1 SOIL ORGANIC MATTER

humus

1. INTRODUCTION
Healthy soil is the foundation of the food system. It produces healthy crops that in turn nourish people.
Maintaining a healthy soil demands care and effort from farmers because farming is not benign. By definition,
farming disturbs the natural soil processes including that of nutrient cycling – the release and uptake of
nutrients.

Plants obtain nutrients from two natural sources: organic matter and minerals. Organic matter includes any
plant or animal material that returns to the soil and goes through the decomposition process. In addition to
providing nutrients and habitat to organisms living in the soil, organic matter also binds soil particles into
aggregates and improves the water holding capacity of soil. Most soils contain 2–10 percent organic matter.
However, even in small amounts, organic matter is very important.

Soil is a living, dynamic ecosystem. Healthy soil is teeming with microscopic and larger organisms that perform
many vital functions including converting dead and decaying matter as well as minerals to plant nutrients.
Different soil organisms feed on different organic substrates. Their biological activity depends on the organic
matter supply.

Nutrient exchanges between organic matter, water and soil are essential to soil fertility and need to be
maintained for sustainable production purposes. Where the soil is exploited for crop production without
restoring the organic matter and nutrient contents and maintaining a good structure, the nutrient cycles are
broken, soil fertility declines and the balance in the agro-ecosystem is destroyed.

Soil organic matter – the product of on-site biological decomposition – affects the chemical and physical
properties of the soil and its overall health. Its composition and breakdown rate affect: the soil structure and
porosity; the water infiltration rate and moisture holding capacity of soils; the diversity and biological activity of
soil organisms; and plant nutrient availability. Many common agricultural practices, especially ploughing, disc-
tillage and vegetation burning, accelerate the decomposition of soil organic matter and leave the soil
susceptible to wind and water erosion. However, there are alternative management practices that enhance soil
health and allow sustained agricultural productivity. Conservation agriculture encompasses a range of such good
practices through combining no tillage or minimum tillage with a protective crop cover and crop rotations. It
maintains surface residues, roots and soil organic matter, helps control weeds, and enhances soil aggregation
and intact large pores, in turn allowing water infiltration and reducing runoff and erosion. In addition to making
plant nutrients available, the diverse soil organisms that thrive in such conditions contribute to pest control and
other vital ecological processes. Through combining pasture and fodder species and manuring with food and
fibre crop production, mixed crop–livestock systems also enhance soil organic matter and soil health. This
document recognizes the central role of organic matter in improving soil productivity and outlines promising
technologies for improved organic matter management for productive and sustainable crop production in the
tropics.

Soil organic matter content is a function of organic matter inputs (residues and roots) and litter decomposition.
It is related to moisture, temperature and aeration, physical and chemical properties of the soils as well as
bioturbation (mixing by soil macro fauna), leaching by water and humus stabilization (organ mineral complexes
and aggregates). Land use and management practices also affect soil organic matter.

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2. DEFINATION
Soil organic matter is anything that contains carbon compounds that were formed by living organisms.
There are 3 main components of organic matter in soils:

 Dead forms of organic material - mostly dead plant parts

 Living parts of plants - mostly roots
 Living microbes and soil animals
By far the largest component is the dead matter - it constitutes about 85% of all organic matter in soils. Living
roots make up about another 10% and the microbes and soil animals make up the last few percent. Partly
decayed organic matter is called humus.

FIG. 1 Images showing different sources of organic matter

3. COMPOSITION AND SOURCES

Most soil organic matter originates from PLANT TISSUE.

Plant residues contain 60–90 percent moisture. The
remaining dry matter consists of carbon (C), oxygen,
hydrogen (H) and small amounts of sulphur (S), nitrogen (N),
phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium
(Mg).
ANIMALS are considered as a secondary source of organic
matter. As they attack the original plant tissue, they
contribute waste products and leave their own bodies after
death. Certain forms of animal life, especially the
earthworms, termites and ants also play an important role in
the translocation of soil and plant residues.
Although present in small amounts, these nutrients are very
important from the viewpoint of soil fertility management.
FIG. 2 Distribution of different organic matter in soil

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FIG. 3 flow chart showing byproducts of organic matter

4. CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER

Organic matter may be divided into aboveground and belowground fractions.

