The Earthworm in land and it relationship agroecological

The earthworm is one of the most abundant and  important of the soil macrorganisms. Its activity can alter the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil, also contribute to increasing the fertility of it. It also represents an excellent alternative to decompose and transform large amounts of organic waste in bio-humus quality, recognized for its physical and biochemical characteristics.

The benefits of earthworms can be summarized as:

In the land dug holes that to turn over the soil and avoiding compaction, improve aeration, root growth, water permeability and water retention and others.

Provide substantial amounts of organic matter.

Contribute to accelerate the decomposition of organic waste materials of plants and animals origin. Estimated that the amount of droppings are between 50 to 2600 tons per hectare per year, in tropic lands.

Assist in the provision of calcium to the soil, a product of the efficient action of the glands located in the calciferous worm.

They play an important role in recycling, with subsequent release of elements that contribute to soil fertility, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and micro-elements such as boron, zinc, manganese in others; as well as plant hormones, vitamins, acids humic, fulvic acids, among others.

Bring the action of microorganisms processors of organic matter.

Environmentally play a key role as to reduce environmental pollution by decomposing organic waste.

It is possible to play in order to produce specialized humus, known commonly as lombrihumus or vermicompost.

You can also allocate for use as bait in fishing.

In animal nutrition may be an important source of protein of high biological value.

By: Danilo Hernandez, Professor-Research, Organic Farm Jesus Costa Rica.

jdhernan27@yahoo.es

Humus of Earthworm

The humus of Earthworm (vermicompost), refers to the excreta of Earthworm.The process by which it produces vermicompost, involves a first phase that is performed by microorganisms responsible for mineralization of organic compounds (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, etc..), Which are actively processed, released large amounts of energy (thermophilic stage)

Past this stage involved the worms, which are ordered through the digestive process, to modify the physical and chemical characteristics of the material by grinding and digestion.Furthermore, in the process altering the populations of microorganisms in thesubstrate.

The efficiency with which organic matter is mineralized depends on the quality of biodegradable material, maintaining aerobic conditions and absence of toxic compounds.

The process of mineralization of organic matter who suffers from digestive process of product worms makes the content of nutrients such as nitrogen, soluble phosphorus and potassium, are more readily available to plants.

According to value and breakdown of waste supplied to the worms, and the quality of the vermicompost obtained, therefore, the nutrient content in the worm is highly variable.

By Danilo Hernández, Professor-Research Organic farm jesus, Costa Rica

Jdhernan27@yahoo.es

Content of nutrients available in different vermicompost

The values of the chemical elements normally discussed, but the most interesting is the range of organic compounds, their availability to plants and their resistance to setting and washing.

But more important are the microorganisms in the humus of the Earthworm, showing a bacterial count of beneficial aerobic bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi for up to two billion colonies per gram, making it the best life for the inoculum of soil.

In addition to the nutrient content must be understood that the humus of the Earthworm also adds organic substances to plant growth and yield, as humid acids, fulvic, auxins, gibberellins, hormones, amino acids and vitamins.

The influence of humus on fertility is due to different causes, including direct, as a source of elements for plants, humus acts as a store that fixes the elements when these minerals are abundant, and prevents or hinders lixiviation then assigned to the plant gradually.

By Danilo Hernández, Professor-Research Organic farm jesus, Costa Rica

Jdhernan27@yahoo.es

In summary the advantages of humus are:

. Immunological action increases the plant resistance to pathogens.

. Promotes beneficial microbial action in soil.

. Protects the soil from leaching of nutrients under conditions of high precipitation.

. Promotes a series of biologically active metabolism through the contribution of phytohormones, enzymes that promote germination, development and production of plants.

.Favorable root development.

. The lombrihumus improves the physical properties in sandy soils, providing a greater aggregation of particles. As well as increasing the moisture holding capacity. In very compacted soils improves the porosity and aeration of soils.

. Humus has no burning effect as chemical fertilizers, because to pass the stage of fermentation of organic matter, this does not cause burns or damage to foliage or roots.

. This helps correct the pH of soils by their very nature as a substrate to be neutral or slightly basic.

. The high regenerative capacity of the soil humus enables to improve the natural fertility of the soil and reduce the applications over time.

• Contains fulvic and humic acids by its colloidal structure promotes plant nutrition of plants.

.Produce high regenerative capacity of the soil humus allows improving the natural fertility of the soil and reducing the applications over time.

