Sustaining Soil Fertility and Health

Maintaining healthy soils and reversing soil fertility decline are critical for achieving  sustainable intensification of crop production, which is vital for ensuring future food security. A key starting point for achieving these use of cost-effective diagnostic techniques to determine soil characteristics, measure threats to soil health, and identify the drivers of soil fertility loss.

We will discuss more ways to improve as well as sustain the soil.

As a thumb rule, please remember "The Soil need not be exposed to direct sunlight and the sunlight is required only for the plants and that too by the leaves of the plants"

Don't expose the soil to direct sunlight

1. Most of the land is occupied by Trees, Crops etc and only the minimal area is not occupied by any crop.  In this situation, we can go for Live (or) Green Mulch, Dead Mulch.
2. In case of traditional crops like Paddy, Sugarcane etc, the unwanted roots or branches should not be burnt and left as is to decompose in the very soil.
3. Live Mulch can be even weeds as well as any legume crops or grasses as well.
4. Dead Mulch can be plantains, dead leaves, twigs, broken branches etc.  The Dead Mulch need to be spread in those areas where the soil is exposed to the sunlight and this will reduce the soil getting hot and also will reduce the evaporation in the process.

The Soil can be improved further if we allow the earthworms to live there.  The earthworms cannot tolerate direct sunlight and hence will not be coming to the top of the soil if there is direct sunlight.  As we all know, the more the earthworms, it is better for the soil as well as for the farmer.  The earthworms improve the air passage, water seepage and provide nutrients to the roots of the crops.

We can also improve the soil by making the dead mulch decompose faster by sprinkling (cow dung + cow urine) mixture whenever there is heavy dead mulch available.

Traditionally, the goats / sheeps are allowed to stay overnight in the land so that the excreta that falls from them will improve the soil and this method is employed even today.

Soil carried by Wind

1. We need to implement Wind Breakers to control this and this has to be done in a V shape model.
2. The plants selected should have many branches and it should be thick (like Glyricidia) and should not have only one stem like coconut.
3. During the summer, we can go for short term crops to ensure that the top soil is covered and hence cannot be carried by wind.

Soil carried by Water

1. Water should not flow very fast and this is also one of the reasons for losing the top soil and the nutrients along with it.
2. Where water flows very fast, it should be made to walk. Create trenches along the gradient of the slope or every 25 or 50 feet to ensure that the speed of the water is reduced considerably.
3. Where water walks, it should be made to crawl.  If the land is occupied by grasses or other crops, it will make the water slow down to a considerable extent.
4. Where water crawls, it should be made to stop.  This can be a storage pit or tank or pond.

Natural and Organic way to improve Soil Fertility

The Soil is the base for any agricultural activity.  Soil fertility refers to the ability of soil to sustain plant growth, to provide plant habitat and result in lasting constant yields of high quality. A fertile soil has the following properties: 

1.Phosphorous

2. Potassium and 

3. Nitrogen along with water, air and soil micro organisms that break down organic matter.

Here, we will discuss about the ways and means to improve the soil.

The details given below are for both "Unused Land (Barren Land)" and "Land in use (Existing Agriculture Land)" as well as for land which needs to be transforming from chemical farming to self-sufficient organic farming.

Land Improvement - Method 1

The following 5 types of Seeds are required and their quantities are mentioned as well for 1 Acre.  Overall, you require 4+4+4+4.25+1.75 = 22 Kgs of seeds per acre.

1.  Pasunthaal (Green Manure Seeds) - 4 Kgs
1. Sanappu (Sunhemp) - 1Kg
2. Thakkaipoondu (Daincha) - 1 Kg
3. Avuri (Indigo) - 1 Kg
4. Sesbania (Sesbania) - 1 Kg
2. Siruthaaniam (Millet Seeds) - 4 Kgs
1. Cholam (Cholam) - 1 Kg
2. Cumbu (Spiked Millet) - 1 Kg
3. Kelvaragu (Ragi) - 1 Kg
4. Samai (Samai) - 1 Kg
3. Payaru (Cereal Seeds) - 4 Kgs
1. Ulundu (Blackgram) - 1 Kg
2. Pacchapayaru (Greengram) - 1 Kg
3. Karamani (Cowpea) - 1 Kg
4. Thuvarai (Redgram) - 1 Kg
4. Ennai (Oil Seeds) - 4.25 Kgs
1. Verkkadalai (Groundnut) - 2 Kg
2. Ell (Gingely) - 0.25 Kg
3. Amanakku (Castor) - 1 Kg
4. Soya Mochai (Soya Beans) - 1 Kg
5. Vaasanai (Perfume Seeds) - 1.75 Kgs
1. Thaniya (Coriander) - 1 Kg
2. Kadukku (Mustard) - 0.25 Kg
3. Venthayam (Fenugreek) - 0.25 Kg
4. Sombhu (Jeera) - 0.25 Kg

1. The land has to be tilled for 1 or 2 times before the seeds are broadcast.
2. The above 20 seeds mentioned need to be mixed thoroughly and broadcast by hand.
3. Just before flowering of the crops(in 3 months time), the crops need to be dealt in two different ways.
4. If the land is slushy, the entire crops need to be tilled again so that the crops as well as the soil are mixed thoroughly and allowed to decompose.
5. If the land is not slushy, the entire crops need to be cut at the base and allowed to decompose in the soil.
6. Mostly these needs to be done before the main crop is grown or if you are not growing any main crop and just for soil improvement, it is better to do this during the rainy season.