UNIT I

Topic: History and Basic Definitions

Definition, History and Genesis of Organic Farming, Components and role of organic
farming in sustainable Agriculture, Bio-fertilizers, production and use.

Define organic farming.

Organic farming is a method of crop and livestock production that involves much
more than choosing not to use pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms,
antibiotics and growth hormones.

Define organic agriculture.

Organic Agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils,
ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted
to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic Agriculture
combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and
promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.

Do-nothing farming.
In Japan, Masanobu Fukuoka, a microbiologist working in soil science and plant
pathology, began to doubt the modern agricultural movement.
In 1937, he quit his job as a research scientist, returned to his family's farm in 1938,
and devoted the next 60 years to developing a radical no-till organic method for growing
grain and many other crops, now known as nature farming, 'donothing' farming or
Fukuoka farming.

Bio-fertilizers.
1. Azospirillum
2. Rhizobium
3. Azotobacter
4. Azolla

Microorganisms for plant protection.

1. Trichoderma viride
2. Pseudomonas florescence
3. Trichoderma harzianum
4. Beauveria bassiana

HISTORY & GENESIS OF ORGANIC FARMING

ORGANIC FARMING Definitions:
Organic farming is a method of crop and livestock production that involves much
more than choosing not to use pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms,
antibiotics and growth hormones.
Organic production is a holistic system designed to optimize the productivity and
fitness of diverse communities within the agro-ecosystem, including soil organisms,
plants, livestock and people. The principal goal of organic production is to develop
enterprises that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment.
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
Organic Agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils,
ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted
to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic Agriculture
combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and
promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.

Traditional farming was the original type of agriculture, and has been practiced for
thousands of years. All traditional farming is now considered to be "organic farming"
although at the time there were no known inorganic methods.

FATHER OF MODERN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

The British botanist Sir Albert Howard is often referred to as the father of modern
organic agriculture, because he was the first to apply modern scientific knowledge and
methods to traditional agriculture. From 1905 to 1924, he and his wife Gabrielle, herself a
plant physiologist, worked as agricultural advisers in Pusa, Bengal, where they documented
traditional Indian farming practices and came to regard them as superior to their conventional
agriculture science. His 1940 book, An Agricultural Testament, which influenced many
scientists and farmers of the day.

1939 - FIRST USE OF THE TERM "ORGANIC FARMING"

The first use of the term "organic farming" is by Lord Northbourne. The term derives
from his concept of "the farm as organism", which he expounds in his book, Look to the
Land (1940). Influenced by Sir Albert Howard's work, Lady Eve Balfour did first scientific,
side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional farming. In 1909, American
agronomist F.H. King toured China, Korea, and Japan, studying traditional fertilization,
tillage, and general farming practices. He published his findings in Farmers of Forty
Centuries (1911, Courier Dover Publications, ISBN 0-486-43609-8). King foresaw a "world
movement for the introduction of new and improved methods of agriculture and in later
years his book became an important organic reference.

BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURE
In Germany, Rudolf Steiner's development, biodynamic agriculture, was probably the
first comprehensive system of what we now call organic farming. This began with a lecture
series Steiner presented at a farm in Koberwitz (Kobierzyce now in Poland) in 1924. Steiner
emphasized the farmer's role in guiding and balancing the interaction of the animals, plants
and soil. Healthy animals depended upon healthy plants (for their food), healthy plants upon
healthy soil, healthy soil upon healthy animals (for the manure). His system was based on
his philosophy of anthroposophy rather than a good understanding of science to develop his
system of farming, Steiner established an international research group called the Agricultural
Experimental Circle of Anthroposophical Farmers and Gardeners of the General
Anthroposophical Society.

DO- NOTHING /NATURE FARMING

In Japan, Masanobu Fukuoka, a microbiologist working in soil science and plant
pathology, began to doubt the modern agricultural movement.
In 1937, he quit his job as a research scientist, returned to his family's farm in 1938,
and devoted the next 60 years to developing a radical no-till organic method for growing
grain and many other crops, now known as nature farming, 'donothing' farming or Fukuoka
farming. In 1975, Fukuoka released his book, The One-Straw Revolution
GREEN REVOLUTION
In 1944, an international campaign called the Green Revolution was launched in
Mexico with private funding from the US. It encouraged the development of hybrid plants,
chemical controls, large-scale irrigation, and heavy mechanization in agriculture around the
world.

"KNOW YOUR FARMER, KNOW YOUR FOOD".

In the 1970s, global movements concerned with pollution and the environment
increased their focus on organic farming. As the distinction between organic and
conventional food became clearer, one goal of the organic movement was to encourage
consumption of locally grown food, which was promoted through slogans like "Know Your
Farmer, Know Your Food".

