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Organic fertilizers are fertilizers composed of living things, such as weathering the remains of plants, animals, and humans. Organic fertilizers can be in the form of solid or liquid which are used to improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. Organic fertilizers contain more organic matter than the nutrient content. Sources of organic matter can be in the form of compost, green manure, manure, crop residues (straw, stove, corn cobs, bagasse, and coconut husks), livestock waste, industrial waste using agricultural materials, and municipal waste (garbage).
Types of Organic Fertilizers, among others:
Manure is fertilizer that comes from animal waste. Animals whose manure is often used for manure are animals that can be kept by the community, such as goat, cow, sheep and chicken manure. Apart from being in solid form, manure can also be in the form of liquid which comes from animal urine. Manure contains macro and micro nutrients. Solid manure contains many macro nutrients, such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. Micronutrients contained in manure include calcium, magnesium, sulfur, sodium, iron, copper, and molybdenum. The nitrogen content in the urine of farm animals is three times greater than the nitrogen content in solid manure.
Manure consists of two parts, namely:
1. Cold fertilizers are fertilizers derived from animal manure which are decomposed slowly by microorganisms so that they do not generate heat, for example, fertilizers derived from cow, buffalo, and pig manure.
2. Hot fertilizers are fertilizers derived from animal manure which are decomposed by microorganisms quickly causing heat, for example, fertilizers derived from goat, horse, and chicken manure.
Manure is useful for providing macro and micro nutrients and has a high ionic binding capacity so that it will make inorganic materials effective in the soil, including inorganic fertilizers. In addition, manure can improve soil structure, so that plant growth can be optimal. Manure that is ready to be applied has the characteristics of cold temperature, crumbs, the original form is not visible, and the smell has reduced. If you do not have these characteristics, manure is not ready to be used. The use of immature fertilizers will inhibit plant growth, it can even kill plants. A good use of manure is by immersing it, so that the evaporation of nutrients can be reduced. The use of liquid manure is best done after the plants grow, so that the nutrients contained in this liquid manure will be quickly absorbed by plants.
Green manure is organic fertilizer that comes from plants or in the form of crop residues. This plant material can be immersed while it is still green or after composting. Sources of green manure can be in the form of crop residues (harvest residues) or plants grown specifically to produce green manure, such as beans and water ferns (Azolla). The types of plants that are used as sources of green manure are prioritized from the type of legumes, because these plants contain relatively high nutrients, especially nitrogen compared to other types of plants. Legume plants are also relatively easy to decompose so that the supply of nutrients becomes faster. Green manure is useful for increasing the content of organic matter and nutrients in the soil, resulting in an improvement in the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil, which in turn has an impact on increasing soil productivity and soil resistance to erosion.
Green manure is used in:
1. The use of hedge plants, namely by developing an alley cropping system, in which green manure plants are planted as hedges alternately with the main crop.
2. The use of cover crops, namely by developing self-grown plants, when the land is not planted with the main crop or plants that are planted together with the main crop if the main crop is an annual plant.
Compost is organic residue from plants, animals, and organic waste that has undergone a decomposition or fermentation process. Types of plants that are often used for compost include straw, rice husks, banana plants, weeds, rotting vegetables, corn residues, and coconut husks. Materials from livestock that are often used for compost include livestock manure, urine, wasted animal feed, and biogas liquid. Aquatic plants that are often used for compost include blue algae, aquatic weeds, water hyacinth, and Azolla.
Some of the uses of compost are:
1. Improve soil structure.
2. Strengthens the binding capacity of aggregates (nutrients) in sandy soil.
3. Increases water resistance and absorption.
4. Improve drainage and pores in the soil.
5. Add and activate nutrients.
Compost is used by spreading it around the plants. Compost that is suitable for use is ripe, marked by a decrease in the temperature of the compost (below 400 c).
Humus is organic material that comes from the degradation or weathering of decaying leaves and branches of plants (decomposing) which eventually turns humus into (flower soil), and then into soil. The raw materials for humus are from fallen tree leaves or twigs, agricultural and livestock waste, food industry, agro-industry, bark, sawdust (wood ash), wood chips, sewage sludge, household waste, and urban solid wastes. Humus is a source of food for plants, and plays a good role in the formation and maintenance of soil structure. Humus compounds also play a role in the binding of toxic chemicals in soil and water. In addition, humus can increase the water content capacity of the soil, assist in retaining water-soluble inorganic fertilizers, prevent soil erosion, increase soil aeration, and increase photochemical decomposition of pesticides or toxic organic compounds. The main content of compost is humus. Humus is the final determinant of the quality of soil fertility, so the use of humus is the same as the use of compost.
Artificial Organic Fertilizer is an organic fertilizer that is produced in a factory using modern equipment. Some of the benefits of artificial organic fertilizers, namely:
1. Increase the content of nutrients needed by plants.
2. ncrease crop productivity.
3. Stimulates the growth of roots, stems and leaves.
4. Loosens and fertilizes the soil.
In general, artificial organic fertilizers are used by spreading them around the plants, so that there is an effective and efficient increase in nutrient content for plants that are given organic fertilizers.