 Aboveground organic matter comprises plant residues and animal residues;

 Belowground organic matter consists of living soil fauna and micro flora, partially decomposed plant and
animal residues, and humic substances.
Although soil organic matter can be partitioned conveniently into different fractions, these do not represent
static end products. Instead, the amounts present reflect a dynamic equilibrium. The total amount and
partitioning of organic matter in the soil is influenced by soil properties and by the quantity of annual inputs of
plant and animal residues to the ecosystem. For example, in a given soil ecosystem, the rate of decomposition
and accumulation of soil organic matter is determined by such soil properties as texture, pH, temperature,
moisture, aeration, clay mineralogy and soil biological activities. A complication is that soil organic matter in
turn influences or modifies many of these same soil properties.

5. IMPORTANCE OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER

The importance of soil organic matter in relation to soil fertility and physical conditions is widely recognized.
Organic matter contributes its positive effects on the chemical, physical and biological properties of the soil. Soil
organic matter is the source of plant nutrients that are librated in available forms during mineralization.

Organic matter acts as a major source of plant nutrients:

 Organic matter is the source of 90 - 95% of the nitrogen in unfertilized soils. It can be the major source of
both phosphorous and sulphur.
 Organic matter supplies some micronutrients like Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn to the soil and thereby increase
nutrient content as well as improves soil fertility.

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5.1 INFLUENCES ON PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL

 Organic matter influences the soil colour. Due to presence of adequate amount of organic matter, the
colour becomes brown to dark brown or black.
 Organic matter plays a vital role in soil aggregation; thereby soil maintains favorable condition of aeration
and permeability.
 In the presence of organic matter, the rate of infiltration and percolation of water is enhanced. It improves
the drainage condition of the soils.
 Water holding capacity of the soil is increased by the application of organic matter.
 Organic matter affects the densities of soil especially bulk density of soil, which in turn influences the soil
porosity favorably.
 Organic matter increases the ability of the soil to resist erosion.

5.2 INFLUENCES ON PHYSIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SOIL

 During decomposition of organic matter various organic acids and CO2 liberate which help to reduce
alkalinity of soil.
 Organic matter contributes to the cation exchange capacity (30 -70% of the total) of soil.
 Organic matter acts as a buffering agent. Due to, such buffering effects, plant roots does not suffer from
excessive acids, alkali or salts.
 Organic matter has solubilizing effect on some mineral compounds present in the soil.
 Organic matter acts as a chelate. The soluble chelate helps to mobilize the micro-nutrients in soil
increasing their ability to be absorbed by plants.
 Organic matter temporaily adsorbs heavy metal pollutants (Pb, Cd).
 It helps in adsorption of pollutants which helps in cleaning contaminated water.

5.3 ORGANIC MATTER ACT AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY AND GROWTH

PROMOTING SUBSTANCES

Organic matter serves as a source of energy for both macro and micro organisms.
Various organic substances like vitamins, antibiotics and growth promoting compounds namely auxin are
produced by different microorganisms during decomposition of organic matter.

6.ROLE OF CARBON CYCLE

Carbon is a common constituent of all organic matter (plant and animal residues) and is involved
essentially in all life processes. The transformation of carbon in different forms is termed as CARBON
CYCLE.
The carbon cycle revolves around CO2, its fixation and regeneration. Through the process of
photosynthesis, higher plants as their sole carbon source assimilate CO2; microbial metabolism
assumes the dominant role in the cyclic sequence on the dead plants and animal tissues. The dead
tissues are transformed into microbial cells.
The carbon cycle is all inclusive because it involves the soil and its teeming fauna. Flora and higher
plants but also all animal life including human being.

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FIG. 4 role of carbon cycle in organic matterl

FIG. 5 Different forms of carbon in atmosphere

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7. DECOMPOSITION OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER

When plant residues are returned to the soil, various organic compounds undergo decomposition.

Decomposition is a biological process that includes the physical breakdown and biochemical transformation of
complex organic molecules of dead material into simpler organic and inorganic molecules.