IFOAM
In 1972, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
was founded in Versailles, France and dedicated to the diffusion and exchange of information
on the principles and practices of organic agriculture of all schools and across national and
linguistic boundaries. In the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s, J.I. Rodale and his Rodale
Press (now Rodale, Inc.) led the way in getting Americans to think about the side effects of
nonorganic methods, and the advantages of organic ones. The press's books offered how-to
information and advice to Americans interested in trying organic gardening and farming.

Principles of organic farming and its components.

PRINCIPLES IN ORGANIC FARMING
Principles of Organic Farming
The main principles of organic farming are as follows (Chandrashekar, 2010):
1. To work within a closed system and draw upon local resources as much as possible
2. To maintain long-term fertility of soils
3. To avoid all forms of pollution that may result from agricultural techniques
4. To produce foodstuffs in sufficient quantity and having high nutritional quality
5. To minimize the use of fossil energy in agricultural practices
6. To give livestock conditions of life that confirm to their physiological needs
7. To make it possible for agricultural producers to earn a living through their work and
develop their potentialities as human being

MAJOR PILLARS OF ORGANIC FARMING BASED AGRICULTURE

There are four major pillars of organic agriculture and they are as follows (IFOAM, 2010):
1. Principle of health.
2. Principle of ecology.
3. Principle of fairness.
4. Principle of care
1. Principle of health
Organic Agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal,
human and planet as one and indivisible. This principle points out that the health of
individuals and communities cannot be separated from the health of ecosystems - healthy
soils produce healthy crops that foster the health of animals and people.
2. Principle of ecology
Organic Agriculture should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work
with them, emulate them and help sustain them. This principle roots organic agriculture
within living ecological systems. It states that production is to be based on ecological
processes, and recycling. Nourishment and well-being are achieved through the ecology of
the specific production environment.
3. Principle of fairness
Organic Agriculture should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to
the common environment and life opportunities. Fairness is characterized by equity, respect,
justice and stewardship of the shared world, both among people and in their relations to other
living beings.
4. Principle of care
Organic Agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to
protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment.
Organic agriculture is a living and dynamic system that responds to internal and external
demands and conditions. Practitioners of organic agriculture can enhance efficiency and
increase productivity, but this should not be at the risk of jeopardizing health and well-being.

COMPONENTS OF ORGANIC FARMING:

Major components of organic farming are crop rotation, maintenance and
enhancement of soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation, addition of organic manure
and use of soil microorganisms, crop residues, bio-pesticide, biogas slurry, waste etc..
The various components of organic farming have been discussed in details below:
1. Crop rotation:
It is a systematic arrangement for the growing of different crops in a more or loss
regular sequence on the same land covering a period of two years or more. The selection of
optimal crop rotation is important for successful sustainable agriculture. Crop rotation is very
important. Soil fertility management, weed, insect and disease control. Legumes are essential
in any rotation and should 30 to 50 percent of the land.
2. Crop Residue:
In India there is a great potential for utilization of crop residues/ straw of some of the
major cereals and pulses. About 50% of the crop residues are utilized as animal fed, the rest
could be very well utilized for recycling of nutrients. Adequate care is required to use the
residues after proper composting with efficient microbial inoculants.
3. Organic manure:
The organic manure is derived from biological sources like plant, animal and human
residues. Organic manure act in many ways in augmenting crop growth and soil productivity.
The direct effect of organic manure relates to the uptake of humic substances or its
decomposition products affecting favourably the growth and yield of plants. Indirectly, it
augments the beneficial soil microorganisms and their activities and thus increases the
availability of major and minor plant nutrients.
a) Bulky organic manure:
It generally contains fewer amounts of plant nutrients as compared to concentrated organic
manure. It includes FYM, compost and Green manure.
The most commonly used green manuring crops are: Sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea),
Dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata), Cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba), Senji (Melilotus
parviflora), Cowpea (Vigna catjang, Vigna sinensis), Berseem (Trifolium alexandrium).
b) Concentrated Organic Manure:
The concentrated organic manures commonly used are oilcakes, blood meal, fishmeal,
meat meal and horn and hoof meal.
4. Waste:
Industrial waste:
Among the industrial by products, spent wash from distilisers and molasses and
pressmud from sugar industry have good manurial value.
Municipal and Sewage waste:
It also forms an important component of organic waste. In India, the total municipal
refuse is about 12 mt/annum containing about 0.5% N, 0.3% P2O5 and 0.3% K2O. Sewage
sludge is available to an extent of 4 million tones per annum containing 3% N, 2% P and
0.3% K.
5. Biofertilizers:
Bio-fertilizer offers an economically attractive and ecologically sound means of
reducing external inputs and improving the quality and quantity of internal sources.
They help in establishment and growth of crop plants and trees.
1. They enhance biomass production and grain yields by 10-20%.
2. They are useful in sustainable agriculture.
3. They are suitable organic farming.
4. They play an important role in Agroforestry / silvipastoral systems.
Types of Biofertilizers:
There are two types of bio-fertilizers.
1. Symbiotic N-fixation:
Rhizobium.
2. Asymbiotic N-fixation:
This includes Azotobacter, Azospirillium, BGA, Azolla and Mycorrhizae
6. Bio-pesticide:
Bio-pesticides are natural plant products that belong to the so-called secondary
metabolites, which include thousands of alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics and minor secondary
chemicals.
7. Vermicompost:
It is organic manure produced by the activity of earthworms. It is a method of making
compost with the use of earthworms that generally live in soil, eat biomass and excrete it in
digested form. These are rich in macro and micronutrients, vitamins, growth hormones and
immobilized microflora. The average nutrient content of vermicompost is much higher than
that of FYM.

