Manures

MANURES :

Organics were specifically called Manures and inorganics were called fertilizer

Manures are defined as the plant and animal wastes which are used as sources of plant nutrients

ADVANTAGES OF MANURING:

1) Manures supply plant nutrients including Micro-nutrients 

2) They improve soil physical properties like structure, water holding capacity

3) increase nutrient availability

4) CO2 released during decomposition acts as a CO2 fertilizer

5) Provide food for soil micro organisms

6) Plant parasitic nematodes and fungi are controlled to some extent by altering the balance of micro organisms in soil

7) Provide buffering action in soil reaction

8) Prevent loss of nutrients by leaching or erosion 

On the basis of concentration of nutrients, manures can be grouped into two- 

1) Bulky Organic Manures 

2)Concentrated organic Manures

A) Bulky Organic Manures :

Contain small percentage of nutrients and they are applied in large quantities. FYM , Compost and Green manure are the most important and widely used bulky organic Manures 

1. Farm Yard Manure (FYM)

Decomposed mixture of dung and urine of farm animals along with litter and left over material from roughages or fodder fed to the cattle

•FYM contains 0.5% N, 0.2% P2O5 and 0.5 % K2O

•Urine contains 1% N & 1.35 % K2O 

•Chemical Preservatives are used to reduce losses and enrich FYM 

e.g. gypsum , kainite and superphosphate 

• Bacteria and Actinomycetes play active role in decomposition

• Generally 10-20 tonne well decomposed FYM per ha is applied but greater than 20 tonne FYM /ha in case of fodder grasses and vegetables, at least 15 days before the sowing to avoid immobilisation 

• FYM is the most commonly used organic manure in India . 

One tonne of cattle dung can supply only 2.95 kg , N 1.59kg P2O5 and 2.95 kg of potash

• HOT AND COLD MANURE:

Manure obtained from the excreata of horses and sheep is called hot manure in temperate countries where as pig and cattle manure is called cold manure 

• Short and long manure :

Short manure:

Decomposed manure that has lost the structure of the original materials is called short manure

Long manure:

Fresh manure having pieces of straw and other materials is called long manure

• Fire fanging :

There is profuse fungal growth on the surface of moist manure , giving it an ashy grey appearance .It is referred to as fire fanging

2. COMPOST:

Composting is the process of reducing vegetable and animal refuse (rural or urban ) except dung to a quickly utilisable condition for improving and maintaining soil fertility and decomposed material is called compost

*When superphosphate is used during compost making it is called Supercompost.

* Compost prepared by using N- fixing bacteria is called Azo compost 

Azo compost is the cheapest source of N among all organic Manures (N - 1.5 %)

Farm Compost :

The compost made from waste like sugarcane trash , paddy straw , weeds and other plants and other waste is called Farm compost

0.5 % N , 0.15% P2O5 , 0.5 % K2O

Town Compost: 

The compost made from town refuses like night soil , Street sweepings and dustbin refuse is called Town Compost

1.4% N , 1% P2O5, 1.4 % K2O

NIGHT SOIL ( or POUDRETTE)

Ni ght soil is human excreta , both solid and liquid

It contains 5.5% N , 4% P2O5, 2% K2O

SEWAGE AND SLUDGE:

The solid portion in the sewage is called sludge and liquid portion is sewage water 

The sludge that settles at the bottom in this process is called 'Activated Sludge' 

SHEEP AND GOAT MANURE:

It contains 3% N, 1% P2O5 & 2% K2O it is applied to the field in two ways 

1) Sweeping of sheep and goat sheds are placed in pits for decomposition and it is applied later to the field

2) Sheep peening , wherein sheep and goats are allowed to stay over night in the field and urine and feacal matter is added to soil.

POULTRY MANURE:

3.03% N,  2.63% P2O5 & 1.4 % K2O

Litter is the straw , peat , sawdust , dry leaves are used as bedding material for farm animals and birds 

Green Manure:

Green undecomposed plant material used as manure is called green manure 

It is obtained in two ways:

1) By growing green manure crops in the field and incorporating it in its green stage in the same field it is called green Manuring

2) Green leaf Manuring:

Is the application of green leaves and twigs of trees , shrubs , herbs collected from elsewhere especially waste land field , bunds & forests to the field

Forest tree leaves are the main sources of green leaf manure e.g. Neem , mahua , Glyricidia 

,Karanj , Sesbania , subsbul , Indigo

Lentil is used in Kashmir for green Manuring in paddy 

Sunhemp is most outstanding green manure well suited to almost all parts of country

Green Manuring gives 60-80 kh N/ha on an average

B) Concentrated Organic Manures:

1) Bird guano :

The excreta and dead remains of the birds 

2) Fish guano- The refuse left over after 

the extraction of oil from the fish in factories , is dried in paved yards and used as manure 7% N & 8% P2O5

3) Fish manure

4) Raw bonemeal 

5) Steamed bone meal 

6) Blood meal : 13-20% N , , rich in iron and it's application gives a deep rich colour to the foliage , much appreciated by ornamental gardeners 

7) Meat meal 

8) Calcined bone - 37% P2O5

9) Oilcakes 

Sunflower cake : 7.8% N

Groundnut cake : 7.2%  N 

Cotton cake : 6.5% N 

*Neem cake reduces nitrification means acts as nitrification Inhibitor 

✍️ Agricos

Vaishnavi Nimkar 🌾🌱