Components of Organic Farming

Organic manures

 Organic manures such as FUM, biogas slurry, compost, straw or

other crop residues, biofertilizers, green manures and cover crops
can substitute for inorganic fertilizers to maintain the
environmental quality.
 Organic farmers may also use the see weeds, fish manures and
some permitted fertilizers like basic slag and rock phosphate.
Non-Chemical Weed Control Measures

 Mechanical weed control, especially in row crops.

 No herbicides are used. Cultural, biological and physical methods
are resorted to.
 Botanical herbicides, mycoherbicides and bioagents are employed to
control weeds.

Biological Pest Management

 Non-chemical, biological pest management is encouraged.

 Natural enemies of pests are encouraged. Botanical pesticides such
as those derived from neem could be used.
 Microbial pesticides like Bacillus thuringiensis is used.

Nutrient Management in Organic Farming

 The first task in OF is to protect the soil fertility and health. Use
of organic manures, crop rotation, use of crop residues, green
manures, intercropping with legumes, use of biofertilizers etc., are
resorted to.
Limiting nutrient losses

 Better recycling of wastes.

 Handling of organic wastes.
 Application of organic matter at right time, method and quantity.
  Reducing run off by following conservation practices.
 Conservation of organic matter by decreasing burning of crop
residues.
 In wet land, deceasing denitrification losses of nutrients.
 Nutrient release and time of uptake must be synchronized.
 Cropping pattern.
 Pumping of nutrient by hedge row planting.
 Minimizing the exports of nutrients from the farm.

Organic Manures

 The organic manures are derived from biological sources like plant,
animal and human residues.
 These organic manures contain loa amounts of plant nutrients but,
organic matter, other than nutrients, present in large quantity hence,
they are also called as bulky organic manures.
 Among various bulky organic manures, FYM, compost, green manure,
concentrated manures, vermicompost, oil cakes are most widely used.
Farm Yard Manure (FYM)

 Farmyard manure (FYM) is decomposed mixture of cattle dung and

urine with straw and litter used as bedding material and residues
from the fodder fed to cattle.
 The waste material of cattle consisting of dung and urine soaked in
the refuse of the shed is collected daily and placed in trenches of
about 6 m long, 2 m wide and 1 m deep.
 A section of 2-3’ from one end of the trench is first selected for
filling.
 The trench is filled up to a height of about 50 cm above ground level
and plastered over with slurry of cow dung and earth.
 The material is allowed to decompose undisturbed for 3-4 months
for anaerobic micro organisms to complete fermentation.
  FYM become ready to apply after 3-4 months. It is spread evenly
over 3-4 weeks before sowing, mixed with soil by hand hoe or
cultivator.
 Well-decomposed FYM contains 0.5% N, 0.2% P2O5 and 0.5 % K2O.
Cow dung from biogas plant is also utilized in similar manner.
Factors influencing the quality of FYM

 Kind of animal species.

 Kind of bedding material.
 Kind of fodder fed to cattle.
 Age of the animal.
 Manner of collection in the shed.
 Storage in the pit etc.,
Enrichment of FYM

 The recommended dose of P and K2O for the crops is mixed with
750 kg of sieved FYM.
 The mixture is spread in the form of heap and plastering is done
with red earth paste.
 This anaerobic process is maintained for 30 days.
 Then the N fertilizer recommended for the crop is mixed and
applied immediately before sowing.
 Introduction to Compost

 Composting is a process by which organic wastes are converted into

organic fertilizers by means of biological activity under controlled
conditions.
 It is an important technique for recycling organic (agricultural and
industrial) wastes and for improving the quality and quantity of
organic fertilizers.
 Composting is a self heating, thermophilic and aerobic biological
process occurs naturally in heaps of biodegradable process and is
carried out by different kinds of heterophyllic microorganisms,
bacteria, fungi, actinomyctes and protozoa, which derive their energy
and carbon requirements from the decomposition of carbonaceous
materials.
Principles of Composting

Compost making includes three important principles

1. Narrowing down of C: N ratio to a satisfactory level (10:1 to 2:1).

2. Total destruction of harmful pathogens.
3. Destruction of weed seeds by high temperature (60-65o C).

Organic Resources Available for Composting

1. Livestock and human wastes.

2. Crop residues, tree litter and weeds.
3. Green manure.
4. Urban and rural wastes.
5. Agro industrial by-products.
6. Marine wastes.
In India, it is estimated that the annual production of dung and urine of
livestock and human beings amounts to about 2000 mt with the potential to
supply 6.4, 2.0 and 2.7 mt of N, P2O and K2O, respectively.
 Essential Requirements for Composting

