Using IMO products - for sustainable agriculture

In order to achieve the goal of the agricultural sector to produce clean, safe, productive, quality and sustainable products, recently, many farmers in the province have used indigenous microbial products, abbreviated as IMO (Indigenous Microorganism), in production with high efficiency.

Officials of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of the province and farmers inspected rice fields using IMO products in Hamlet 9, Song Ray Commune.

In Song Ray and Phu Nghia communes and Trang Dai ward, many farmers have actively applied IMO to clean rice production and durian and green-skin grapefruit care, thereby bringing about many positive results.

Increasing the value of rice grains in Song Ray

Song Ray Commune has about 500 hectares of rice land, mainly cultivated in 2 crops: winter-spring and summer-autumn. Some areas with sufficient water resources can produce 3 crops/year. In recent years, the application of IMO biological products in rice production has brought many values, helping farmers' lives become more and more stable.

Mr. Nguyen Van Nga, Head of the Farmers' Association of Hamlet 9, Song Ray Commune, said: "In 2023, the district's agricultural sector invited engineers to guide people in producing IMO for rice cultivation. We applied it and saw very clear results."

IMO is simply produced from easy-to-find ingredients such as: yeast, ripe bananas, pumpkin, molasses, yogurt and digestive enzymes. All ingredients are put into a container, incubated for a few days to create a biological preparation. This preparation not only helps decompose straw and plant residues in the field, turning them into organic fertilizer but also increases the nutrient content in the soil, kills pathogens and limits weeds.

This method helps farmers save significantly on input costs, while also producing clean, safe rice for consumers. Mr. Nga added: “My family has 5 sao of rice, after 6 crops using IMO, the rice grows well, limits pests and diseases, and significantly reduces the use of chemical pesticides. The yield is stable at about 6 tons/ha, the quality of rice is improved, thanks to that, traders sign long-term purchase contracts.”

Sharing the same view, Mr. Vu Van Thuy, Head of the Organic Clean Rice Cooperative in Hamlet 9, Song Ray Commune, said: “Hamlet 9 has about 130 hectares of rice, of which the cooperative has 20 member households, the total cultivated area according to the IMO model is about 8 hectares. With the values ​​that IMO brings, the cooperative is mobilizing farmers in the hamlet to join the cooperative to increase the value, at the same time building the brand and source of clean rice materials to closely link with businesses, providing the market in a stable manner.”

“The application of IMO products in agricultural production by farmers in Dong Nai province is bringing double benefits. First of all, farmers reduce the burden of fertilizer and pesticide costs, while increasing the value of products, thereby increasing income. Reusing agricultural by-products to produce IMO helps reduce environmental pollution and protect human health, which is the right direction. Especially now, ensuring food hygiene and safety is an important factor, especially for rice products and fruits. Therefore, in the future, we will continue to promote propaganda work, encourage people, businesses, and organizations to apply IMO products in production, contributing to building sustainable agriculture.”

Mr. LE THUC LONG, Deputy Head of the Department of Rural Development, Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Nai province.

How to fix the problem of durian being hard

Established in August 2023 with 20 members, Long Phu Durian Cooperative, Tan Lap village, Phu Nghia commune currently manages a total cultivated area of ​​about 45 hectares.

Mr. Tran Van Duc, resident of Hamlet 7, Song Ray Commune, introduces the IMO spraying and storage system to take care of his family's durian garden. Photo: Quang Minh

Mr. Hoang Van Hai, Secretary of the Long Phu Durian Cooperative Party Cell, said: “During our visit and learning experiences in some provinces in the West, we were introduced to the method of using IMO products and its outstanding effects. When applied to durian, the effectiveness is truly outstanding. My family has invested about 10 million VND to build an IMO product production system. After creating F1 IMO products, depending on the needs of use, we continue to multiply the biomass into F2 and F3 products to water or spray on the trees. Depending on the growth stage of durian, IMO products can be supplemented with trash fish or shrimp heads to increase the protein and potassium content, both improving soil nutrition and improving fruit quality.”

To date, most members of Long Phu Cooperative have invested in the IMO production system to care for durian. Many households shared: Watering with IMO at the time of harvest helps increase sweetness, limit young fruit drop and improve segment quality. Thanks to that, the Cooperative's durian products have met VietGAP and OCOP 3-star standards.

Trang Dai green-skinned grapefruit is sweet and disease-free.

Trang Dai Ward is witnessing the spread of clean agricultural models with IMO products, especially in the care of green-skinned grapefruit trees. Mr. Le Trong Kim's family in Vam Hamlet has 5 sao of green-skinned grapefruit. Since 2024, his family has completely applied organic microbial methods, in which IMO products are made quite simply by himself from a mixture of crushed garlic and chili with high spiciness. After 1-2 weeks of incubation, the products are diluted and sprayed on the entire tree trunk.

Mr. Le Trong Kim, Vam Hamlet, Trang Dai Ward, was satisfied when IMO product made grapefruit round and beautiful, resistant to pests and diseases, increased sweetness and sold at a high price.

Mr. Kim shared: “After spraying, the spicy smell of garlic and chili helps repel harmful insects such as green stink bugs, red spiders, and mealybugs. After a while, the scars and dark spots on the grapefruit will heal by themselves, the garden will be healthy, the leaves will be green without the need for chemicals.”

During the care process, grapefruits that are not of good quality or too large in quantity will be pruned, but not wasted. The fruit is chopped, composted with other plants and miscellaneous fish, creating both biological pesticides and fertilizers, adding nutrients to the soil, promoting flowering, fruit set and increasing the sweetness of grapefruits.

Since the beginning of 2025, Mr. Kim's family has harvested two crops. Thanks to the round, beautiful grapefruits, with a high rate of meeting grade 1 standards, the product is purchased by traders at a higher price than the grapefruit produced normally, bringing great excitement to him.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tra, Vice President of the Farmers' Association of Trang Dai Ward, said: "The model of using IMO products to care for green-skinned grapefruit of Mr. Kim's household has been built into a demonstration site by the Farmers' Association and the agricultural sector. Currently, many households in the ward are learning and widely applying it, not only for green-skinned grapefruit but also for other crops, bringing about clear results."

Quang Minh

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202510/su-dung-che-pham-imo-vi-nen-nong-nghiep-ben-vung-71f1c8e/