Ways to increase and preserve soil fertility
Soil, along with seed, is one of the foundations of agriculture. The desired crop cannot be obtained if the soil is unsuitable, that is, if the soil lacks the nutrients required for the crop. In Ghana, the amount of cultivable land is very small in comparison to the population. As a result, in order to meet the food needs of this population, it is critical to make efforts to cultivate more crops by increasing and conserving land fertility.
1. Prevent soil erosion
Crop nutrients are typically found in the topsoil up to a depth of 6 "-7" inches. Excessive rainfall, water flow, wind gusts, and other factors cause the surface soil to shift, resulting in the loss of stored nutrients and a reduction in soil fertility. As a result, care should be taken to avoid removing surface soil and creating drains and ditches during the flow of rain and flood water.
2. Apply fertilizer in balanced doses
Because the soil receives the necessary nutrients for crop nutrition, the fertility of the soil gradually decreases as a result of planting different crops. Different crops require different amounts of nutrients from the soil. To compensate, a balanced dose of organic and chemical fertilizers should be applied to the land.
3. Use of organic matter
The role of organic matter in the development of the physical and chemical conditions of the soil is important. It feeds plants, protects against soil acidity and alkalinity, and boosts chemical efficacy. As a result, efforts should be made to increase and preserve soil fertility in the land by applying an adequate amount of dung manure, compost, farm manure, and so on. Green manure and various crop residues can be mixed into the soil to increase the amount of organic matter. A good soil should have at least 5% organic matter. However, the amount of organic matter in our soil is extremely low. As a result, as much organic manure as possible should be applied to the land.
4. Follow proper cropping pattern
When the same crop or type of crop is grown on the same land time after time, a certain amount of nutrients are absorbed and fertility is lost. Soil fertility can be increased and maintained by planting the main root crop after the cluster crop, the dicotyledonous crop after the monocotyledonous crop, and the low food consuming crop after the high food consuming crop. Depending on the soil, etc., and geographical location, an appropriate cropping pattern should be followed.
5. Cultivation of legumes
Different crops absorb more nitrogen from the soil than others. As a result, the soil quickly runs out of it. This shortfall can be partially compensated for by growing pulses on the land from time to time. This is because Rhizobium bacteria live in the root pods and store the cocoons by extracting nitrogen from the air, thereby increasing soil fertility.
6. Resting the land
Long periods of intensive cultivation with no rest degrade the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. So, after a few years, the land must be rested for at least one season. However, growing green manure or grazing animals on a regular basis at this time increases the fertility of the land.
7. Controlling soil acidity and alkalinity
Excessive soil acidity and salinity reduce fertility, rendering many food crops unsuitable for cultivation. As a result, if necessary, organic manure should be applied to reduce acidity and alkalinity.
8. Development of farming methods
Defective farming practices deplete soil fertility. However, by employing advanced farming techniques, it is possible to preserve and develop the fertility of the land. When the land is plowed at the same depth all the time, a hard layer forms below that depth, making food extraction impossible. As a result, varying the depth of land tillage and other cultivation processes from time to time is beneficial for fertility conservation and development.
9. Proper water irrigation and drainage system
The fertility of the field is harmed by a lack of a proper irrigation and drainage system. As a result, it is important to provide moderate irrigation to the land and plan for rapid drainage of excess water.
10. Control of harmful diseases and insects
The soil is frequently infested with harmful diseases, pests, or eggs, which have a negative impact on crop production. They are destroyed and the soil is improved when the land is plowed upside down and the soil is dried in the sun. If necessary, appropriate pesticides should be applied at the appropriate time and with the appropriate technique.
11. Weed control
By removing nutrients from the soil and interfering with crop growth, weeds decrease the soil's fertility. As a result, the land should never be allowed to become overgrown with weeds and should always be kept tidy.
This is one of the great thing we can get. The soil is one of the most important things to have ever existed and it is what we depend on. Erosion is what causes a very huge soil fertility.