The continual addition of decaying plant residues to the soil surface

contributes to the biological activity and the carbon cycling process
in the soil. Breakdown of soil organic matter and root growth and
decay also contribute to these processes.
In the decomposition process, different products are released:
carbon dioxide (CO2), energy, water, plant nutrients and
resynthesized organic carbon compounds. Successive decomposition
of dead material and modified organic matter results in the
formation of a more complex organic matter called humus. This
process is called humification. Humus affects soil properties.
As it slowly decomposes, it colours the soil darker; increases soil
aggregation and aggregate stability; increases the CEC (the ability to
attract and retain nutrients); and contributes N, P and other
nutrients. FIG. 6. Microorganism in organic matter

Soil organisms, including micro-organisms, use soil organic matter as food. As they break down the organic
matter, any excess nutrients (N, P and S) are released into the soil in forms that plants can use. This release
process is called mineralization.

The waste products produced by micro-organisms are also soil organic matter. This waste material is less
decomposable than the original plant and animal material, but it can be used by a large number of organisms.
These living organisms are made up of thousands of different compounds. When organisms die, there are
thousands of compounds in the soil that need to be decomposed. As these compounds are decomposed, the
organic matter in soil is gradually transformed until it is no longer recognizable as part of the original plant. The
stages in this process are:

1. Breakdown of compounds that is easy to decompose, e.g. sugars, starches and proteins.

2. Breakdown of compounds that take several years to decompose, e.g. cellulose (an insoluble carbohydrate
found in plants) and lignin (a very complicated structure that is part of wood).

3. Breakdown of compounds that can take up to ten years to decompose, e.g. some waxes and the phenols. This
stage also includes compounds that have formed stable combinations and are located deep inside soil
aggregates and are therefore not accessible to soil organisms.

4. Breakdown of compounds that take tens, hundreds or thousands of years to decompose. These include
humus-like substances that are the result of integration of compounds from breakdown products of plants and
those generated by microorganisms.

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ENERGY OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER

The quantity of energy soil organisms use for digesting plant residues and humus is remarkably high. Or 25
million kilocalories of latent energy.

8. C: N RATIO

8.1 IMPORTANCE OF C:N RATIO

The C:N ratio is used to indicate the type of material and ease of decomposition. As the decomposition
processes continue, both carbon and nitrogen are lost- the carbon as CO2 and the nitrogen as inorganic
compounds that are leached or absorbed by plants. The C:N ratio in soil organic matter is important for two
main reasons:
a) Keen competition among microorganisms for available soil nitrogen occurs when residues have a high
C:N ratio are added to soils.
b) Because the C:N ratio is relatively constant in soils, the maintenance of carbon and hence, soil
organic matter- is constrained by the soil nitrogen level.

For example, wheat straws, when added to the soil, increase the soil microbial proportion and a large amount of
Co2 would be released. In this process, all of the mineral nitrogen is immobilized by it being used up for synthesis
of body protein by micro-organisms. When decomposition of fresh organic residues has proceeded to the extent
when the C:N ratio is reduced to 20:1 or so, and the available nitrogen in soils tend to increase.

8.2 REASON FOR C:N RATIO CONSTANCY

As the decomposition processes continue, both carbon and nitrogen are lost – the carbon as carbon dioxide and
the nitrogen as inorganic compounds that are leached or absorbed by plants.
In time the percentage of the total nitrogen being removed equals the percentage of the total carbon being lost.
At this point, the C:N ratio in the top soil, commonly between 10:1 and 12:1 in humid regions, becomes more or
less constant, always being somewhat greater than the ratios characterizing microbial tissue.

8.3 CARBON / NITROGEN RATIO AND ORGANIC MATTER LEVEL

The amount of organic matter that can be maintained in any soil is largely dependent on the amount of organic
nitrogen present.
The ratio between nitrogen and organic matter is, thus, also rather constant.
A value for the organic matter/ nitrogen ratio of 20:1 is commonly used for average soils.
“The practical significance of this relatively constant ratio is that a soil’s organic matter content cannot be
increased without simultaneously increasing its organic nitrogen content”.

