soil and health

1. COMPOSTING
AND
SOIL HEALTH

3. Only "living" things can have
health
Soil health, also referred to as
soil quality, is defined as the
continued capacity of soil to
function as a vital living
ecosystem that sustains plants,
animals, and humans. This
definition speaks to the
importance of managing soils so
they are sustainable for future
generations.

4.  Supplies nutrients for healthy plant growth
 Allows water to infiltrate freely
 Resists erosion
 Stores water
 Readily exchanges gases with the atmosphere
 Contains a large and diverse population of soil
biota
 Is not acidifying or salinising
 Has a range of pore spaces to house organisms,
nutrients and water

5. IN SHORT
Which contains all
essential nutrients in proper
amount and in available
form.
Which contains sufficient
amount of organic matter.
which contains sufficient
amount of benifical
microbial population.

6. Extension workers
 Soil respiration measurement.
 Presence of pathogens.
 Soil pH, conductivity..
 Microbial biomass.
 Nutrient levels.
 Physical indicators, e.g. Aggregate stability, and
infiltration rate

7.  Nature of roots (density, depth).
 Decomposition of litter.
 Macrofauna, including indicators such as
worm casts.
 N-fixing organisms, e.g. legume root nodules.
 Plant population profiles (+ weeds).
 Smell.
 Soil physical indicators, e.g. waterlogging and
compaction

9.  Maximizing soil health is
essential to maximizing
sustainable profitability.
This can be accomplished by:-
 Disturbing the soil as little as
possible.
 keeping living plants in the
soil as often as possible
 Addition of organic matter.
 Addition of biofertilizers.
 Regular soil testing.

10. Physical
 It improves soil structure

11. Chemical
 Adds Nutrients to the soil
 Increases CEC

12. Biological
 Add millions of
micro-organisms

14.  Improves the fertility and productivity of
soil because compost is excellent source of
humus and nutrients. It is called soil
conditioner.
 Compost improves the structure of the soil
enable them to retain nutrients, moisture,
and air for the growth of plants.
 Increase the efficiency of minerals and bio
fertilizers.
 Maximize the recycling of agriculture
organic residues.
 Reduce the use of chemicals.
 Promote concept of integrated plant
nutrient system.

15.  Vermicomposting
It is the process by which worms are used to
convert organic materials (usually wastes)
into a humus-like material known as
vermicompost.
 Vermicompost
It is a very fine granular substance which
improves plant growth and water retention
capacity of soil. It also contains growth
promoting substances.

16.  Earthworms consume biomass
and excrete it in digested form
called worm casts/Black gold.
 The casts are rich in nutrients,
growth promoting substances,
beneficial soil micro flora.

17.  It is a peat like material with high porosity, aeration,
drainage, water holding capacity and diverse
microbial activity .
 It supplies essential micronutrients, valuable
vitamins, hormones and also contains growth
promoting substances like auxins and cytokinins.
 The organic carbon in vermicompost releases the
nutrients slowly and steadily into the system
and enables the plant to absorb these nutrients
through out their life cycle.

18. Eisenia fetida
 Most commom species used
 Common Names: Red
Wiggler, Redworm, Tiger
Worm, Manure Worm
 About ½ kg worms = 1000 No.
 It can survive easily at 10-35oc
temperature
 Life cycle of this worm is 180
days.
 Consumes 1.5g to 7.0g food
material per day (at least
half their body weight)

19.  Kitchen scraps & plate scrapings
 Animal manure
 Agricultural crop residues
 Yard trimmings
 Scrap paper
 Organic byproducts from
industries
 Sewage sludge

20. Pit/Bed Method
 Pit with standard dimensions are prepared
 Raw material in the form of pre-decomposed cow dung and other
organic waste is put in the pit in alternate layers
 Earth worms are released in the pit
Watering is done daily so that moisture content is kept constant
Turning may be done after 15 days
After 40-45 days vermicompost may be ready for use.
Methods of Vermicomposting

22.  Temperature: 25-35 (0C ideal)
 Moisture: 60-85%
 Aeration: Keep the pits aerobic
 pH: 7.0 best

23. •Fresh cow dung should be avoided.
• Crop residues should be properly water soaked
before mixing with worms
•Always avoid weed seeds in mixing pit.
•To maintain moisture level, spray water as and
when required.
•Protect from direct sun light

24.  Meat
 Grease
 Bones
 Cat or dog feces
 Materials with pungent smell

25. Chemical composition of vermicompost
pH 7.60
OC(%) 33.11
N(%) 1.82
P(%) 0.98
K(%) 1.25
Ca(%) 6.58
Mg(%) 2.15
Ca mg 15
Mg mg 10

26.  Vermiwash, a liquid fertilizer can be collected
through the column of activated earthworm.
 It contains plant growth hormones like auxins
and cytokinin apart from nitrogen, phosphorus,
potash and other micronutrients.
Vermiwash

27.  A base layer of gravel or
broken small pieces of
bricks are placed up to
height of 10 cm.
 After that a layer of soil +
compost is placed15 cm
 Than cow dung 5cm
 After that earth warms are
released
 Than cow dung 2-5 cm
 After compost 10cm

28. Low Cast Vermicompost Unit

33.  Sewage and Sludge. 3.5%, 4%, 0.6% NPK
 FYM 0.50 %, 0.25%, 0.50% NPK
 Sheep and goat manure 3% , 1%, 2% NPK
 Poultry manure 3.03%, 2.63%, 1.4% NPK
 Blood meal. 10%, 2%, 1% NPK
 Meat Meal. 10.5%, 2.5%, 0.5% NPK
 Bone meal. 4%, 25%NP