As the most fundamental factor in agricultural production, arable land refers to soil with the most fertility for the purpose of growing crops. The fertility of soil consists of two parts, natural nutrients from the soil and industrially produced fertilizer for the soil. The prevalent application is to combine naturally nutritious soil with industrial fertilizer to create the most fertile environment for the production of crops and other agriculture. Nutrients and fertility determine the growth and yield of the crops, their level of nutrition, spread, and quality all contribute to this factor.
Throughout history, the agricultural technique has always been based on high usage and low maintenance of the land. Negligence of the fertility of land or the ignorance of such phenomenon results in the loss of fertility in arable lands. In addition, poor usage and control of pesticides and fertilizers have resulted in various degrees of pollution to arable farmlands, a further damaging fertility of the soil. The main causes of the loss of fertility are as follows: The lack of management and maintenance of arable lands, such as over usage for crop yields.
The inefficient use of fertilizer along with the increase in dosage to blindly attempt to increase yields causes acidification and salinification of lands. In addition, the lack of diversification in crop types causes the fertility of soil to ultimately be drained. Secondly, fertilization procedures are out of proportion causing certain elements to be in excess and others to be in shortage. “Contemporary farming practices, in particular, have contributed the most to mineral loss. Widespread use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers can imbalance the soil composition and cause rapid loss of nutrient-rich topsoil” (Carolynn, & Survival Gardening, 2013). The lack of scientific measurement for fertilizer usage including blind usage of chemical fertilizers rather than organic ones causes elements such as nitrogenous fertilizers to be in excess and potash fertilizers to be in shortage.
In agricultural production, the loss of fertility in arable land is a very serious threat. In order to combat this threat, several procedures have been put in place. First of all, the balance between organic and chemical fertilizers is important in restoring fertility in the soil. There are kinds of conventional methods that farmers had been using for a long time:
• “using leftover rice fermented near bamboo stakes as material to reintroduce local micro-organisms to their farms” (Wardjito, 2011)
• “using oriental herbal nutrient mixtures, made from herbs valued in oriental medicine, for pest control and to provide soluble nutrients” (Wardjito, 2011)
• “treating weeds as friends, not enemies: wild grass or clover which grows in between the crops can be used for mulching” (Wardjito, 2011)
• “valuing worms, the amazing digger: farmers now realize that earthworms (and other small animals which live in the soil) help them to build a better soil; and using organic household waste such as vegetable peels, egg shells, fish and bones for compost.” (Wardjito, 2011)
Organic fertilizers have minerals and microorganisms that boost nutrients for crops, while chemical fertilizers are fast-acting but have a long term impact on the soil if used excessively.
Secondly, different types of crops absorb and release different amounts and types of elements from and back into the soil. Growing different types of agricultural products in soil can allow for the organic process to fix imbalances in nutrient elements, and the process can also involve the injection of chemical micro-nutrient fertilization which adds specific elements to the soil to create a balanced and fertile environment for crops.
Sources:
Carolynn, & Survival Gardening. (2013, June 12). 6 Effective Methods To Replenish Nutrients In Your Soil. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from http://www.offthegridnews.com/survival-gardening-2/6-effective-methods-to-replenish-nutrients-in-your-soil/
Lynn Betts. (1999). Gypsoil. Retrieved from http://photogallery.nrcs.usda.gov/
Wardjito. (2011, February 08). Rejuvenating soils with innovative farming approaches. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/living-soils/rejuvenating-soils-with-innovative-farming