Organic matter in relation to crop productivity

A. Practice for maintaining and replenishing organic matter

i) Applying manure and compost

ii) Growing grasses, cover crop and green manure crops.

iii) Utilizing all crop residues properly.

iv) Controlling erosion.

v) Through the addition of plant nutrient more crop residues are produced which help in organic matter maintenance.

B. Influence of organic matter on soil properties

i) It takes as a store house of nutrients.

ii) It provides energy for microorganism activity.

iii) It increases exchange capacity.

iv) It has effect on soil colour i.e. soil colour turns into brown and black.

v) Granulation is increased.

vi) Plasticity, cohesion is reduced and friability is increased.

vii) Water holding capacity increased.

viii) It releases more carbondioxide and which is dissolved in water form carbonic acid which reduce pH and availability of inorganic phosphorus in alkali soil.