 Bulky Organic Refuse: stubbles, cotton stalks, tur stalks, ground

nut shell, weeds, leaves, dust bin refuse etc.
 Starter Material: Cattle dung, urine, night soil, sewage, urea,
rockphosphate or any other readily available nitrogenous substance
and microbial cultures.
 Water: to keep the moisture content of the material at a level of
50%.
 Air: especially in initial stages of decomposition.

Methods of Composting

1. Indore Method
2. Activated Compost
3. Bangalore Method
4. NADEP Method
5. Coimbatore Method
6. Synthetic Compost
7. Windrow Composting (Leaf Compost)
8. Accelerated Composting and Enrichment
9. Phospho-Compost
10. Reinforced Compost from Sugarcane Trash and Press Mud
11. Japanese Method of Composting.
Bangalore Method of Composting

 Dr. Acharya developed this method for the utilization of town residues
and night soil. It is hot fermentation method.
 The compost production depot is located on the city outskirts.
 First, refuse is filled in the trench to about 15 cm height.
 The night soil is spread over this to a layer of 5 cm. After filling the pit
with refuse and night soil in alternate layers, the pit is filled to 15 cm
above the ground level with a final layer of 15 cm on the top.
 This may be made dome-shaped and converted with thin layer of soil
with red earth or mud to prevent moisture loss and breeding of flies.
 The materials are allowed to remain as such without any turning and
pot watering for about three months.
 The compost obtained by this method contains 1.5% N, 1.0% P2O and
1.5 % K2O, respectively.
Indor Method of Composting

 Waste materials are chopped into 5-10 cm pieces and dried to 40-50
% moisture level. They are spread in layers of 10-15 cm thickness
either in pits or in heaps of 1 m width, 4-5 m length and 1 m depth.
The heap is properly moistened with dung using earth or night soil.
 Sufficient quantity of water is sprinkled over the heap to wet the
composting materials to the level of 50 % moisture.
 Periodical turnings (15, 30 and 60 days) are given to aerate and
material is covered with a thin layer of soil (2-3 thickness).
 The average composition of manure: 0.8% N, 0.3% P2O and 1.5 %
K2O, respectively.
Disadvantages

1. Requires labour for turning

2. Not practicable if large quantity of material is there
3. Site should be at elevated level
4. Near a cattle shed and water source.

NADEF Method of Composting

 The Nadep method of making miracle compost was first invented by a

farmer named N.D. Pandharipande (also popularly known as
“Nadepkaka”) living in Maharashtra (India).
 The method, which has become quite popular among the farmers in
Western India, now bears his name.
 The Nadep method of making compost is unique not because it is
successful in making good compost, which other methods can also lay
claim to;its real secret lies in the large quantities of compost the
 process can deliverwith a minimum of human effort within a specific
period of time.
 The process basically involves placing select layers of different types
of compostible materials in a simple, mud-sealed structure designed
with brick and mud water.
 The system permits conversion of approximately 1 kg of animal dung
into 40 kg of rich compost which can then be applied directly to the
field.
 The multiplication factor is significant in view of the fact that in the
tropics, there is rapid decomposition of organic materials in the soil.
 This organic matter must be replaced and replenished if agricultural
fertility is not to go on declining.
 The problem is there is a scarcity of compostible materials,
particularly animal dung, prevailing within the country. (A good
proportion of animal dung is dried and used as fuel in many rural
areas.) Thus, even if all available organic materials, including dung,
were religiously and scrupulously collected, they would still not be
sufficient to replace the organic constituents of the vast quantities of
India’s fast-degrading soils.
 The Nadep method of composting actually enables the farmer to get
around the difficulty of generation of mass and to increase the
quantity of compost rapidly within a given frame of time and without
any significant additional expense.
Name of person or institution responsible for the practice or experience is
Dr. Kumarappa Gowardhan Kendra

 The NADEP method of organic composting was developed by a

Gandhian worker called Narayan Deorao Pandharipande of
Maharastra (Pusad).
 Compost can be prepared from a wide range of organic materials
including dead plant material such as crop residues, weeds, forest
litter and kitchen waste.
 Compost making is an efficient way of converting all kinds biomass
into high value fertilizer that serves as a good alternative to farmyard
manure, especially for crop-growing households without livestock.
Description

