Data from various studies, including Land use and soil organic matter in South Africa indicate that SA soil has low levels of organic matter - about 58% of the soil contains less than 0.5% carbon, and only 4% have more than 2% organic carbon.
Topsoil with less than 2% organic material (OM) is considered “dead soil” as it does not have enough nutrients (carbon) to feed microbes, confirms Bob Cantisano of Organic AG Advisors of California. He advises: ‘soil with less than 2% OM requires fertiliser'.
Organic material includes organic matter, soil microbes (yeasts, fungi, bacteria etc.) and humus. ‘It is a main source of nutrients, microbiological energy and it holds water and nutrients in available form; promote root development, the formation of soil aggregates and increase water infiltration', he adds. Soil fertility is not only aimed at having enough nutrients in the soil for the season concerned, but also to persistently add organic matter to the soil.
This is done by planting green manure, applying crop rotation and composting. The soil must be balanced, and lime, rock phosphate and other organic substances can be used for this. Above all, it is the microbes in the soil - algae, yeast, fungi and earthworms - which determine soil fertility. These microbes are an important part of successful farming.
Important steps to improve soil health:
Use organic material in the soil as it stimulates the growth of bacteria. Soil microbes - effective microbes (EM) can be purchased and added to the soil.
Cultivate soil as little as possible. Too much soil cultivation causes the soil structure to break down and the soil fertility to decrease.
Improve soil coverage - the soil should be covered with as much plant material as possible. This will prevent soil erosion, unnecessarily water evaporating and weed growth. It also contributes to the increased biodiversity of the soil. The soil can be covered with plants or mulch, as discussed below.
Increase plant biodiversity. ‘Bio’ = life and ‘divergence’ = variety. The organic producer must try to have a large variety of living organisms on the production unit or farm. It includes plants, insects and animals, fungi and bacteria. The more living organisms on the farm, the greater the control over the ecosystem.
Healthy and abundant crops are reliant on plant health, and the health of the plants is reliant on the condition of the soil. By providing a dependable way to ensure the flourishing of crops through soil health, Oro Agri SA ensures the prosperity of agriculture in South Africa.
Soil conditioner is mainly used to enhance the physical qualities of soil which in turn makes it more fertile through improved soil structure. Soil structure is often negatively affected by soil compaction which impedes the growth of roots and subdues a plant’s ability to take up nutrients and water from the soil it has been planted in. Soil conditioner addresses this issue by making the soil looser and more textured. The more fertile and loft soil is, the better it is able to provide plants with the necessary nutrition to grow as large and nutrient-rich as possible. The fact that soil conditioner improves not only the amount of these nutrients but also the plant’s ability to absorb them is what makes it so effective.
Soil conditioners are an effective means of improving poor quality soil or revitalising soils that have been damaged by improper soil management in the past seasons. This innovative solution has also been used to maintain the peak condition of soils when they are thriving.
Soil conditioner adds nutrients to the soil while also adding texture to aid the roots’ nutrient absorption as we have discussed. Soil conditioner can also improve the water retention of dry, coarse or neglected soils that are infamous for not holding water well. It even has the ability to increase soil moisture over long periods of time while, in turn, stimulating essential microbiological activity which increases the plants’ survival rate.
The application of soil conditioner is undertaken in a number of ways. Some choose to apply it to the soil via a tiller before planting crops. Other situations may call for it to be used periodically throughout the growing season as necessary. However, you choose to apply the innovations of Agribusiness is up to you. One thing is for sure: soil conditioner provides peace of mind to all of those involved in farming in South Africa.
