Do you live in a food growing area? If this is the case, desert conditions and starvation can appear hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away. But this is not true.
Indeed, food shortages are only a few inches from all over the world.
It depends on the depth of the soil. If a few substantial centimeters were removed from the top layer of the earth, all life would end there.
True soil erosion robs much of the valuable topsoil. For example, African countries admit that soil erosion is a major problem. The Ethiopian Herald says: “Every day, tons of land are transported from our highlands to neighboring countries, so that our fields are gradually becoming barren. With low fertility, they can only achieve low yields. ""
However, soil efficiency can be affected in other ways: nutrients can be extracted and not replenished, which significantly reduces their ability to produce plants. To understand how this can be done, one must first understand the makeup of the earth.
What is the background
By a simple definition, the ground is the place where food is grown. Experts know that not all areas are created equal; Each has its own story and its own value.
Geologists generally claim that the soil has been sourced from crushed rock for millennia, thus producing important minerals. Obviously, no one was there to witness what was probably a long process. Rock is said to slowly decompose under the influence of water, climate, and other conditions. Of course, these things also affect the most stubborn stones. But are the long periods that geologists talk about really necessary to produce the soil?
Not all geologists seem to believe this. The National Geographic journal reported, when Surtsey Island arose in the Atlantic: "The increasing swelling of the surface transformed the irregular lava into rounded rocks at a rate which surprised the geologists involved in Surtsey's birth" . A few years at most, not countless periods, was all that mattered. In addition, volcanic ash is responsible for much of the fertile soil in Indonesia and other countries and is also deposited quickly.
Of course, there is a lot more to the earth than just cobblestones. Otherwise it would be like sand that couldn't support plants of any size. In order for plants to grow, the soil must have humus. Humus is created when plants and animals die and their waste is broken down. The valuable nutrients that subsequent plants and animals feed on are the result of this process of death and degradation. Animal waste also provides nutrients.
How nutrients are produced
In total, at least 16 elements seem necessary for plant life to maintain itself. Three of these sixteen are extracted from the air: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
But the thirteen others come from the Earth: phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, iron, sulfur and traces of boron, manganese, copper, zinc, chlorine and molybdenum. The first three of these thirteen are considered the “main elements”. When visible amounts of these thirteen elements are removed from the soil, they must be replaced so that other healthy plants can appear in the future.
How does the earth naturally act on dead organic matter to make it usable for plants? Living organisms transform it into forms that can be used by plants.
A thimble contains billions of living organisms, each of which contributes to the vitality or fertility of the soil. Most of these organisms thrive in the top layer of the soil.
The largest are the earthworms, which are considered the most valuable of all invertebrates. Not only do they break down a lot of debris on the surface of the earth, but they also rotate and aerate the earth.
Therefore, highly productive soils are generally rich in microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, algae and protozoa. When a plant or animal dies, some of these organisms consume its sugars, starch, cellulose and similar compounds. In turn, they produce carbon dioxide in the soil and also reduce dead substances in a way that plants can use. When carbon dioxide is combined with moisture, carbon dioxide is created; Again, it is part of the job to dissolve the minerals in the soil.
Nitrogen is important for plant life. It is estimated that there are approximately 34,500 tonnes of atmospheric nitrogen in each hectare of land. it is about four-fifths of the atmosphere. However, plants cannot use this nitrogen directly in free gas.
Instead, it must be combined with other elements or "solids". One way to fix nitrogen on the vegetation is through microscopic plants that live in the roots of certain plants, such as legumes.
But when people cultivate a large area of land, many nutrients are removed from the soil. An experiment at a farm in Maine found that an acre of potatoes contained about 143 pounds of nitrogen, 26 pounds of phosphoric acid, 232 pounds of potassium, 56 pounds of calcium oxide and 30 pounds of magnesium oxide and 11 pounds of sulfur. . .
Of course, restoring these nutrients is more than just letting things "naturally" take care of themselves. Otherwise, the soil will weaken and sterilize over time. Qualified soil management not only keeps it fertile, but also leads to maximum yield. How can nutrients be restored in agricultural land?
Restoration of nutrients in agricultural land
The first thing a soil expert asks is, "What is the pH of the soil?" But what does "pH" mean exactly?
The soil falls into two basic categories: acidic or alkaline. On a scale from 0 to 14, soils in categories 0 to 6 are acidic, while soils over 7 and 14 are considered alkaline. Soil 7 is considered neutral, neither acidic nor alkaline.
Some crops prefer slightly more acidic soils and others more alkaline. When limestone is added to the soil, it becomes more alkaline, ie its pH increases.
Although all thirteen nutrients that plants need are present in the soil, a good acid-alkaline balance is still needed. This is the only way for plants to get most of the nutrients in the soil.
The lime that is added to the soil does at least three things. Provides essential calcium oxide. Secondly, certain elements are checked so as not to poison the crop. Therefore, when the pH of acidic soil is increased by the addition of lime, elements such as aluminum, iron, manganese, copper and zinc become less soluble. In more acidic soils, the excessive presence of these elements is harmful to plants. But as the earth's pH increases, they become more inert. Third, limestone releases other elements that plants can benefit from, while promoting the growth of vital bacteria in the soil.
Because each soil is different, it is important to consider what each one needs in terms of additional nutrients. The most important substances, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), are the substances represented by the three rows of numbers in a commercially available batch of fertilizers. For example, 10-12-8 represents the proportion of nitrogen (10%), phosphorus (12%) and potassium (8%) in the bag.
Where do these fertilizers come from?
Today, many farmers and gardeners say that they prefer to use only "natural" organic fertilizers, such as manure, manure, clay and compost to nourish the soil. The use of these products has long been recognized as a basic way of returning nutrients to the soil through the addition of humus. Soil fertilization is still common in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
But much of the fertilization that is going on in the western world today is on a large scale. It is not possible to supply enough organic fertilizer for these gigantic operations. Fifteen tons of manure may be needed to fertilize a single hectare of land. Today, it is virtually impossible for most companies to receive such amounts. What is the alternative? "Chemical fertilizers."
Some people claim that chemical fertilizers are harmful when used to promote human growth. There is no reliable evidence that the use of chemical fertilizers has harmed or harmed human or animal health. These chemicals have also not been shown to harm life on earth when used correctly. Even "organic" gardeners use rock dust, which includes rock phosphate, potash stone, and crushed limestone to build the soil.
Farmer who has relied on chemical fertilizers for many years: "Plants don't care where nutrients come from as long as they get them." Likewise, honest "organic" gardeners also know that a balanced view of plant nutrition must be maintained. Horticulture and organic farming say, “There is little agreement among soil experts on the comparative advantages of natural fertilizers (and chemical fertilizers, if the truth is known). Manufacturers of natural fertilizers call university producers the petrochemical industry. . . University researchers refer to air conditioning vendors as street vendors selling bags of magic and hot air. There is certainly a truth to both critics. . . Honest men are on either side of the fence. ""
But how do humans produce the “primary elements” nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in chemical fertilizers?
The main source of nitrogen is synthetic ammonia. It is the result of the combination of nitrogen and hydrogen. Pure nitrogen gas can be obtained relatively easily by removing oxygen and other gases from the air. Hydrogen is a by-product of petroleum. The synthesis of the two gives the necessary ammonia. Part of the ammonia is poured directly into the soil as an aqueous solution. But most of them become solid and this is how they are used by farmers and gardeners. Most of the phosphates and potassium come from mineral deposits that have been ground to the right consistency.