 This method of making compost involves the construction of a

simple, rectangular brick tank with enough spaces maintained
between the bricks for necessary aeration.
  The recommended size of the tank is 10 ft (length) x 5 ft (breadth) x
3 ft (height).
 All the four walls of NADEP tank are provided with 6// vents by
removing every alternate brick after the height of 1ft. from bottom
for aeration.
 Tank can be constructed in mud mortar or cement mortar.
Establishment Activities

Raw materials required for filling NADEP tank

 Agricultural waste (Dry & green) – 1350-1400 kgs.

 Cattle dung or biogas slurry – 98 – 100 kgs.
 Fine sieved soil – 1675 kgs.
 Water – 1350-1400 litres.

 The important technique in the manufacture of Nadep compost is

that the entire tank should be filled in one go, within 24 hours and
should not go beyond 48 hours, as this would affect the quality of
the compost.
 Thatched roof, Brick Wall Flooring, Air Vents, Green-farm
technologies for small and marginal farms Resources Center for
Sustainable Development
 Before filling: the tank is plastered by dilute cattle dung slurry to
facilitate bacterial activity from all four sides. It is also filled in
definite layers each layer consisting of the following sub layers.
Sub-layer-1

4
to 6// thick layer of fine sticks, stems, (To facilitate aeration)
followed by 4 to 6// layer ofdry and green biomass.
Sub-layer-2

4
kgs. Cow dung is mixed with 100 litres of water and sprinkled
thoroughly on the agricultural waste to facilitate microbial
activity.'
Sub-layer-3

 60 kgs. of fine dry soil is spread uniformly over the soaked biomass
for moisture retention and acts as a buffer during biodegradation.
Thus the proportion of organic materials for each layer is 100 kgs.
Organic biomass: 4kgs.cowdung + 100 litres water+60 kgs soil. In
this way, approximately 10 -12 layers are filled in each tank. After
 filling the tank, biomass is covered with 3// thick layer of soil and
sealed with cow dung +mud plaster.

Maintainance

After 15-30 days of filling the organic biomass in the tank gets
automatically pressed down to 2 ft.
 The tank is refilled by giving 2-3 layers over it and is resealed.
 After this filling the tank is not disturbed for 3 months except that it
is moistened at intervals of every 6-15 days.
 The entire tank is covered with a thatched roof to prevent excessive
evaporation of moisture.
 Under no circumstances should any cracks be allowed to develop. If
they do, they should be promptly filled up with slurry.
Benefits

 Reduced cash expenses on chemical fertilizer, improved soil

fertility, increased crop yield.
 Supports organic crop production, reduced dependence on outside
inputs.
 From each NADEP tank approximately 2.5 tons of compost is
prepared with in 90-120 days.
 The use of compost reduced the need for mineral fertilizer thus
reducing production costs and outside dependence.
 Introduction to Green Manuring

 Legume effect has been successfully utilised in green manuring.

 The amount of nitrogen fixed by ordinary green manure crop like
Dhaincha, Sunhamp, etc. may average about 60 kg/ha.
 However, the amount of nitrogen accumulated by green manure crop
is not likely to be able to provide to the level of nitrogen currently
needed by high yielding varieties. Therefore, integrated use of both
chemical fertilizer and green manuring is best solution.
Green manuring

 The practice of ploughing or turning into the soil undecomposed

green plant tissue for the purpose of improving physical condition
as well as fertility of soil is referred to as green manuring and the
manures obtained by this method is known as green manures.
 The use of green manure in crop production is recorded in China as
early as 1134 BC.

