Revitalizing degraded soils for organic farming of vegetables
1997
Colting, R.D. (Benguet State Univ., La Trinidad, Benguet (Philippines). Dept. of Soil Science)
The degradation of agricultural soils is a widespread problem in Benguet [Philippines] where the land is put to intensive vegetable production for two to three croppings per year to come up with a rapid method of revitalizing these soils. Different rates of pure organic fertilizer application was evaluated with rotation cropping of snap bean and cabbage as first crops followed by potato and garden pea as second crops, respectively. During the first cropping, the application of chicken dung at 8 t/ha without any inorganic fertilizer produced comparable yields of snap bean and cabbage from those plants applied with pure inorganic fertilizer. Similar observation on yield levels were obtained in the second cropping. The yield levels of potato and garden pea applied with 8 t/ha of pure chicken dung were comparable with those plants applied with pure inorganic fertilizer. Moreover, all the plots that were continuously applied with pure organic fertilizer showed slight increases in soil pH and soil organic matter content. Conversely, the continuous application of pure inorganic fertilizer, resulted in a decreasing trend in soil pH and soil organic matter. It can be concluded that the application of appropriate rate of organic fertilizer (chicken dung) coupled with proper rotation of crops can revitalize degraded soils and produce economic yield. With improved quality of soils, organic farming can be consequently practiced in the area
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