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9. FACTORS AFFECTING SOIL ORGANIC MATTER

9.1 CLIMATE
Climatic condition, especially temperature and rainfall, exert a dominant influence on the availability of organic
matter in soil.
Temperature and especially its diurnal variations influence type and quantity of vegetation in area, and
consequently the nature and amount of organic materials added to soil by the natural process, the rate of their
decomposition and synthesis of humus. Higher temperature stimulates microbial activity to a greater extent
than plant growth. Thus the decomposition and availability of organic matter is increased.
With increase in rainfall, more growth of vegetation is possible, and consequently a greater accumulation of
organic matter, provided the temperature is not too high. Organic matter level of soils increases till the annual
rainfall is conductive to accumulation of organic matter.

9.2 NATURAL VEGETATION

Vegetation affects soil organic matter by the type, amount, and placement of the organic residues. The
composition of organic matter in soil can be related to the nature of the soil floral and faunal community. When
biomass is added to the soil, three general reactions take place:

 The bulk of the material undergoes enzymatic oxidation with carbon dioxide, water and heat as major
products,
 N, P and S are released and/or immobilized by a series of reactions unique to each specific element,

 Compounds resistant to further immediate microbial reaction are formed either from compounds in the
initial material or by microbial synthesis.

9.3 TEXTURE AND DRAINAGE

Soils high in clay and silt are generally higher in organic matter than coarse textured soils. The rate of organic
residues to the soil is usually higher in the fine textured soils, and rate of oxidation may be somewhat slower
than in sandy soils. Poorly drained soils, because of their high moisture content and relatively poor aeration, are
generally much higher in organic matter than well-drained soils.

9.4 SALINITY AND ACIDITY

Salinity, toxicity and extremes in soil pH (acid or alkaline) result in poor biomass production and, thus in reduced
additions of organic matter to the soil. For example, pH affects humus formation in two ways: decomposition,
and biomass production.
In strongly acid or highly alkaline soils, the growing conditions for micro-organisms are poor, resulting in low
levels of biological oxidation of organic matter (Primavesi, 1984). Soil acidity also influences the availability of
plant nutrients and thus regulates indirectly biomass production and the available food for soil biota. Fungi are
less sensitive than bacteria to acid soil conditions.

9.5 CROPPING AND TILLAGE

Cultivated soils decline rapidly with time than grassland soils. The decrease is not surprising because in nature(
under grassland soils) all the organic matter produced by the vegetation is returned to the soil, whereas in
cultivated areas much of the plant material is removed for human or animal food.
Tillage practices break up the organic residues; bring the organic residues up so that they come in direct contact
of soil organisms, thereby increasing their rate of decomposition.

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9.6 ROTATION, RESIDUES AND PLANT NUTRIENTS

A rotation of corn, oats, and clovers resulted in higher soil organic matter level as compared to continuous corn.
The application of manure, lime, and phosphorous help in maintaining much higher organic matter levels. The
increased return of organic matter through the added manure and increased crop residues accounts for this
high organic matter level. Lime tends to protect organic matter from wasteful oxidation.

10. SOIL ORGANIC MATTER AND PLANT GROWTH

The major benefits of soil organic matter on plant growth result indirectly through improvement of soil
properties, such as aggregation, aeration, permeability, and water holding capacity.

10.1 CONTRIBUTES IN SOIL FERTILITY.

Organic matter contributes in soil fertility in number ways:
It increases cation exchange capacity and water holding capacity, especially in light textured soils.

1. Regulates availability of aluminium and micronutrients

2. Humic acids are capable of decreasing aluminium toxicity in soils.
3. Humic acids prevent the accumulation of large amount of micro-nutrients in soils and also release them
back in amounts suitable for plant growth.

10.2 IMPROVES PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF PLANTS

 Humus stabilizes soil structure, especially in soils of poor structural stability.

 Plants can take small degradation products of humic acids, nucleic acids and proteins.
 Humic acids compounds can improve plant growth directly by acceleration of respiratory processes, by
increasing cell permeability or by hormone growth action.
 Moderate amount of humic acid are generally beneficial to root and shoot growth.

