Organic fertilizer is rich in organic matter and is derived from plant and animal waste. Through fermentation and composting, it becomes a high-quality carbon-containing organic material. When applied appropriately to the soil, it can significantly improve soil fertility, providing a more stable nutrient supply for crops, and ultimately increasing crop quality and yield. The benefits of organic fertilizer are numerous. Specifically, they include:
A. Regulating the soil’s pH balance and significantly improving its physical and chemical properties. Long-term use of chemical fertilizers often leads to acidification, significantly reducing the number of beneficial microorganisms. Beneficial microorganisms only become more active when there are sufficient organic nutrients. When the concentration of hydrogen ions in the soil is greater than the concentration of hydroxide ions, the soil solution becomes acidic. Higher acidity is less conducive to crop root growth. Applying organic fertilizer absorbs acidic or alkaline cations in the soil, thereby regulating the pH balance.
B. Increasing the use of organic fertilizer can balance the balance between soil, water, fertilizer, air, and heat. Organic fertilizer contains a high amount of active organic matter, which significantly improves soil aggregate structure, creating larger spaces between aggregates. These spaces between large and small aggregates make the soil more loose and breathable, meeting the air needs of crop roots.
C. Organic fertilizer’s comprehensive nutritional profile is more beneficial for improving the quality of agricultural products. Rich in organic matter, organic fertilizer also contains a variety of nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, boron, iron, molybdenum, copper, and cobalt, thereby preventing crop diseases caused by various nutrient deficiencies. The comprehensive range of nutrients in organic fertilizer can ensure that agricultural products contain more protein, fat, sugar, and vitamins, while reducing harmful substances, thereby improving the quality of agricultural products.
D. It retains moisture and heat, reducing fertilizer and water loss. Organic fertilizers contain a high amount of humus, which has a large heat capacity and absorbs heat to increase temperature. It also retains moisture in the soil, reducing evaporation and improving its water-holding capacity, resulting in enhanced drought tolerance. Increasing the application of organic fertilizers also minimizes drastic fluctuations in soil temperature. In adverse environments with fluctuating temperatures, a more stable soil temperature is beneficial for root growth.
E. Organic fertilizers have a long-lasting effect after application. Once applied to the soil, organic fertilizers are converted by soil microorganisms into nutrients that are more readily absorbed by the roots. These nutrients are released slowly and over a long period of time. Generally, organic fertilizers applied to crops in the same season are not fully utilized within the same season and continue to have a long-lasting effect a year later. Increasing soil humus content also increases the organic matter content, thereby improving soil fertility.
F. Sources of organic fertilizer: In rural areas, organic fertilizer comes from a wide range of sources, including livestock and poultry manure, human feces, crop straw, the residue from oilseed crops, and any other organic fertilizers that contain organic matter and can enhance soil fertility. Factory-processed organic fertilizers can all be applied to the soil as organic fertilizer.
At this historical juncture in the green transformation of agriculture, organic fertilizer is no longer simply a nutrient carrier; it serves as a link between ecological protection and food security. As a veteran agriculturalist put it, “Using organic fertilizer effectively is not only caring for today’s crops, but also nurturing tomorrow’s soil.” This timeless agricultural wisdom is being revitalized by modern technology.
