\\\'Organic, compost fertiliser uses can help protect soil nutrients\\\'

RAJSHAHI, Feb 2 (BSS): Substantial and sustainable uses of organic and compost fertiliser in the farming fields can help protecting the soil nutrients from further declining trend for the sake of upholding the soil productivity, agricultural researchers and others concerned here said.

They viewed plant and animal waste based fertilizer has a vital role towards protecting the soil nutrients which are being declined due to various natural and manmade catastrophes.

Besides, wide-ranging cultivation of high yielding and hybrid varieties of different crops and vegetables, disproportionate use of chemical fertilizers and harmful pesticides for repeated crop harvesting is being blamed for the continuing soil nutrients decline.

They also observed that lesser use of organic matter and little or no use of leguminous green manure and bio-fertilizers have also been detected as the degradable factors.

Mahabubur Rahman, Scientific Officer of Regional Laboratory of Soil Resource Development Institute, here said that soil test based balanced fertilization has great scope to overcome the crisis through restoring plant nutrient in the soil.

Quoting his research findings he said depletion of soil organic matter triggers nutrient mining together with negative balance aggravating soil fertility and soil degradation declining crop productivity in particular.

He mentioned that optimum level of organic matter is a must for building and maintaining positive soil properties and normal soil ecosystem that supports plant growth.

Sufficient organic matter is also imperative for creating a positive soil environment from which plants can uptake nutrients from applied chemical fertilisers.

It acts as the storehouse of nutrient elements and produce all plant nutrient elements both macro and micro in environmental way.

Mahabubur Rahman said organic matter improves the chemical and physical properties of soil like its structure by acting as binding agent and the good structure enhances a favourable air-water status of soil from which plant and micro-organisms can take air, water and nutrient elements.

Organic elements enhance microbial activity by serving as energy source and the microbiological transformations like nitrogen and sulfur mineralization side by side with improving physico-chemical properties including the water and nutrient holding capacity.