Nature’s Fatigue
Imagine working for long hours in the same situation, and same condition, you feel tired and lazy right? Even if you are given the best of the opportunities and working conditions with all the needed things an individual feels tired. But you can at least speak it out and work on the same. Soil fatigue is one condition, where the soil is exhausted after giving results year after year giving results and good yields for a healthy life of the ploughers of the land, who can be considered as caretakers of soil on planet Earth.
What is soil fatigue?
Decrease in the productivity of the soil properties to an extent where the soil is not giving any produce is something that can be defined as soil fatigue. Soil exhaustion is also one term which can be used here to describe gradual and continuous degradation of the soil and crop quality due to natural and man-made cultivation practices which are being used for better yields in the soil. Some main causes of soil exhaustion are,
Diminution of nutrients of the top soil- When the top body of the soil, lack natural nutrients and is induced with chemicals and manmade nutrients, which are composed of chemicals not good for the earth in the long run.
Presence of root- the presence of plant roots inside the soil, also makes it difficult for soil to regain the lost nutrients in the soil, due to which soil loses its actual power and ability to produce good harvest.
Also Read: green manure
Occurrence of pathogens and bacteria – The presence of small unseen microbes and chemicals sin the soil, which are usually induced in the soil with the chemical fertilizers being used nowadays for better results, are one of the main causes which makes the soil lose its fertility and nutrients.
Some of the properties of soil fatigue,
Soil fatigue and exhaustion come in various forms, which are usually non-detectable by the human eye until the soil becomes infertile, and is not able to bear the crops altogether. Some of the initial things that can be seen to detect soil exhaustion are as follows,
Nutrient depletion- Nutrient depletion in the crops and the plants, is one of the major things that indicates exhaustion in the agricultural soil causing loss of organic material in the soil as well as crops being produced within the field.
Changes in the PH of the soil- With changes in the nutrient values of the land, and the PH value of the soil also changes, which affects yield in a very bad manner.
Erosion of the soil- erosion of the soil is one of the main things that can tell us that the land which we are working on is not healthy and is suffering from fatigue just like any individual, who has been working continuously to give excellent results.
Water logging and drainage issues- once the soil is becoming exhausted of giving results and yields season by season, water logging becomes a problem indicating the exhaustion and fatigue caused by the over usage of the soil and organic matter present in the soil.
Causes of soil fatigue
Soil fatigue is caused by various natural and manmade reasons, which contribute differently to soil fatigue and exhaustion.
a. Monoculture- it is the practice used by farmers, where the same crops are grown again and again in the same field by the farmers. Cultivation of the same crops results in the lack of nutrition in the soil, as soil is providing the same nutrition to the crops that are being produced every time in soil. Here some nutrients are found in abundance in the soil, whereas some are not found in soil at all.
b. Excessive use of harmful fertilizers- chemical fertilizers, which are being used by the farmers, in regular use for better yield of the crops. These chemicals are good for the current crops and can give better results, but in the long run, they are the main cause of soil exhaustion and soil fatigue, as they kill the original properties of the soil and land.
c. Deforestation and land clearing- land clearing to get more land for agriculture and cutting for cutting of the forests for land and wood is also one more reason which causes soil fatigue and exhaustion to a great extent.
d. Erosion and other natural causes- soil erosion and other natural causes like drought and heavy rains also become one of the main reasons for the degradation of soil and loss of natural nutrients in soil
Starting with using organic farming, there are numerous ways in which we as a community can provide for the betterment of the soil and make it healthy in nutrients and oxidants, providing a better flora and fauna to the soil organisms, who in turn will help in cultivation better and healthy yields.
a. Addition of organic matter- by adding organic matter in form of soil manure to the soil and practicing organic farming helps in maintaining the nutritious value of soil and giving a better future to the agriculture industry.
b. Proper fertilization- proper fertilization and mindful use of the fertilizers and chemicals which are being used for the better yield, can help to prevent soil fatigue to a large extent and make soil, fertile and nutritious.
c. Mindful cultivation- crop rotation can be used majorly for mindful cultivation and preventing soil from becoming dead and infertile. Rotation of crops helps the soil in regenerating the nutrients which are lost in the cultivation of previous lot.
d. Cover crops- cover crops and green manure is also one main practice which will help in making soil resilient and moving back to same composition in which it was before the cultivation of the crops. Cover crops also help in providing soil the organic matter and nutrients which have been taken from the crops while cultivating various crops.
e. Education and training- education and training for the farmers and related people in regards of soil conservation and working in the field of preventing soil pollution also will help in dealing with the major issue of soil fatigue.
Soil health: an important thing The significance of soil health is one important topic, that needs to be talked about in the current decade keeping in mind the soil pollution and degradation that has been seen over some last decades. Being the caretakers of the soil, which is providing us with healthy crops and nutrition, it is a responsibility of human to take care of soil and use it in a conservative manner, keeping in mind that the nutrients of the soil are not overused and flora and fauna which is being supported by the soil, is not harmed in any way. Providing a holistic and nutritious way to soil management can provide long-term benefits in the agricultural sector, saving soil and nutrition’s for the upcoming generations.
As a last word, one can say that soil has a direct relation with the world’s health, ecology, and life. If the soil is not having enough nutrients, life will not be nutritious enough to move forward to a better life.
how to prevent soil fatigue.
Starting with using organic farming, there are numerous ways in which we as a community can provide for the betterment of the soil and make it healthy in nutrients and oxidants, providing better flora and fauna to the soil organisms, who in turn will help in the cultivation of better and healthier yields.
a. Addition of organic matter- adding organic matter in the form of soil manure to the soil and practicing organic farming helps maintain the nutritious value of soil and gives a better future to the agriculture industry.
b. Proper fertilization- proper fertilization and mindful use of the fertilizers and chemicals which are being used for the better yield, can help to prevent soil fatigue to a large extent and make soil, fertile and nutritious.
c. Mindful cultivation- crop rotation can be used majorly for mindful cultivation and preventing soil from becoming dead and infertile. The rotation of crops helps the soil regenerate the nutrients that are lost in the cultivation of the previous lot.
d. Cover crops- cover crops and green manure is also one main practices which will help in making soil resilient and moving back to the same composition that which it was before the cultivation of the crops. Cover crops also help in providing soil the organic matter and nutrients that have been taken from the crops while cultivating various crops.
e. Education and training- education and training for the farmers and related people in regard to soil conservation and working in the field of preventing soil pollution also will help in dealing with the major issue of soil fatigue.
Soil health: an important thing
The significance of soil health is one important topic, that needed to be talked in the current decade keeping in mind the soil pollution and degradation which has been seen over some last decades. Being the caretakers of the soil, which is providing us with healthy crops and nutrition, it is a responsibility of human to take care of soil and use it in a conservative manner, keeping in mind that the nutrients of the soil are not overused and flora and fauna which is being supported by the soil, is not harmed in anyway. By providing a holistic and nutritious way to soil management can provide long term benefits in the agricultural sector, saving soil and nutrition’s for the upcoming generations
As a last word, one can say that soil has a direct relation with the world’s health, ecology, and life. If soil does not have enough nutrients, life will not be nutritious enough to move forward to a better living.