soil pH is the usual reason. Most nutrients are freely available between pH 6.0 and 7.0, and several shut down outside that band.
PMEGP Loan for Agriculture-Based Businesses
PMEGP will not fund cultivation. Growing a crop, running a plantation, horticulture and floriculture are all on the negative list. What PMEGP does fund is what happens around and after cultivation: value addition, off-farm and farm-linked activities, and specifically dairy, poultry, aquaculture and
CGTMSE Loan for Agri MSMEs
CGTMSE is not for farming. It is for enterprises. If you grow a crop or rear animals, that activity does not qualify. If you process, grade, pack, mill or provide a service to farms, and you are registered on Udyam as a micro or small enterprise, then your unit can get a CGTMSE-backed loan without c
Bio vs chemical inputs: where each one actually wins
Chemical inputs stop an outbreak that is already underway. Biologicals prevent one from starting, protect the soil, and keep produce free of residue. They are not competitors. Used in the wrong order, both disappoint.
Water-soluble vs granular fertiliser: when each one is worth the money
Water-soluble fertiliser costs two to four times more per kilogram than granular. It is worth that premium only when the crop needs a nutrient fast, or when you are already running drip. For the base dose at sowing, granular still wins on cost.
FPO Credit Guarantee Scheme Explained
A credit guarantee does not give your FPO money. It gives your bank a safety net, so the bank can lend to your FPO without asking for land or building as security. Under the 10,000 FPO scheme, an FPO can get a project loan of up to Rs 2 crore covered by a guarantee. Loans up to Rs 1 crore get 85 per
