TYPES OF SOIL CONDITIONERS/AMENDMENT FOR

INM

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Types

Organic soil conditioners Inorganic

(Synthetic) soil conditioners

TYPES OF SOIL CONDITIONERS/AMENDMENT FOR INM

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Types of Organic soil conditioners

Organic

Green Manure

Compost

Peat

Crop Resides

Coconut shell mulch

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Organic Soil Conditioners

Soil organic matter serves as a reservoir for nutrients;

Improves soil structure ,

Drainage,

Aeration,

Cation exchange capacity,

Buffering capacity, and water-holding capacity; and provides

a source of food for microorganisms.

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Generally soils having higher in organic matter have improved soil

physical conditions.

The effectiveness of organic soil conditioners can be partly evaluated

by examining several properties of soil organic matter

Soil organic matter is defined as the organic fraction of the soil and

includes plant and animal residues at various stages of decomposition,

cells and tissues of organisms, and compounds synthesized by the soil

organism population.

Soil organic matter contains a wide array of compounds ranging from

fats, carbohydrates, and proteins to high molecular weight humic and

fulvic acids.

Organic Soil Conditioners

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Green manure

GM is a crop that is grown mainly to add nutrients and organic matter to

the soil, this kind of crop is used in rotation with other crops, which is

ploughed under to serve the same purposes as animal manure.

The roots of some green manure grow deep into the soil and bring up

nutrients that are not present in shallow rooted crops.

Leguminous crops are especially favored as green manures because

they add nitrogen to the soil.

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Compost

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Composting requires a mix of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and water, however decomposition can take place even without these ingredients, but the process can be slow and unpleasant.

Decayed leaves, plants and animal matter that are used similar to manures. Compost is made by forming alternate layers of organic matter and soil, commercially made fertilizer can also be added to the compost.

Vegetables, if decomposed in plastic bag, will develop a foul smell. The compost should be kept moist to promote the activity of organisms that decay plant and animal matter.

Peat

Consists of plant remains;

it improves soil structure

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Crop residues

Crop residues contain

substantial quantities of plant

nutrients. Recycling of plant

nutrients

Soil moisture temperature

regimes, enhancement of soil

structure, erosion control

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Approximate C: N ratios of organic material and soil microbes.

SI.NO Crop Residues C:N Ratio

1 Alfalfa (young) 13:1

2 Bluegrass

30:1

3 Maize Straw

40:1

4 Straw (small grain)

80:1

5 Sewage Sludge

10-12:1

6 Cattle Manure

30:1

7 Peat Moss

58:1

8 Sawdust Hardwood

295: 1

9 Hardwood

295: 1

10 Pine

729:1

Soil Microbes

11 Bacteria

5:1

12 Actinomycetes

6:1

13 Fungi

10:1

Source: Tnau agritech portal

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Coconut shell mulch

The mulching made from the

grinding up of coconut shells.

its is extremely long lasting

since it comes from a tropical

plant and decomposes very

slowly; It has a very strong but

pleasant odor which is

suppose to keep bugs and

animals (dogs and cats) away

from the plants it is mulching.

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Other Organic Fertilizers

Include bird and bat droppings, blood meal, bone meal, and fish meal.

All these substances contain nitrogen and other essential elements.

Bone meal is an excellent source of the element phosphorus.

But blood meal, bone meal, and fish meal is seldom used on farms as

fertilizers, because it is too expensive.

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Types of Inorganic soil conditioners

Inorganic

Synthetic Binding Agents

Mineral Conditioners

Gypsum

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Synthetic Binding Agents

New polymers applied at much lower rates have been promoted as

soil conditioners.

These polymers include

Natural polysaccharides,

Anionic

Cationic polymers,

polyacrylamides.

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The compounds are very high

molecular weight,

long-chain polymeric,

organic compounds,

which bind particles together and form stable

aggregates

Synthetic Binding Agents

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Mineral Conditioners

Gypsum has long been recognized for its benefits on high sodium-

containing soils.

Gypsum is a mineral with the chemical composition CaSO4 * 2H2O.

It occurs in nature as soft crystalline rock and varies in purity.

Gypsum has been shown to displace exchangeable sodiumfrom the cation

exchange sites of soils high in sodium

With irrigation or dryland, gypsum can be used to reclaim saline areas or

slick spots, soften and crumble alkali hard pans, supply calcium on low

exchange capacity soils, and improve infiltration for some puddled soils.

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Gypsum is not recommended on soils containing native gypsum or areas

irrigated with water containing abundant amounts of calcium and

magnesium.

The amount of gypsum to apply depends on the purity of the gypsum and

the quantity of sodium present in the soil.

Actual rates should be based on a salt-alkali soil test.

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Gypsum

Lowers bulk compactness of soil

Prevents water run-off and eroding

Betters Soil Composition

It affords root growth and air and water

movement.

Converts Salty Soils

Gypsum helps the efficiency use of water

for the crops. In periods of drought, this is

exceedingly important.

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Helps moist soils to be tilled easier

Less energy is required for the tillage

An economical method to resolve salty soils.

Ties Organic Matter to Clay

The importance of organic matter is magnified when it is

dispensed with gypsum.

Soil crusting is impossible and then helps seed emersion.

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Quantity of applied in mineral soil conditioners

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1 and 10 tons/acre. Gypsum applied at less than 500 pounds per acre will likely be of little benefit as soil conditioner, but may work as a calcium or sulfur nutrient source.Limestone, crushed rock, and other products high in calcium and/or magnesium will improve the physical condition of some soils, when applied at several tons per acre.Other inorganic compounds, which contain a small amount of a wide variety of essential and non-essential elements, applied at low rates have been promoted as soil conditionersHowever, no consistent response of improving soil physical conditions has been documented.Most of these products at the rates recommended will not supply enough calcium and/or magnesium to change the cation composition of the soil exchange complex.

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To sum up:

Soil conditioners to maintain the structure and texture of the soil. Two form of soil conditioners are available viz., organic and inorganic.

The organic soil conditioners improves soil structure, drainage, aeration, cation exchange capacity, buffering capacity, and water-holding capacity; and provides a source of food for microorganisms.\

They are green manure, compost,peat, crop residue, coconut shell mulch, blood meal, fish meal and bone meal.

Inorganic soil conditioners are supply specific nutrients to the soil.

They are polymers (synthetic binding agent), mineral conditioner (Gypsum).