Iris Publishers
Authored by Joseph Xorse Kugbe
Soil is taken for granted by most farmers, who often think of it as an inert support for plants. In reality, it is a dynamic, living resource whose condition is vital for food production and for the function of the ecosystem as a whole. The fertility of soil can be considered in different ways, depending on land use. In intensively managed agricultural and horticultural systems, and even in forestry, soil fertility can be defined in terms of the value of products produced relevant to inputs used (including economic aspects of nutrient budgeting). Alternatively, the emphasis may be on quality or productivity.
Soil fertility maintenance is a major concern in tropical Africa [1], particularly with the rapid population increase, which has occurred in the past few decades. In traditional farming systems, farmers use bush fallow, plant residues, household refuse, animal manures and other organic nutrient sources to maintain soil fertility, organic matter and general soil productivity. Although this reliance on biological nutrient sources for soil fertility regeneration is adequate for cropping systems with low cropping intensities, it becomes unsustainable with more intensive cropping unless fertilizers are applied [2].
Thus, the concept of soil fertility and the choice of fertility management is specific to a given context. However, in all contexts, soil fertility depends on physical, chemical and biological characteristics [3]. When soil fertility is considered in terms of the highest practical level of productivity, the focus is mostly on physical and chemical aspects of the soil. It is important to note that some aspects of the biological component of soil fertility can be overridden by addition of fertilizers, but this is not a simple phenomenon, because increase in plant growth that is associated with addition of fertilizers can increase other aspects of the biological activity in soil [4].
In a sustainable agricultural or
horticultural system, soil fertility can be considered in terms of the amount
of input relative to the amount of output over a long period, using a budgeting
approach [2]. This definition is different from the one that defines fertility
in relation to a maximum level of productivity in the short-term or at a given
point in time [5]. A definition that focuses on shortterm productivity is based
on the capacity of soil to immediately provide plant nutrients [6]. When
sustainability of the soil resource is emphasized in the context of soil
fertility, biological components Citation: Joseph Xorse Kugbe, Wuni Mawiya,
Alhassan Mohammed Hafiz, Charles Maganoba. Increase in The Use of Organic
Fertilizers as Complements to Inorganic Fertilizers in Maintenance of Soil
Fertility and Environmental Sustainability of 4 may
become more relevant because of its long-term impact on productivity that has
been variously reported [7]. A change in focus from the highest practical level
of productivity to a lower, profitable and persistent level of production;
temporally depend on soil biological processes. In that sense, the physical, chemical
and biological components of soil are essential for sustained soil productivity.
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