Types of Green Manuring

1. Green manuring In-Situ

 Any crop or palnt (generally leguminous) grown and
ploughed in situ is called green manuring in situ.
 E.g.: Sesbania (Sesbania speciosa), Dhaindia (Sesbania
aculeate), Sunhemp (Crotolaria juncea), Phillipesara
(Phaseolus trilobus), Cowpea (Vigna anguiculata), Green
gram/Mungbean (Vigna radiata), Black gram (Vigna mungo),
Berseem (Trifolium alexandrium) etc.
2. Green Leaf Manuring
 Consists of gathering green biomass (tender leaves and
twigs) from nearby location (bunds, field boundaries) and
adding it to the soil.
 E.g.: Cassia auriculata, Neem (Azadiracta indica), Glyricidia
(Glyricidia maculate), Leucaena leucocephala, Cassia
 tora, Tephrosia purpurea, Vitex nigundo, Karanj (Pongamia
glabra), Calotropis (Calotropis gigantea) etc,.
3. Green manures Green Leaf Manures
 E.g.-Dhaincha, Sunhemp, Glyricidia, Cassia, Green gram,
Cowpea, Soybeam Pongamia glabra, Subabul.
4. Green manure Green Leaf Manure
 E.g. Sunflower, Sesbania, Calotropis, Adathoda, Buck
wheat, Desmodium thespesia, Centroseme, Crotolaria
Advantages of Green Manuring

1. Helps in improving physical and chemical properties of soil. E.g.

Builds up soil structure, improves tilth, formation of crumbs in
heavy soil, increases water holding capacity.
2. Green manure crops absorb nutrients from the lower layer of
soils and leave them in the soil surface layer when ploughed in
for use by the succeeding crops.
3. Helps to maintain OM status of soil.
4. Acts as source of food and energy to soil microbes and increases
their population.
5. Helps in release of nutrients in available form for use by the
crops. E.g. GM crop increases the solubility of lime phosphate
because of increase in microbial activity.
6. Prevents leaching of nutrients to lower layers.
7. Increases aeration of rice soils by stimulating the activities of
surface films of algae and bacteria.
8. It reduces soil temperature and protects the soil from the
erosion action of water as it forms canopy cover on the soil.
9. Leguminous green manure plants helps in N-fixation and adds
the same to the soil. E.g. 60-100 kg N/ha in single season.
10. Green manures
 60 to 200 kg N/ha.
 Crotolaria juncea (sun hemp)
 17 t/ha biomass, 160 kg N/ha
11. Dhainchia (Sesbania aculeata)
 25-26 t/ha biomass, 18.5 kg N/ha
12. Helps in soil amelioration. E.g. Sesbania aculcata (Dhaincha) in
soil.
 when applied continuously for 4-5 seasons, green leaf
manuring crops like Argenone maxicana and Tamarindus
indicus has buffering effect in sodic soils.
13. Certain green manure like pongamia and neem leaves are
reported to control insects.
14. Increases yield to the extent of 15-20 per cent compared to no
green manuring.
Desirable Characteristics of Green Manuring Crops

1. Multipurpose use.
2. Short duration, fast growing, high nutrient accumulation ability.
3. Tolerance to shade, flood, drought and adverse temperatures.
4. Wide ecological adaptability.
5. Efficiency in use of water.
6. Early onset of biological N-fixation.
7. High N accumulation rates.
8. Timely release of nutrients.
9. Photoperiod insensitivity.
10. High seed production, high seed viability.
11. Ease in incorporation.
12. Ability to cross inoculate or responsive to inoculation.
13. Pest and disease resistance.
14. High N sinks in underground plant parts.
 Introduction to Vermicomposting

"Darwin (1881) was the first to show that earthworms affect soil formation
and development"

Commonly Used Species

Eisenia foetida, Perionyx excavatus, Eudrilus eugeniae, Lumbricus rubellus,

L. terrestris.
Eudrilus eugenia – African night crawler
Eisenia foetida – Tiger worm
Perionyx excavatus – Indian blue

Vermiculture is Culturing of Earthworms

 Earthworms effectively harness the beneficial soil microflora,

destroy soil pathogens and convert organic wastes into valuable
products known as cast which contains biofertilizers, vitamins,
enzymes, antibiotics, growth hormones and proteinaceous worm
biomass.
 Hence earthworms are called as ‘Artificial Fertilizer Factories’.
 Earthworms are nocturnal.
 Clitellum – Adult Stage.
 Two adults meet and lay egg within a week. Eggs are of coriander
seed shape.
 Earthwork take MO through the food. MO multiply in the in
intestine of earthworm and they come out with casts. It contains
various types of bacteria, actinomycetes, enzymes, vitamins and
micronutrients.

Preparation of Vermicompost

 Pit size: 10 m x 1 m x 0.3 m

 In irrigated area and heavy rainfall areas – above ground.
  Drench with chloropyriphos @ 2 ml/lit of H2O. Leave for one week
and then go for filling the pit in the following manner.