11. HOW IS SOM MEASURED?

SOM is usually measured in the laboratory as Organic Carbon,
Soil organic matter is estimated to contain 58% organic carbon (varies
from 40 to 58%) with the rest of the SOM comprising of other elements
(eg, 5% N, 0.5% P and 0.5% S).
A conversion to SOM from a given organic carbon analysis requires that
the organic carbon content be multiplied by a factor of 1.72 (1.00/0.58).
Thus, 2% SOM is about 1.2% organic carbon.

FIG. 7 Soil organic matter test

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12. SOIL ORGANIC MATTER CONTENT

“ORGANIC MATTER CONTENT DIMINSHES WITH DEPTH OF THE SOIL”

 The SOM content of agricultural topsoil is usually in the range of 1 to 6%.
 An acre of soil measured to a depth of 6 inches weighs approximately 2,000,000 pounds, which means
1% SOIL ORGANIC MATTER = 20,000 POUNDS/ ACRE.
 This amount is the result of all additions and losses of SOM that have occurred over the years.
 Peaty and swampy soil contain 80% of organic matter

Fig 8 Soil organic content in diff. Soils of india Fig 9 Soil organic matter content after soil test

SOIL ORGANIC MATTER CONTENT IN MINERAL SOILS

Soil order Range Representative

ALIFSOLS 0.8-6.5 3%

ARIDISOLS 0.2-1.7 1%

HISTOSOLS 20- 98 80%

MOLLISOLS 1.5-6.5 4%

OXISOLS 1.5-5.0 3%

SPODOSOLS 1.5-5.0 3.5%

VERTISOLS 1.5-3.0 2%

ULTISOLS 1.5-4.0 2%

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13. HUMUS

13.1 INTRODUCTION
The formation of humus is a bio-chemical process.
It is a highly complex, organic, fairly colloidal, stable and amorphous
and resistant mixture of brown or dark brown or black material
modified from the original tissues or synthesized by various soil
organisms.
The bulk of these compounds have resulted from two general types of
biochemical reactions, decomposition and synthesis.

Decomposition implies transformation to simpler compounds. Besides

decomposition of organic matter, synthesis of organic substances is
involved in humus formation.

Decomposition occurs as chemicals in the plant residues are broken down or drastically modified by soil
organisms.
Humification of organic residues incorporated in the soil depends upon their chemical composition and soil
condition influencing the activity of soil micro-organisms.

13.2 COMPOSITION OF HUMUS

There are two general groups of compounds that collectively make up

humus:
The humic group and non humic group.

a)HUMIC GROUP:
The humic substances make up about 60 -80 % of the soil organic
matter. They are comprised of the most complex materials, which are
also the most resistant to microbial attack. Humic substances are
characterized by aromatic, ring-type structures that include
polyphenols and polyquinones which are formed by the
decomposition, s and polyquinones which are formed by the
decomposition, synthesis and polymerization.

On the basis of resistance to degradation and of solubility in acids and Fig 10. Humus in soil
alkalis, humic substances have been classified into 3 chemical groups:
a) Fulvic acid – lowest in molecular weight, light in colour, soluble in both acid and alkali and most susceptible
to microbial attack. It contains less carbon and more nitrogen and oxygen than humic acid. It has smaller
proportion of aromatic units and greater aliphatic chains with carboxyl functional groups than humic acid
fractions.
b) Humic acid – medium in molecular weight and colour, soluble in alkali but insoluble in acids and
intermediate in resistant to degradation. It consists of carbon (50%), oxygen (405), hydrogen (5%), nitrogen
(3%), phosphorus and sulphur (<1%).
c) Humin – highest in molecular weight, darkest in colour, insoluble in both acid and alkali and most
resistant to microbial attack. It is alkali insoluble fraction of soil humus.

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The composition of well digested humus is approximately:
Carbon (55 to 60%)
Hydrogen (4 to 5%)
Oxygen (35 to 40%)
Nitrogen (5 to 6%)
Plus a variable amount of mineral matter containing Sulphur, phosphorous, Iron, Calcium, magnesium,
Potassium etc.

The C:N ratio of such material is approximately 10:1

The ratio remains more or less constant whatever the nature of raw organic matter at start.

b) NON HUMIC GROUP

It comprises of about 20% -30% of the organic matter in the soils. They are less complex and less resistant to
microbial attack than those of the humic group. They are comprised of specific organic compounds with definite
physical and chemical properties. Some of the non humic materials have been only modified by microbial action
while other was synthesized as breakdown occurred.

