SSL311

1. Manures, Fertilizers and Soil Fertility
Management
(SSL311)
Mr. Ravindra Meena
Assistant Professor
School of Agricultural Sciences
Career Point University, Kota (Raj.)

2. Introduction and importance of organic manures, properties and
methods of preparation of bulky and concentrated manures. Green/leaf
manuring. Fertilizer recommendation approaches. Integrated nutrient
management.
Unit-1

3. Manures are plant and animal wastes that are used as sources of plant
nutrients. They release nutrients after their decomposition. The art of collecting
and using wastes from animal, human and vegetable sources for improving crop
productivity is as old as agriculture. Manures are the organic materials derived
from animal, human and plant residues which contain plant nutrients in complex
organic forms. Naturally occurring or synthetic chemicals containing plant
nutrients are called fertilizers. Manures with low nutrient, content per unit
quantity have longer residual effect besides improving soil physical properties
compared to fertilizer with high nutrient content.
Introduction

4. These are a good source of macronutrients.
Improves soil fertility.
Cost-effective
Reduces soil erosion and leaching.
Improves the physical properties of the soil and aerates the soil.
Importance of Manure

5. Improves the water and nutrient holding capacity of the soil.
It helps in killing weeds and pests.
It can be transported easily.
Methane gas is evolved as the by-product of manure that can be used for cooking
and heating purposes.
The crops grown on the land treated with manure produces healthy crops.

7. Oil cake, Bone meal, blood meal, fish manure, meat meal etc.
Oilcakes: is the residue left after the oil is extracted from oil bearing seeds
Edible oil Cakes : feed to the cattle
Coconut cake : 3.0% N
Mustard Cake : 5.2% N
Ground nut cake : 7.2% N
Safflower cake : 7.9% N
Concentrated organic manures

8. OC should be well powdered.
application for quick decomposition.
nutrients are liberated after
decomposition of oil cakes, C:N=3-15, low, nitrifies quickly, nearly 50-80%
N is available within 2-3 months, Used as top dressing

9. The bulky organic manures are organic in nature and required in huge amounts.
All these bulky orgaic manures are bulky in nature and supply.
i) plant nutrients in small quantities.
ii) organic matter in large quantities.
Eg. FYM, Composts, Green manures, Sewage sludge. of the various bulky
organic manures FYM, Compost and Green manures are widely used.
BULKY ORGANIC MANURE

10. Organic materials are relatively poorer in concentration of plant nutrients
These materials possess wider C:N ratio and C:S ratios and so supply energy
needed for microorganisms
The mineral nutrients that are available in the organic materials become
available to plants after mineralization.
Judicious combination of organic and inorganic manures is quite essential to
maintain fertility status. Examples : 1.FYM, 2.Composts, 3.Green manures,
4.Pouderette, 5.Biogas slurry, 6.Sewage or sludge, 7.Molasses and
8.Vermicompost.
Characteristics of bulky organic manures

11. This method has been recommended by C.N.Acharya .The manure preparation
should be carried in trenches of suitable size ,say 20-25 feet length , 5-6 feet
breadth and 3-3.5 feet depth .All available dry litter and refuse from the farm
and the houses should be heaped up near the cattle shed and portions of litter
mixed with earth if available should be spread in the shed in the evening @2.26
kg per animal for the absorption of urine .The litter should be localized in the
areas where urine generally drops and soaks into the ground. Every morning
the urine soaked litter and dung should be well mixed and then taken into the
manure trench.
Trench method of preparing FYM:

12. A section of 3 feet length of the trench from one end should be taken up for filling
with daily collection of refuse from cattle shed. When the trench is filled to the
height of 1.5 to 2.0 feet above ground level, the top is made dome shaped and
plastered with cow dung mixed with soil. The manure becomes ready for about
three months .By this time the next 3 feet length of the trench being filled up.
.Generally 2 such trenches would be needed for three to four cattle. It is possible to
prepare by this process 250-300 cubic feet of manure (3 to 5 tones or 10-12 cart
loads) per animal. The FYM should be enriched by addition of super phosphate @
30-40 kg per trench before application to fields. The content of nitrogen is at least
0.7 to 0.8 % N on the fresh weight basis or 1.4 to 1.6 % N on dry weight basis.

13. B Concentrated organic manures:
Like bulky organic manures, these organic manures contain plant nutrients and
considerable amount of organic matter. They have direct effect on plant
growth. Nitrogen content is higher in concentrated organic manures and varied
from 2.5 per cent in mahua cake to 7.9 per cent in decorticated safflower cake.
In addition to nitrogen all the oil cakes contain P2O5 (0.8 to 2.9 %) and K2O
(1.2 to 2.2%) since they contain nitrogen in relatively large quantities ,they are
usually classified as organic nitrogenous manures . By virtue of this high
nitrogen content they enrich the nitrogen status of soil.

14. Bone meal is a white to whitish material produced by treating the bones
obtained in abattoirs (Slaughter houses) .The bones are dried, crushed,
degreased and cleaned to obtain bone grist .Finely ground ,it serves as an
organic N- P fertilizer.
Deamination: It is a process of removal of proteins from the grist which
yields deaminated bone meal. It is also referred as steamed bone meal.
BONE MEAL

15. Bone meal is a P-fertilizer of organic origin i.e., it contains Ca3 (PO4)2.
It has 1.0 to 2.0 per cent N and 10-13 per cent P .In general young bones
contain less P and more nitrogen than older bones .
Bone meal has some residual effect. Rice and other cereals and other
orchard crops respond well to its application . It is particularly useful for
soils high in Fe and Al content and applied along green manures with
advantage prior to sowing or planting. It can be used for crops rather
indiscriminately without fear of salt damage (burning ) unlike chemical
fertilizers.

16. Green manuring can be defined as the growth of a crop for the specific
purpose of incorporating it into soil while green, or soon after maturity with a
view to mproving the soil and benefiting subsequent crops or Practice of
ploughing or turning in to the soil un decomposed green plant tissues for the
purpose of improving physical condition as well as fertility of the soil.
Green manuring:

17. Increasing organic matter content of soil Maintain and improve soil
structure Reduce the loss of nutrients ,perticularly nitrogen Provide a
source of nitrogen for the following crop Reduce the soil loss by
erosion.
Objectives of green manuring

19. Integrated Nutrient Management refers to the maintenance of soil fertility and
of plant nutrient supply at an optimum level for sustaining the desired
productivity through optimization of the benefits from all possible sources of
organic, inorganic and biological components in an integrated manner.
INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

20. Regulated nutrient supply for optimum crop growth and higher productivity.
Improvement and maintenance of soil fertility.
Zero adverse impact on agro – ecosystem quality by balanced fertilization of
organic manures, inorganic fertilizers and bio- inoculant.
Concepts

21. Enhances the availability of applied as well as native soil nutrients Synchronizes
the nutrient demand of the crop with nutrient supply from native and applied
sources.
Provides balanced nutrition to crops and minimizes the antagonistic effects
resulting from hidden deficiencies and nutrient imbalance.
Improves and sustains the physical, chemical and biological functioning of soil.
Minimizes the deterioration of soil, water and ecosystem by promoting carbon
sequestration, reducing nutrient losses to ground and surface water bodies and to
atmosphere.
Advantages