SOIL properties, structures etc. and its importance

Envisions the organic agriculture sector contributing to the over-all agricultural growth and development of the country in terms of sustainability, competitiveness and food security, where at least five percent (5%) of Philippine agricultural farm areas practice organic farming and where consumers both national and international increasingly support Philippine organic food products by 2016

1. SOIL By; junjabs

2. S O I L Basis & Important Resource of ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

3. Four Principles of Organic Farming

4. SHAPING THE FUTURE (Where DO WE WANT TO GO)

5. Organic Agriculture: The Future View Vision Envisions the organic agriculture sector contributing to the over-all agricultural growth and development of the country in terms of sustainability, competitiveness and food security, where at least five percent (5%) of Philippine agricultural farm areas practice organic farming and where consumers both national and international increasingly support Philippine organic food products by 2016

6. Organic Agriculture: The Future View Mission To pursue a community-based and participatory promotion, development and implementation of the comprehensive organic agriculture program towards equitable restoration and sustenance of the farmer’s economies, the consumers’ health and the general public’s environment.

7. Organic Agriculture: The Future View Goals and Objectives The National Organic Agriculture Program aims to promote, propagate, further develop and implement the practice of organic agriculture in the Philippines towards a competitive and sustainable organic industry that contributes to:  Better farm incomes and sustainable livelihood; Improved health; Environmental protection; Disaster risk reduction and resilience to climate change; Social justice.

8. Organic Agriculture: The Future View Key Performance Measures ( Section 5.3 ) Increased total area of production for organic agriculture; Increased volume/share of OA production to total agricultural output; Expanded market size or market reach; Increased number of certified farms and processors; Increased number of organic agriculture adopters.

9. Soil is the part  of the  earth’s surface  comprised of disintegrated rock and humus that provides the medium for plant growth. The  development of soil  takes time, between hundreds and thousands of years, and consists of diverse materials which are both inorganic and organic. The inorganic materials are the non-living aspects of the soil such as minerals and rocks while the organic materials are the living aspects of the soil such as the soil micro-organisms. S O I L

10. The process of soil formation  is through the  rock cycle  together with the integration of soil microbial and chemical activities originating from living organisms. For instance, during the decomposition of dead plants and animals, nutrients are mixed up with the weathered and disintegrated rocks to form soil. Soil is considered as a  natural resource because of its agricultural productivity benefits. Various soils have different mineral and organic compositions that establish their specific characteristics.

11. S O I L an upper thin layer of the earth in varying proportions and having developed horizontal layers composed of mixture of fragments of rocks, organic matter, water & air produced through the action of climate and living organisms

12. SOIL PROFILE Organic original forms still recognizable Admixture of organic matter/humus, minerals (top soil) Contains substances leached from A horizon, less fertile, low in o.m., less growth of microorganisms Zone of minimum change; the layer where A & B horizons are derived (parent material)

13. Kind and type of soil developed depends on the kind of parent material Red soil Yellow soil White soil Black soil

14. Loamy soil Loamy soil is one of the riches soil types because of its composition. Loamy soil is composed of a mixture of clay, sand, silt, and decaying organic materials (humus). The soil has a pH level of 6 with high calcium content and the potential of retaining water and nutrients for relatively longer periods. This is what makes it one of the riches soils for crop production. The distinguishable composition of loamy soil may vary, but it can be made perfect with the right balance of additives. For instance, compost manure is usually added to loamy soil to improve the desired qualities which may be lacking. Loamy soil is dark in color and has a dry, soft, and crumby feel on the hands. It has good nutrient and water holding capacity. It also drains well and has pore spaces which enable air to freely move in between the soil particles down to the plant roots. Essentially, this is the characteristic making loamy soil the most ideal for plant growth and for that reason, the most preferred soil by gardeners. Kind and type of soil developed depends on the kind of parent material

15. 2. Clay soil Clay is one of the many unique soil types due to its composition of a very fine-grains and plasticity when moist but hard when fired. The clay soil particles are tightly compressed together with no or very little air space. Because of this feature, clay persists as the heaviest and densest type of soil. Also, it is this characteristic that makes it to hold and retain large quantities of nutrients and water, and still making it very difficult for air and moisture to penetrate through it..

16. Silty Soil Silty soil is composed of clay, mud, or small rocks deposited by a lake or river. It is made up of much smaller particles compared to sandy soil and when moistened it forms a soapy slick. For this reason, silty soil is extremely smooth and since it retains a lot of water, it is fairly fertile.

