JADAM Lecture Part 9. Implicit Faith in Soil Testing Intensifies Using Chemical Fertilizer & Soil Contamination

 Organic matter is broken down by soil small animals and microorganisms and turned into humus. Humus breaks down over time and releases nutrients into the soil, thus making it fertile. This, coupled with microbial activity, turns humus soil into an aggregate structure with good air permeability and water/fertilizer retentive properties.

If humus content increases in the soil due to a significant input of organic materials, the soil will hold tight to the various nutrients (K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn) and even frequent rain cannot wash them away making the soil is resistant to erosion. Liquid fertilizers di not have the advantage of humus because they have already turned into pure nutrients. 

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