Dr T Esther Longkumer
CTO-Soil Science, KVK Phek,
ICAR-NRC on Mithun
Soil management is the application of operations, practices and treatments to protect soil and enhance its performance. Organic soil management refers to the practices used to maintain and improve soil health, structure, and fertility without using synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. The goal is to create a balanced and sustainable soil ecosystem that supports plant growth and reduces environmental impact.
Some organic management practices are:
• Soil testing: Regularly test soil to monitor its health and make informed managements decisions. A soil test provides very important information about nutrient levels in the soil.
• Conservation tillage: Minimize soil disturbance and retain crop residues on the soil surface.
• Crop rotation: Rotation of crops to improve soil fertility and soil structure. Continuous growing of same crop builds up pest and diseases in the soil and decline the organic matter content.
• Cover crops: Plan cover crops during off-season to protect and enhance soil health.
• Organic amendments: Use natural materials like compost, manure and green manure to improve soil fertility. Adding compost and manure to soil increases organic matter content as well as add plant nutrients.
• Minimum tillage: Reduce tillage to minimize soil disturbance and retain crop residues.
• Mulching: Apply organic mulch to retain moisture, suppress weeds and regulate soil temperature.
• Regenerative agriculture: Focus on regenerating soil health though practices like no-till, cover crops and crop rotation.
• Minimum use of synthetic fertilizers: Limit the use of synthetic fertilizers and instead opt for organic alternatives.
Benefits of organic soil management:
Improves soil structure and water-holding capacity
Increases soil fertility and nutrient cycling
Enhance soil biodiversity and ecosystem services
Reduce soil erosion and compaction
Lower environmental impact and carbon footprint
Improve crop yields and quality
Support for beneficial insects and pollinators
Increased farm resilience and sustainability
