Manures

Manures

Manures are plant and animal wastes that are used as sources of plant nutrients. They release nutrients after their decomposition. Manures can be grouped into bulky organic manures and concentrated organic manures based on concentration of the nutrients.

Bulky organic manures

Bulky organic manures contain small percentage of nutrients and they are applied in huge quantities.

Farmyard manure (FYM), compost and green manure are the most important and widely used bulky organic manures. Use of bulky organic manures have several advantages:

• They supply plant nutrients including micronutrients
• They improve soil physical properties like structure, water holding capacity etc.,
• They increase the availability of nutrients,
• Carbon dioxide released during decomposition acts as a fertilizer, and
• Plant parasitic nematodes and fungi are controlled to some extent by altering the balance of microorganisms in the soil.

Farmyard Manure

Farmyard manure refers to the decomposed mixture of dung and urine of farm animals along with litter and left over material from roughages or fodder fed to the cattle. On an average well decomposed farmyard manure contains 0.5 per cent N, 0.2 per cent P₂O₅ and 0.5 percent K₂O. The present method of preparing farmyard manure by the farmers is defective. Urine, which is wasted, contains 1% N and 1.35% K. Nitrogen present in urine is mostly in the form of urea which is subjected to volatilization losses. Even during storage, nutrients are lost due to leaching and volatilization. However, it is practically impossible to avoid losses altogether, but can be reduced by following improved method of preparation of farmyard manure.

Trenches of size 6 m to 7.5 m length, 1.5 m to 2.0 m width and 1.0 m deep are dug. All available litter and refuse is mixed with soil and spread in the shed so as to absorb urine. The next morning, urine soaked refuse along with dung is collected and placed in the trench. A section of the trench from one end should be taken up for filling with daily collection. When the section is filled up to a height of 45 cm to 60 cm above the ground level, the top of the heap is made into a dome and plastered with cow dung earth slurry. The process is continued and when the first trench is completely filled, second trench is prepared. The manure becomes ready for use in about four to five months after plastering. If urine is not collected in the bedding, it can be collected along with washings of the cattle shed in a cemented pit from which it is later added to the farmyard manure pit.

Chemical preservatives can also be used to reduce losses and enrich farmyard manure. The commonly used chemicals are gypsum and superphosphate. Gypsum is spread in the cattle shed which absorbs urine and prevents volatilization loss of urea present in the urine and also adds calcium and sulphur. Superphosphate also acts similarly in reducing losses and also increases phosphorus content.

Partially rotten farmyard manure has to be applied three to four weeks before sowing while well rotten manure can be applied immediately before sowing. Generally 10 to 20 t/ha is applied, but more than 20 t/ha is applied to fodder grasses and vegetables. In such cases farmyard manure should be applied at least 15 days in advance to avoid immobilization of nitrogen. The existing practice of leaving manure in small heaps scattered in the field for a very long period leads to loss of nutrients. These losses can be reduced by spreading and incorporating by ploughing immediately after application.

Vegetable crops like potato, tomato, sweet-potato, carrot, radish, onion etc., respond well to the farmyard manure. The other responsive crops are sugarcane, rice, Napier grass and orchard crops like oranges, banana, mango and plantation crop like coconut. The entire amount of nutrients present in farmyard manure is not available immediately. About 30% N, 60-70% P and 70% K are available to the first crop.

Compost

A mass of rotted organic matter made from waste is called compost. The compost made from farm waste like sugarcane trash, paddy straw, weeds and other plants and other waste is called farm compost. The average nutrient content of farm compost is 0.5 per cent N, 0.15 per cent  P₂O₅ and 0.5 per cent K₂O. The nutrient value of farm compost can be increased by application of superphosphate or rock phosphate at 10 to 15 kg/t of raw material at the initial stage of filling the compost pit.

The compost made from town refuses like night soil, street sweepings and dustbin refuse is called town compost. It contains 1.4 per cent N, 1.00 per cent P₂O₅ and 1.4 per cent K₂O. Farm compost is made by placing farm wastes in trenches of suitable size, say, 4.5 m to 5.0 m long, 1.5 m to 2.0 m wide and 1.0 m to 2.0 m deep. Farm waste is placed in the trenches layer by layer. Each layer is well moistened by sprinkling cow-dung slurry or water. Trenches are filled up to a height of 0.5 m above the ground. The compost is ready for application within five to six months.