Why is chemical fertilizer used in new farming methods? How could use of fertilizers make soil less fertile? What are the alternative ways of enriching soil?
Answers
Modern fertilizer consists of varying amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). These three are believed to be essential for plants to grow.
This is why farmers spread fertilizer on their fields, to replace the nutrients lost. It’s certainly not the ideal and sustainable way to farm, but it’s thought to be the most efficient for large-scale farms. Strategies like crop rotation and allowing large fields to rest would cut too deep into profits that are based on quantity, opposed to quality.Unlike nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium cannot be synthesized, and our aggressive large-scale farming methods, which deplete soils of nutrients that then must be replaced, are quickly burning through available phosphorus and potassium stores.
Answer:
- The chemical fertilizers are used to increase production of crops.
- But the chemical fertilizers are basically made for petro-chemicals . And eventually remain in the soil.
- As a result many microorganisms like earth worms are destroyed.
- These microorganisms increase the fertility of the soil. But these are destroyed and hence this in turn affects the long run fertility of the soil.
- The alternative ways of enriching soil, can be used to increase the fertility of the soil.