Write down some benefits of using manure over fertilizers in crop production?
Answers
Answer:
When crops are grown one after the other, it decreases the productivity of the soil. However, this can be overcome by adding manures and fertilizers to the soil. This increases the yield of the plants and also restores the productivity of the soil. Therefore, manures and fertilizers are paramount for efficient crop production.
What is Manure?
Manure is obtained from the decomposition of dead plants and animals. They essentially function as sustenance to the crops. They help in the proper cultivation of crops. Addition of manure enables the soil to hold more water. Organic manures have acids that dissolve the nutrients with soil and make it available to the plants.
Advantages of Manure
It increases the water-holding capacity of the soil.
It makes the soil porous and facilitates the exchange of gases.
The texture of the soil improves.
The number of microbes increases in the soil.
The process of adding manures is known as manuring. Manuring should be done at regular intervals, otherwise, the plants become weak. However, the use of manure has many drawbacks too. They can be rather difficult to transport and are not nutrient specific.
Fertilizers
A fertilizer is a chemical substance that contains necessary nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous to make the soil fertile. Popular examples of fertilizers are urea, potash, and ammonium sulphate.
Advantages of fertilizers
They are quick in providing plant nutrients and restoring soil fertility.
They are portable and easy to transport.
Plants easily absorb fertilizers.
Fertilizers improve and increase the productivity of many crops such as wheat, maize, and rice.
However, these are chemicals, and they have the potential to decrease the fertility of soil if used constantly. Furthermore, it also pollutes water bodies.
Manures and fertilizers, both are added to increase soil fertility and enhance the growth of the plants, but are distinct in some way or the other. The major difference between the manures and fertilizers are summarized below:
Explanation:
When compared to more conventional fertilizer, manure properly applied to land has the potential to provide environmental benefits including: Increased soil carbon and reduced atmospheric carbon levels. Reduced soil erosion and runoff. Reduced nitrate leaching.