Comparing the Effect of Organic and Inorganic Amendments on Soil Health

Background: Fertilizers are important source of nutrients required by plants at different growth stages. These fertilizers can be organic and inorganic. Organic and inorganic fertilizers are different from each other in their action and contain different types of nutrients. Each fertilizer has its own effect on soil and plants. Excessive use of chemical fertilizers reducees the soil fertility by affecting the soil physical, chemical and biological properties, so it is essential to balance the negative effect of inorganic fertilizers with the use of organic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers contain nutrients required for optimum plant growth. With the increase in soil organic matter, the percentage of nitrogen and phosphorus in soil also increases. Methods: A pot culture experiment was conducted to study the effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil properties. Experiment consisted of six treatments, comprising of organic and inorganic treatments and absolute control. Inorganic treatment received recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF). Organic treatments received different dose of organic manures like vermicompost and farm yard manure. Result: Application of organic manure viz vermicompost remarkably improved in soil fertility. Soil pH was not significantly influenced by organic and inorganic treatments. However, relatively higher EC was recorded with the application of 100 per cent RDF. Application of organic manure viz vermicompost resulted in the buildup of soil organic carbon and markedly enhanced the nutrient availability of nitrogen, phosphrous and potassium in soil. Soil microbial population viz., bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were increased due to the application of organic manure through vermicompost.