Among the non humic group of compounds,

Polysaccharides, polymers that have sugar-like structures and general formula of C n(H2O)m where m an are
variable. Polysaccharides are especially effective in enhancing soil aggregate stability.
Some simpler compounds like, organic acids and some protein-like material are also part of non humic group.
These simpler materials are not present in large quantities but their present affect the availability of some plant
nutrients such as nitrogen and iron.

13.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMUS

 Humus is highly colloidal and amorphous in nature. Being colloidal it has a high adsorption capacity.
 It possesses low plasticity and cohesion.
 Humus colloids are composed basically of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the forms of polyphenols,
polyquinones, polyuronides and polysaccharides.
 The colloidal surfaces are negatively charged. this helps humus micelle adsorb elements like Ca2+,
Mg2+,H+, k+, Na+etc.
 At high pH value, the CEC of humus ranges from 150-300cmol/kg.
 Humic acids are weakly dissociated and determine the buffering capacity of soil.
 Humic acids have a complex structure. It has mainly two type of structural units, i.e., phenolic and
nitrogen containing compounds.
 Humus is acidic and hence is capable of reacting with soil minerals and extracting their bases.
 Humus acts like a sponge and is capable of absorbing 5 to 6 times its own weight of water. Upon
absorption, it swells greatly and shrinks on drying.

14. GROUP INTERACTION TO CONSERVE NITROGEN CONTENT IN SOIL

14.1 BETWEEN HUMIC AND NON HUMIC GROUPS

Both the humic and non-humic group interacts and commonly linked together. The reaction is important for
nitrogen conservation in soils because in the resultant compounds the protein nitrogen is somehow protected
from the microbial attack. Without this protection, the protein would succumb easily to decomposition and
hydrolysis, releasing the nitrogen as soluble NH4+ and NO3- forms, which are rapidly lost from the soils.

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14.2 CLAY –HUMUS COMBINATION
The interaction of humus with some layers of silicate clays results in
clay humus crumbs that help to stabilize soil nitrogen. These clay-
humus crumbs are full of "nooks and crannies" which provide shelter
for soil microorganisms.
These clays are known to attract and hold substances such as amino
acids, peptides and proteins, forming complexes that protect the
nitrogen-containing compounds from microbial degradation.
VERMICULITE, forms interlayer complexes that strongly resist
decomposition.
In this method clay joins the humic polymers and organic materials
such as polysaccharides in protecting relatively simple nitrogen Fig 10. Humus crumps
compounds from microbial attack.
In some cases, clay seems to catalyze some oxidation and polymerization reactions even in the absence of
microorganisms.

14.3 STABILITY OF HUMUS

Humus is subject to continual microbial attack. Without the annual addition of plant residues, microbial
action results in a reduction in soil organic matter levels. Even so, humus is more resistant to decay than are
most compounds found in plant residues. This resistance is important in maintaining organic matter levels in
soils and also helps protect nitrogen and other essential nutrients that are bound in the resistant humic
complex.

15. EFFECT OF HUMUS ON NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY

Humus enhances mineral breakdown and, in turn, nutrient availability in two ways:
Humic acids can attack the minerals and bring about their decomposition, thereby releasing essential base-
forming cations.
Second mechanism for increasing the availability of some cations is through the formation of stable
organomineral complexes with these ions. For example, polysaccharides and fulvic acids form such complexes
with metallic ions such as Fe3+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Mn2+. The cations are attracted from the minerals in which they
are found and held in complex form by the organic molecule.

Fig 11. Different percentage of soil organic matter (humus) in difeerent soils

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16. SOIL HEALTH & QUALITY

 Measuring SOM is one step in assessing overall soil quality or soil health -
 measuring various key attributes of soil organic matter quantity and quality will give an indication of the
health of the soil.
 Or Look at the state of the soil organisms in the soil.
 Or look at how well the soil “Holds Together”.