Fig : Dimensions and Composition of Vermicompost Pit

 Apply water @ 30 to 60 litres for 16 days. Leave 1000 to 2000

worms of suitable species (E. eugeniae) at about 10 cm depth.
 Worm multiplication and compost production will be higher if
sugarcane trash, sunflower or bajra residues are used.
 Keep the pit always moist (30-60% moisture) by daily watering (@
50 lit) during summer or twice a week during rainy season. Provide
shade to the pit.
 Vermicompost production is seen after 45 days of leaving worms to
the pit. It will be complete in 80-90 days. Residue will be converted
to vermicompost (75%).
  To collect / take vermicompost from the pit, leave the pit without
watering for about 3 days. Worm will move to deeper layer due to
lack of moisture in the upper layer. Take out the compost from the
upper layer and sieve the compost and store it in a gunny bag under
shade.
 About 2 to 4 t vermicompost will be produced from one gunta area
in 3 months and 6 to 12 t vermicompost will be produced from one
gunta in one year.
 Earthworm complete their life cycle within 90 days by which time
they multiply about 40 to 50 times. In vermicompost, eggs, nymphs
and adults (all forms / stages) are found.

Enemies of Earthworm

Termites, ants, rats, centipedes, frog, birds, pig, etc. Termites and ants are
main enemies.

Control

1. Chloropyriphos @ 2 ml/lit.
2. Maintain 40-50% moisture in the pit (for controlling termites, ants
and rats).
3. Plant turmeric plants around the pit.
4. Open small trench around the pit and put bavistin powder in it.

Benefits of Vermicompost

1. It contains NPK (0.8 : 1.1 : 0.5%).

2. It contains micronutrients (Mg, Fe, Bo, Mo, Zn), growth regulators
and beneficial MO.
3. It increases WHC of soil.
4. It increases aeration in soil.
5. Decreases salinity and increases availability of nutrients.
6. Reduces soil erosion.
 7. Decreases cost of cultivation.
8. Reduction in incidence of diseases and pests.
9. Increases yield.
Uses of Vermicompost in Agriculture

1. For almost all crops, apply vermicompost @ 2.5 t/acre at the time
of sowing.
2. Vermiculturing (in situ): Leave worms in the field. Maintain
sufficient moisture by regular irrigation and lot of crop residues.
Crop residues have to be there in the field. Don’t apply chemicals
or chemical fertilizers to soil but through the leaves.
3. Spray the vermiwash on the crop (it contains micronutrients,
growth regulators and MO) (Coelomic fluid-antibacterial)Primary
degradation by microorganisms and secondary degradation by
earthworm. All microorganisms multiply several times in
earthworm guts. These microorganisms do biogradation than
actual earthworms.
Origin and Evolution of Earthworm

 No such scientific information on origin and evolution of earthworm

because of their soft body and decay quickly. So fossils are not found.
 However,
 1. Stepheson (1930) – stated that earthworm originated in around
120 m years ago, after origin of dicot plants.
 Others – Earthworm originated prior to origin of dicots, i.e., 570 m
years agro.
 Clitellum: Glandular portion of epidermis associated with cocoon
production (cocoon – nothing but eggs or cases). It indicates sexual
maturity.
Vermiculture: Only culture of earthworm and multiplication.

Vermicomposting: Management of earthworm to produce compost.

 Basic Characteristics of Earthworm Suitable for Vermicomposting

1. Should have high rates of consumption, digestion and

assimilation.
2. Should have high adaptability to varying environmental factors
(temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, etc.). Soil temperature
should not be >35°C. No stagnation of water for > 45 days.
3. Should have feeding preference and adaptability to wide range of
organic materials.
4. Should have high growth rate.
5. Should have compatibility with other worms.
6. Should have disease resistance.
7. Should have least inactivity period (time taken for earthworm for
feeding after introduction).
Maintainance of Base Culture

 For initial multiplication, best substrate is cow dung.

 Base culture should be multiplied on this substrate.
 For any commercial venture, maintenance of seed culture is a must.
 Mixing of cow dung + pieces of banana pseudostem in 1 : 1 ratio gives
more number of worms due to more multiplication rate.
 One year old semi-decomposed rice straw makes the worm to lay as
many cocoons as possible.
Methods of Vermicomposting

1. Indoor (small scale production)

2. Outdoor (large scale production)
1. Pit system
2. Heap system
3. Brick system
4. Kadapa slab method