Organic Matter

Soil health is determined by the amount of organic matter content in the soil. Organic matter in the form of micro-nutrients and micro-organisms living in the soil. Healthy soil will always be well aeriated and moist having healthy ecosystem of organism growing in them, some of which are visual as mushrooms, fungus, earthworms, ants, and other insects, while there are other millions of invisible organisms living in the soil.

With modern mono-culture practices we grow single crop on the farm with fertilizers for better yields, and spray pesticides and herbicides to protect our crop yields from other organism and remove weeds. This kills the micro-organisms and soil and cultivating the same type of crops year after year we deplete the soil of micro-nutrients and water and air holding capacity of the soil decreases drastically. Hence we farming becomes more and more water and tilling intensive, vulnerable to pests and weeds.

Soil Health

Natural farming focuses on soil health and development and these techniques have provided outstanding results in many countries over the last few decades. It’s interesting to note that natural or organic farming was the traditional way of life since time immemorial in India and many other countries before the advent of so called Green Revolution. MAPs are cultivated using natural farming practices for better quality and higher returns, hence below mentioned techniques are very useful in MAPs cultivation.

Improving and Maintaining Soil Health:

Farm Composts

Compost is a natural process where organic matter rots or decomposes under controlled conditions and forms manure that is used to treat soil. Composts are created from animal and fish waste, farm residues like weeds, crop residues, leaves and stems of plants, domestic and food waste, human and animal excretes etc. that decomposes into micro-nutrient rich manure. Compost made exclusively from farm waste like sugarcane and coconut trash, hay, straws, weeds etc. is known as farm compost. Since Compost are produced from the decomposing of plant and animal wastes:

• They are rich in Micro-nutrients essential from plants
• Adds structure to the soil
• Increases water holding capacity
• Maintains the PH balance of the soil
• CO2 and other gases emitted during the process of decompositions promotes soil aeration and acts as Carbon manure
• Promotes the growth of micro-organisms in the soil
• It provides soil nutrition as well as balances the physio-chemical attributes of soil

As a result, soil becomes more drought and disease resistant, less toxic, more nutritious and possesses amazing range of microbes to develop healthy crops and MAPs.

These advantages help in achieving higher yields and lower dependence on costly and toxic inorganic fertilizers. The food that will reach markets after this will also be toxin free and health.

In a study done by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, it has been proved that compost especially farmyard composts made from farm and live-stock wastes releases nutrients slowly in the soil, about 30 per cent of nitrogen, 60 to 70 per cent of phosphorus and 70 per cent of potassium are available to the first crop.

Nutrient found in well decomposed manure is 0.5 % Nitrogen, 0.2 % Phosphates and .0.5 per cent Potash, while manure from live-stock excretes contains 3 % Nitrogen, 1 % Phosphates and 2 % Potash and Poultry manure yields 3.03 % Nitrogen; 2.63 % Phosphates and 1.4 % Potash.

How to make Compost

Compost are prepared by mixing Green and dry farm wastes with partially decomposed animal waste in pits or laid out flat in beds by putting alternating layers of plant wastes and animal wastes. Height of this compost pile shouldn’t exceed 4 feet, this would reduce aeration and slow down the decomposition process. Sometimes, Amirtha Karaisal is sprinkled uniformly over the layers to accelerate the decomposition process, this is a mix of 1 lt of Cow Urine, 1 Kg of Cow Dung and 25 gms of Jaggary is mixed with 10 lts of water. The heap should be kept moist always during the decomposition process. This pile is then covered with plastic sheets retain heat and moisture during the decomposition process. After 24 hours insert a stick into the heap for 2 minutes, if the tip of the twig is hot, then decomposition is going at a healthy pace. This heap is left undisturbed 3 weeks, the height of the heap will be reduced by the composting process. Now the entire heap is turned upside down sprinkled with Amirtha Karaisal and water and covered with plastic. This process makes sure that the mixture at the edge of the heap is decomposed. Finally after 8 weeks compost will be ready to be added to the MAPs. This compost will have a uniform structure with blackish brown colour and carry a pleasant smell.

Composting helps reduce bio-waste and saves farmer revenue from buying fertilizers. It is an excellent soil conditioner and helps ensure that the soil doesn’t lose any of its nutrients or character. It also helps purify the air and groundwater. It helps facilitate reforestation, aids wetland restoration by repairing damaged soil and improving soil longevity.

Vermi-composts

Vermi-compost is the process of decomposing like animal waste, crop residue, suitable industrial and domestic waste, food waste etc. into nutrition rich manure with the help of earthworms. Earthworms chew into the entire pit slowly and effectively, in their alimentary canal this consumed organic debris is converted into vermi-compost that is very fine, uniformly textured, rich in organic matter and worm castings. Worm castings are essential to maintain microbiological activity in the soil and ensure aeration and fertility. Earthworm castings contain high amounts of nitrogen, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and potassium, that ensures a neutral pH level of 7 and 5 times more nitrogen, 1 ½ times more calcium and 7 times more potash than found in the best topsoil. Vermi-compost increases the water retention of the soil by 9 times.

Vermi-compost is virtually odour free, minimizes pests and diseases in soil, ensures steady flow of light, water and nutrients and improves quality and shelf life of the produce. Earthworm castings undoubtedly increase the natural porosity, structure, aeration, drainage and moisture holding capacity of the soil. Research has also shown that earthworms ensure excellent tillage of the soil with their natural burrowing action and help maintain and improve permeability of water in the soil as well as retain and improve soil nutrition by holding almost nine times the water it usually does. Several cultures, ancient and modern, use vermi-compost as fertilizer. Vermin-compost is easy to produce – it only needs a ‘bedding’ in a well aerated place with adequate shade and moisture, along with food source.

The African night crawler earthworm, Tiger worms and Asian earthworms are most suitable for vermi-compost production. Earthworms are only vulnerable to ‘Sour Crop’ plant disease caused due to environmental conditions and fall victims to birds and other predators.

Mulching

Mulching is a process of covering the soil to retain moisture, reduce weeds growth, maintain soil health and fertility and enhance aesthetic appeal of the field. A ‘mulch’ is often a combination of organic or inorganic materials that ensures protection to plants in early growth stages.

Mulch is applied to bare soil beds or around existing plants by applying dried plant materials like leaf, Hay, dried plant stalks or covering with a plastic sheet up to 1-2 inch deep. This process retains the moisture and soil heat, prevents soil erosion, improves soil quality and productivity both in commercial and non-commercial uses like gardening, farming etc. Its uses are varied; it is applied in colder seasons around plants to ensure that the soil doesn’t lose its warmth and seeding and transplanting takes place at a faster rate. With progressing seasons, mulch ensures low weed growth and steady growth at steady soil temperature and moisture.

Mulch cause blockage for direct sunlight and rain to reach the soil bed. Mulch adds a layer of complexity in an ecosystem that is already brimming with microbiological activity. Plastic mulch sheets are impermeable and therefore require an additional drip irrigation system to keep the plants hydrated.

Good quality mulch is derived from dried leaves, and hay from rice, wheat or corn crops. Certain corn starch based polyester fibre biodegradable sheets are also popular mulch. Other types of conventional mulches are prepared by using Polypropylene, polyethylene or rubber which are not biodegradable but serve separate purposes. Mulching ensures that the soil stays compact, temperate and yields the best produce quantity and quality wise by exploiting available environmental situation.

Thus nurturing Agroforests for MAPs cultivation will ensure natural mulching of the plants growing in the shades of big trees, through dried leaves, blocking direct sunlight and rain.