importance of bio-fertilizers and their use for crops.

BIO-FERTILIZER IN ORGANIC FARMING

Biofertilizers:
It has been observed that there is decline in crop yield due to continuous apply of
inorganic fertilizers. Therefore, increasing need is being felt to integrate nutrient supply with
organic sources to restore the health of soil. Bio-fertilizer offers an economically attractive
and ecologically sound means of reducing external inputs and improving the quality and
quantity of internal sources. The main inputs are microorganisms, which are capable of
mobilizing nutritive elements from non-usable form to usable form through biological
process. These are less expensive, eco-friendly and sustainable.
The Biofertilizers containing biological nitrogen fixing organism are of utmost important in
agriculture in view of the following advantages:

They help in establishment and growth of crop plants and trees.

 They enhance biomass production and grain yields by 10-20%.
They play an important role in Agroforestry / silvipastoral systems.
They are cheap and can help to reduce the consumption of chemical fertilizer
They make nitrogen available directly to the plant
They solubilise phosphorus and increase phosphorus uptake to the plants
They enhance plant growth due to release of hormones, vitamins, auxins
Types of Biofertilizers:
There are two types of bio-fertilizers.
1. Symbiotic N-fixation:
These are Rhizobium culture of various strains which multiply in roots of suitable
legumes and fix nitrogen symbiotically. Almost 50% demands of N are met by these
microorganisms in legumes.
Rhizobium:
It is the most widely used biofertilizers, which colonizes the roots of specific legumes
to form tumours like growths called rot nodules. It is these nodules that act as factories of
ammonia production. The Rhizobium legume association can fix upto 100-300 kg N/ha in
one crop season.
2. Asymbiotic N-fixation:
This includes Azotobacter, Azospirillium, BGA, Azolla and Mycorrhizae, which also
fixes atmospheric N in suitable soil medium. They grow on decomposing soil organic matter
and produce nitrogen compounds for their own growth and development, besides that they
leave behind a significant amount of N in surroundings.
Azotobacter:
Application of Azotobactor has been found to increase the yields of wheat, rice, maize,
pearl millet and sorghum by 0-30% over control. The beneficial effect of Azotobactor
biofertilizers on cereals, millets, vegetables, cotton and sugarcane under both irrigated and
rainfed field conditions have been substantiated and documented (Pandey and Sushil Kumar,
1989).
Azospirillium:
It is an important bacterium, which colonize the root zones and fix nitrogen in loose
association with plants. The crops which response to Azospirillum is maize, barley, oats,
sorghum, pearl millet and forage crop.
Blue Green Algae:
The utilization of blue-green algae as biofertilizers for rice is very promising. Recent
researches have shown that algae also help to reduce soil alkalinity and this opens up
possibilities for bio-reclamation of such inhospitable environments.
Azolla:
A small floating fern, Azolla is commonly seen in low land fields and in shallow fresh
water bodies. This fern harbours blue-green algae, anabaena azollae. The Azolla anabaena
association is a live floating nitrogen factory using energy from photosynthesis to fix
atmospheric nitrogen amounting to 100-150 kg N/ha/year from about 40-64 tones of biomass
(Hamdi, 1982; Singh, 1988).
Mycorrhizae:
Mycorrhizae are the symbiotic association of fungi with roots of Vascular plants. The
main advantage of Mycorrhizae to the host plants lies in the extension of the penetration zone
of the root fungus system in the soil, facilitating an increased phosphorous uptake. In many
cases the Mycorrhizae have been shown to markedly improve the growth of plants. In India,
the beneficial effects of Vascular-arbuscular Mycorrhizae (V AM) have been observed in
fruit crops like citrus, papaya and litchi.