Fig. 12 Simple clot test for identifying soil quality

17. MAINTENANCE OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER

The maintenance of soil organic matter in mineral soils is perhaps the most important challenge to modern and
traditional agriculture. Humus management is such one concept in organic agriculture. It is a system of
biological farming practices that provides food and shelter for soil organisms.

17.1 ENCOURAGING CROP YIELDING AND RESTRICTING TILLAGE

 This will lead to formation of abundant residues returned to the soil either directly ot by feed consuming
animals.
 The rate of destruction of soil organic matter can be minimized by restricting soil tillage and by keeping at
least part of crop residues at or near the soil surface.

17.2 MAINTAINING ORGANIC MATTER AT A A\SATISFACTORY LEVEL IN A CULTIVATED SOIL

Organic matter in soil is a dynamic material which changes continuously as a result of microbial activity. It can
be maintained by means of additions of new organic materials. This is an essential part of good soil
management practice. It involves additions of CROP RESIDUES, ANIMAL MANURE, DOMESTIC AND INDUSTRIAL
WASTES

17.3 GROWING GRASSES IN ARID AND SEMIARID REGIONS.

Especially in arid and semi-arid regions due to high temperatures it is difficult to maintain organic matter in such
soils. Growing grasses is most effective in reducing losses of soil organic matter.

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17.4 GREEN MANURING

Green manuring is the practice of enriching the soil by turning under soil greens tender plants, usually legumes
grown in the field. The leguminous plants have comparatively high nitrogen content (2.5 -3.0%) and narrow C:N
ratio(10:1) that decomposes quickly.
Besides acting as a source of nitrogen, green manuring coupled with phosphate fertilizers improves the soil
organic matter.

17.5 ADDITION OF CROP RESIDUES

Crop residues provide varying amounts of organic carbon when these are incorporated in soils. In soils, where
the above ground portion of crops have no immediate use, these may be profitably utilized in raising the organic
matter content in the soils.
In India, root residues are commonly used. Root residue together with short stubble find themselves in the soil.
This added carbon might constitutes as little as 5% of total crop. Root residues have an advantage over the top
residue as a source of carbon. They are well mixed with soils.

17.6 USE OF ORGANIC MANURE

Sources such as compost, bulky organic manure such as farmyard manure, urban and industrial waste, garbage,
sawdust, sewage effluent and sludge in the form of organic manure increases organic matter levels in the soil.
Since crop production capacity of soils is related to organic matter contents and cultivation results in loss of
organic matter, organic matter content of cultivated soil is too low. Further lowering of organic matter may
result in decline in the inherent capacity of soils to produce crops. Therefore much attention has been given to
the soil management programs that aim at maintaining a satisfactory level of organic matter in cultivated soils.
Since the rate at which carbon is lost from soils increases very rapidly, with increased addition of organic matter,
the maintenance of humus at a high level is not only difficult but also expensive. The problem becomes much
more difficult in India especially in warmer and arid conditions.

Fig. 13. Different processes involved in making soil rich in SOM.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

‘Textbook on Soils of India’ 3rd Edition, by R. Mehra.

‘Plants and environment’, textbook of plant Autecology, 3rd edition, by R.F. Daubenmire.
‘ Nature and properties of Soils by Nyle C. Brady.

ARTICLES

‘The importance of Soil Organic Matter’ Alexandra Bot, FAO consultant, FAO Soil Bulletin 80.
‘Measure and manage, organic soils’, By Dale Cowan, dcowan@agtest.com Agri-Food Laboratories CCA.On
‘Managing Soil Organic Matter’,The Key to Air and Water Quality, Soil technical note no. 5, Oct 2003, NRCS,
United States Deptt. Of Agriculture.
‘Mineralization and volatilization of ring labelled 14c- 2,4-d in three Different soils’, By Mausami Shrivastava,
Deptt. Of Zoology, University of Delhi.
‘ Humus the foundation of Living Soils’, Bio-dynamic association of India (BDAI).
‘What Does Organic Matter Do In Soil?’ , by Eddie Funderburg, Soils and Crops, August 2001.

WEBSITES

www. humintech.com
www.krishi.com
www. Wikipedia.com
www.soils.wisc.edu.

SOIL SEMINAR 2009-10 VIMAL PAUL (LA 9909)