GREEN MANURE

 In recent past, there has been great increase in food production. One of the major factors for the increase in the food production is the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Fertilizers are used to maintain soil and control of pets. A fertilizer is any substance containing chemical elements needed for plant growth. There are two types of fertilizers.

1) Chemical fertilizers: These contain mineral nutrients which can be absorbed by plant in straight away. General fertilizers contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Theses are manufactured in fertilizers factories by chemical process.

Disadvantages of Chemical fertilizers

1. Chemical fertilizers are very expensive
2. Chemicals used as fertilizers and pesticides are often released and mixed in the environment causing water, air and soil pollution.
3. Excessive use of chemical fertilizers the soil quality and decrease in its potential
4. Injurious to human health
5. Will even destroys the useful micro organisms present in the soil.

In order to overcome above problems of chemical fertilizers Organic fertilizers is good.

2) Organic fertilizers: These fertilizers are of plant origin. They are manure and biofertilizers. These are environmental and economic friendly which can be prepared in the home in low costs using local organic resources. These have 2 types;

               1) Manures

               2) Biofertilizers

1) Manures

            Manures are the organic materials which are mixed with soil. These supply almost all the nutrients required by the crops plants. These increase nutrient value especially the nitrogen content and thus enhance the crop productivity. 

                a) Farmyard manure- It is the mixture of cattle dung and crop residues like remnants of the straw and plant stalks fed to cattle. The cattle dung is to be properly stored in a pit and surface is plastered with mud. The manure will be ready to use in 2-3 months

                b) composite manure- It consists of rottened vegetables and animal shed wastes, refuse, farm weeds and other substances. These are properly mixed and used after rottening.

                c) Green manures- Green manures are the green crops which are highly nutritive. Theses are grown in the fields and then ploughed them back under the soil. Thus, green manuring can be defined as the practice of growing, plugging under and mixing of green crops with soil to improve soil fertility and utlimately crop productivity. It also provide a protection action against soil erosion and leaching.

  Importance of green manures in Agriculture

1. Green manures are the cheapest and easily available source of fertilizers
2. provides additional nitrogen as well as other organic matters to soil.
3. The check soil erosion, leaching and procolation
4. Increase crops yield from 30%-50%
5. Environmental friendly.
6. Improve soil aeration and drainage condition.

2 Biofertilizers

        Biofertilizers is defined as biologically active products or the living organisms which bring about nutrient enrichment of soil.

Biofertilizers are bacteria, Cyanobacteria and fungi.