17. Peaty soil Peaty soil is under normal circumstances dark brown but it can as well be black in color. Peaty soil has large quantities of organic material and is rich is water, which makes it one of the best soil types for plant growth. However, the soil needs to be drained first due to its high nutrient and water content. Because of its characteristic of high nutrient and water content, peaty soil is able to keep plants healthy even in dry weather and shields the plants from harm during rainy periods. The water content in peaty soil is to a small degree acidic but is ideal for controlling plant diseases and can be utilized to balance the pH level of other soil types.

18. Sandy soil Sandy soils are pale yellowish to yellowish brown in color and are one of the poorest types of soil. Sandy soil is composed of loose coral or rock grain materials and has a dry and gritty touch. Sandy soil is also grouped as one of the soils composed of the largest particles which prevent it from retaining water. As such, sandy soils loose water content very fast which makes it very difficult for plant roots to establish. Thus, plants do not get the opportunity of using the nutrients and water in sandy soil more efficiently as they are speedily carried away by runoff.  This is what makes sandy soil the poorest for supporting any kind of plant growth.

19. Chalky soil These are the types of soils found in limestone beds with deeply rooted chalk deposits. Chalky soils are extremely dry and are known to impede the germination of plants. They are composed of or containing or resembling calcium carbonate or calcite and characteristically have the color of chalk. Accordingly, chalky soil is entirely imperfect for crop farming or plant growth as it presents a lot of difficulties to work with. It has high lime content but low water content, which gives it a pH level of 7.5. This means the chalky soil is basic and it normally leads to yellow and stunted plants.

20. Fertile Soil

21. Minerals though there are 100 elements found in nature, only 8 principal chemical elements are present in the mineral matter Oxide Silicate Aluminum Iron Magnesium Calcium Sodium Potassium

22. ORGANIC MATTER (OM) “One Who Calls the Shots” serves as reservoir of the different elements needed by plant improves the water-holding capacity of the soil

23. has a buffering capacity in the regulation of soil pH natural home of the different microorganisms, fungi, bacteria, algae, actinomycetes , etc

24. contains “humus”(the final and stable product of decomposition) influence on soil physical properties high cat-ion adsorption capacity

25. A depleted soil which lacks Organic Matter

26. Three (3) Basic Properties of Soil Physical Property soil texture soil structure soil color soil temperature

27. Chemical Property a) Soil pH - a numerical system to express the acidity of the soils - one of the most if not the most important fertility factor of the soil

28. Why is pH important? the chemical reactions & microbial activities in the soils are largely controlled by soil reaction availability of essential plant nutrients & existence of toxic elements in soil depend so much on pH

29. Classification of Soils as to level of pH pH 7 neutral soils (neither acidic nor alkaline) lower than pH7 more acidic soils above pH 7 more alkaline soils

30. the ideal soil pH for most crops is 6.0 – 7.0 most favorable to availability of nutrients enhances microbial activities in the soil, nitrogen fixation, faster decomposition,etc )

31. b) Cat-ion Exchange Capacity (CEC) total cat-ions adsorbed in the soil affected by the level of soil pH amount of organic matter type and amount of clay

32. c) % Base Saturation - Percentage of CEC saturated by bases ( Ca , Mg, K, Na, Al) Application/Importance of Base Saturation assessment of lime requirement in acid soils soil classification

33. BIOLOGICAL PROPERTY Diverse population of Macro & Microorganisms which facilitate various Biological and Chemical processes in the soil

34. IMPORTANCE OF SOIL MICROORGANISMS maintain soil fertility clean up all dead organic materials fix gaseous Nitrogen into forms that can be used by plants to mainly- fertility of soil can be used to extract minerals

35. are the prime food for all marine & fresh water life effectively degrade “xenobiotic” compounds (herbicides & pesticides) example: desulfomonile – a sulfate-reducing bacterium which degrades chlorinated pesticides (frequent chemical pollutants in ground water)

36. “Without Microbes, Life on Earth could not Exist”

37. 1 cm of top soil is developed in 10’s of thousands of years It takes time to rehabilitate or rebuild a depleted soil

38. Since “SOIL” is the “Power House in Agriculture” It is subjected to various forces/ elements in the environment which affect its condition and life/ life cycles

39. Two (2) most Important Life Cycles Nitrogen Cycle Carbon Cycle Currently Affects Climate & Agriculture

40. NITROGEN CYCLE

41. CARBON CYCLE

42. Issues that should be Addressed??? Pollution and Destruction of Chemical Farming Depletion of Soil Resource

43. Climate Change /Environmental Degradation Flooding Erratic weather condition

44. ? 2020

45. What do you think is the urgent action that we should do to save our Soil and Environment ?

46. “ Today is the gift of GOD to you. Whatever you do is your gift to GOD everyday ”

47. Thank You Very Much!