The productivity of plants and animals, the improvement of the quality of water and air, and plant and animal health all depend on the soil’s ability to function within natural or managed ecosystem boundaries. Healthy soil is necessary for healthy food production. However, the ability of the soil to carry out all these activities is hampered by ongoing chemical usage, pollution, deforestation, and land degradation.
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When we use pesticides for agricultural purposes, we fail to realize that heavy usage of these chemicals can also cause those microorganisms to die that are beneficial for maintaining soil health. According to the soil scientist Dr. Elaine Ingham, “If we lose both bacteria and fungi, then the soil degrades. Overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have effects on the soil organisms that are similar to human overuse of antibiotics.”
Soil Erosion is another factor that degrades soil quality and affects plant and animal health. Natural factors such as strong wind gusts, climate change, rainfall and flooding and wildfires are some of the major causes of soil erosion. In addition to these natural factors, poor farm management, monocropping, overgrazing, deforestation for urban area expansion, and road construction also contribute to soil erosion and degradation.
The foundation of life on Earth is soil. In order to recover the lost soil fertility, we must be more conscious of the ways in which our actions are causing its degradation. It’s a great idea to use animal or organic manure to increase the fertility of the soil. Depending on the animal type, diet, bedding, and manure storage methods, animal manures offer varying amounts of nutrients. To provide the soil with the nitrogen that is an essential part of healthy soil, manure must be introduced.
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Additionally, organic compost can be utilized to enhance soil health as it nourishes soil-dwelling worms and microorganisms and keeps the soil loose to improve aeration. In fact, using organic compost as a fertilizer for soil is a great way to recycle biodegradable waste.
It is also important to test the soil from time to time as soil with high acidic content is quite prone to a fungal disease.This typically happens when soil is depleted of nutrients like calcium and magnesium. In these situations, soil pH levels need to be corrected in order to restore soil fertility. It is possible to employ biochar, a carbon-rich substance made from plant matter, to raise the pH levels of the soil, which would further increase agricultural production.
Green manuring is also a great method to improve soil health. Green manure crops are not harvested and removed from the soil, but they are tilled into the soil while they are still green. When returned to the soil, plants decompose and release the necessary nutrients that could be beneficial for the next crop.
While mixed cropping is not a very popular method for improving soil fertility, it can be implemented to prevent soil erosion and soil-borne plant diseases.
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We are dependent on soil from the food we eat to the fabrics we wear. For the planet’s entire health—that of the plants, animals, and people—soil fertility needs to be restored so that the soil can give plants—which are eaten by both people and animals—adequate nutrients and food.
Author: Bio– Supriya Patil, environmentalist Grow-Trees.com. At Grow-Trees.com, she is helping corporates to mobilize the resources for adopting the triple bottom line in the businesses by developing various social impact-driven projects. In her free time, she likes to visit various sanctuaries in India, travel to unexplored places and spend time with her pets.
Tags: #agriculture, #air, #animal, #climate, #environment, #fertilizers, #getgreengetgrowing, #gngagritech, #greenstories, #health, #nature, #planets, #waste, #water, #wildfires
