The success of organic farming at the global level is hidden in its different elements and compost is one of the important elements of organic farming. Compost worked as a soil conditioner, providing nourishment, and making soil fertility sustainable, which indirectly took a part in a sustainable environment.
WHAT IS COMPOST
Compost is the bulk of decayed organic matter made with the help of soil microorganisms. These organic matters consisted of sugarcane baggas, paddy straw, rice husk, weeds, animal dung, animal remaining, food waste, public waste, and some food industrial waste. Useful microorganisms of soil change this bulk of waste into odourless, low weight, nutritive manure which is good for the soil and the environment.
USE OF COMPOST IN ORGANIC FARMING
Compost is used to enhance the soil production capacity, immunity against diseases, and nourishment through essential nutrients such as Phosphorus, Manganese, Nitrates, Potassium, etc.
Compost is formed at the domestic, town, commercial and industrial level and nutrients level in each form vary from one another.
In underdeveloped countries, compost is used by small farmers having small-scale holdings and they are producing food organically for domestic use. But in developed countries, compost is prepared at the industrial level at large farm holders who are transforming from traditional farming to organic farming after the use of compost.
HOW COMPOST HELPS IN SOIL HEALTH AND IMPROVING SOIL FERTILITY
Compost can help in several ways to improve soil health and soil fertility:
- Compost can improve the physical, biological and chemical properties of soil
- Compost can boost microorganism activity in the soil
- Soil immunity to fight against diseases, pest and insect attack can increase
- Different natural soil cycles will efficient after the application of compost
- Plants can become more healthy when grows in healthy soil
- Compost can improve soil structure in different types of soil such as loamy soil sandy soil, alluvial soil
- Compost can increase the water absorption capacity of sandy soil
- The use of compost can reduce the number of heavy metals from the soil
- Soil aeration improves with compost
METHODS OF COMPOSTING
The process of compost making is known as “Composting”. All around the world different methods are used to prepare compost in farms, towns, industries, or commercially.
NADEP METHOD
This method was introduced by an Indian farmer Narayan Deato Pandhari pande. It requires a triangular brick tank which is filled with soil and crop waste, kitchen waste, weeds, forest mess, and sprinkled by water. Compost takes 120 days to use.
BANGLORE METHOD
In this method, different sizes of pits are used for the decomposition process of organic matter in layered form. The mixture of cow dung with water is sprinkled at 25cm thick dry organic matter in a deep pit and this process continues till the height of a half meter. This material remained uncovered for 15 days.
INDORE METHOD
In this method, each layer of organic matter is placed in the pit. The base layer is 12inch thick made of straw, 6-inch height, the second layer of green waste, the next layer of animal manure, and followed by a thin layer of soil. This pile must be 6 ft high and each layer must be watered. Compost will be ready to use after 21 weeks.
COMPOSTING TIPS FOR FARMERS
For supreme quality compost, a farmer must keep few important points in mind.
- The soil must be well moisture
- Soil oxygen and aeration level must be control
- Organic matter must be inadequate quantity
- Proper assembling and mixing of organic matter is an important point
- The farmer must create a feasible environment for microorganisms to decay organic matter
- Synthetic waste, urea, wallboards, sewage shells, lawn grass clippings are prohibited as a raw material for compost
CONCLUSION
Whatever method is used for converting organic waste into usable compost is beneficial for our environment, because it is the best way of solid waste management and helpful in maintaining ecological balance.