27th Ambassadorship, Month 6, Report 2

Free Report: February

Title: Organic Fertilizers and its importance

An organic fertilizer is a soil amendment made from natural resources that contains at least the required amounts of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. Virtually any organic material can be used as a fertilizer; however, the concentration of plant nutrients and the rate at which these nutrients are released for plant use vary greatly. The use of organic fertilizer aids in the improvement of farmed land quality. Organic fertilizers are mineral sources that are found in nature and include a moderate amount of plant nutrients.

Organic fertilizers are made up of a wide range of plant-derived resources, including fresh or dried plant material, animal dung and litter, and agricultural by-products. Organic fertilizer nutrient concentration varies widely depending on the source material, and rapidly biodegradable materials are excellent nutrient sources. Organic fertilizers have lower nitrogen and phosphorus content than chemical fertilizers, frequently significantly lower. They are capable of resolving issues caused by synthetic fertilizers. They reduce the need to apply synthetic fertilizers on a regular basis to maintain soil fertility. They slowly release nutrients into the soil solution, maintaining nutritional balance for crop plant growth.

They also serve as a good source of energy for soil bacteria, which improves soil structure and crop growth. Organic fertilizers are supposed to be slow-release fertilizers that contain a variety of trace components. They're a better option than chemical fertilizers. Incorrect application of organic fertilizers, on the other hand, might result in over fertilization or nutritional shortage in the soil. As a result, releasing organic fertilizers in a controlled manner is an effective and advanced technique to mitigate these effects while maintaining a sustainable agriculture production. Moisture content is a key component in lowering or diluting organic fertilizer nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations.

As a result, transporting high-moisture organic fertilizer across long distances can be costly. However, if the utilization of locally available sources is consistent with the production strategy, it is absolutely acceptable. Animal manures have a higher variability in nutrient value than agricultural by-products. Manure nutrient value is affected by the animal's food, the use and kind of bedding material, the age of the manure, and how it was kept; these factors can change seasonally on and among farms, as well as regionally or on a broader geographic scale.

In contrast, nutrient content of agricultural by-products is less variable but can be affected by the industrial process used to produce the by-product. However, it is always a good idea to determine the organic fertilizer's nutrient content analytically. Organic fertilizer's organic carbon content may be as important as or more important than its nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. Organic fertilizer encourages increases in heterotrophic bacterial biomass, which boosts secondary productivity and mineralizes nutrients to boost primary productivity.

Use of organic fertilizer in agriculture

An organic fertilizer is one made from organic materials such as organic compost, animal dung, chicken droppings, and domestic sewage. In the fight against soil fertility loss, organic fertilizer is one of the most revolutionary components of sustainable farming methods. Organic fertilizers, by definition, are carbon-rich mixtures of plant and animal matter ranging from fresh or dried plant material to animal manures, litters, and agricultural by-products. Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, have been demonstrated to enhance not just yield but also soil bulk density, soil organic matter, and critical soil minerals such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Organic fertilizers improve the physical structure and biochemical activity of the soil, and their influence is long-term due to the progressive degradation of the organic matter in the soil. It is also one of the most environmentally long-term and economically viable techniques to creating sustainable agriculture. Despite their relevance, organic fertilizer adoption has yet to garner the same level of attention as chemical fertilizers, which are still widely employed by small farm households. The notion of sluggish nutrient release, labor-intensive extension failures, insufficient knowledge of use, and a lack of understanding of the benefits of organic fertilizers are all barriers to adoption.

Organic fertilizers provide the advantages of being inexpensive, enhancing soil structure, texture, and aeration, boosting the soil's ability to retain water, and stimulating healthy root development. Minerals, animal sources, sewage sludge, and plants are all sources of organic fertilizer. Vegetables, animals, and residual materials all played a role in increasing soil organic matter content. As a result, it is suggested that using integrated nutrient management is a long-term improvement of soil productivity through the appropriate use of organic fertilizers (i.e. animal manure, plant residue, and sewage sludge) and their scientific management for increments of optimum crop growth, yield, and quality.

Cow dung, chicken manure, compost, crop residues, and green manure were traditionally and preferentially employed as organic fertilizers in the country. Chemical fertilizer costs have increased in the international market as a result of the recent energy crisis, while organic fertilizers have regained favor. The usage of chemical fertilizers has resulted in environmental contamination that has become a global issue. Proper processing of organic wastes and residues for use in agriculture appears to be promising, and it has the potential to significantly reduce environmental pollution.