- The lombrihumus (vermicompost) is a nutritional source of energy and soil microorganisms. Microorganismos are the foundation of life on the ground, and their presence will depend on many processes that occur. Humus provides a nutritional source for those who continue to fulfill its role in the soil and benefit the crops.

- Regulator of plant nutrition, supplying macro and micro nutrients. It provides all the nutritional requirement that the plant needs for its normal development, the presence of other elements in the soil, promotes and regulates plant nutrition.

 

- Encourage the formation of stable aggregates, jointly between the clay and humus that gives rise to a defined structure, which means that it contains mucilaginous substances, secreted by the microorganism population, which are absorbed on the surfaces of clay minerals This allows the aggregation and cohesion of soil particles.

A sandy soil will compact to avoid that the water will leach the water with ease, and in the case of a clay soil, this will open to allow passage of water more quickly.

- To optimize the action of fertilizers to improve the efficiency of recovery and residual them.

This makes it feasible to significantly reduce the use of fertilizers on crops, therefore the use of plants improved considerably. The ability to store nutrients because of their high cation exchange capacitaty, which favors its retention, delivered to the plant in dose form.

- Encourage the development of normal food chains. The high number of microorganisms to help stabilize the balance in the soil, and organisms that predominate. Nematodes have such competition in its food requirements and therefore reduce their stocks or shift to survive.

- It reduces the water needs of crops.  Due to the high water retention that can reduce the spacing between irrigations.

- Reduce the risk of chemical contamination of crops in soils with certain levels of contaminants

- It is possible to use with substrates Seedling. 

 By Danilo Hernández, Professor-Research Organic farm jesus, Costa RicaJdhernan27@yahoo.es

Liquid Humus

This has been using it in different crops, where good excellent for effects of foliar fertilizer, induced resistance to diseases and insect repellent.

By Danilo Hernández, Professor-Research Organic farm jesus, Costa RicaJdhernan27@yahoo.es

ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

There are a wide variety of products that can be used as organic fertilizer. According to their sources are natural and manufactured.

When speaking of compost produced referred the different types of compost that may occur, including those that is reinforced in an effort to improve their quality.

Compost

The compost is an aerobic decomposition of the organic substrates in the presence of oxygen. The main products of bio

logical metabolism are

CO2, water, ions, minerals, organic matter stabilized (humus) and heat.

Benefits Composting

Composting has the advantages of transforming th

e heterogeneous organic material to a material more homogeneous and stable, reducing the

volume and mass of primary materials.

The final product is free of odor, it is

easy to use and can be stored for long periods of time. Composting destroys pathogenic organisms from humans and plants, seeds of weeds, insects and insect eggs and is used as a valuable “conditi

oner” in the soil.

Compost is an excellent soil improver in

its physical, chemical and biological characteristics.

Factors for a good process

The principal factors to get good results are: ox

ygen, temperature, Humidity, Carbon / nitrogen (C / N), Degree of acidity (pH Particle size, stabilize step and storage.

Material to be used for the compost

The ingredients for the compost will be available organic materials that are generated after any activity or culture.

You can use in agriculture: crop and garden residues, parts or pruning, manure, the litter of coffee, waste of bananas, pineapples, such as co

rn stubble or beans, sugar cane biogases, and others.

And DO NOT USE THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL: products with chemical residues Weeds with ripe seeds motor oil. feces of dogs or cats. Toxic materials such as gasoline, diesel, turpentine, can fin and motor oil.

The use of the compost depends of the composition of the ma

terials from which it is made. Each type of compost will have a specific value of fertilization, which can be taken into account in the calculations of fertilization.

Another very viable alternative when you have the knowledge and experience, as well as the physical and technical conditions necessary to transform organic waste and good quality of product is with earthworms, which allow for excellent.

Danilo Hernandez. Professor and researcher, Costa Rica

More information: jdhernan27@yahoo.es

Biodiversity

There are more preference in organic farming by population and richness; there is an average of 30% more on organic farms versus traditional farming methods.
Species of birds, butterflies, soil microbes, beetles, earthworms, spiders, vegetation, and mammals are particularly reduced.

Organic crops use little or no herbicides and pesticides and thus to keep fit biodiversity and population density benefits, many weed species attract beneficial insects, that improve soil qualities and forage on weed pests.

Soil tie organisms often benefit because of increased bacteria populations due to natural fertilizer, while experiencing diminish intake of herbicides and pesticides, usually associated with conventional farming methods increased biodiversity, especially from soil microbes such as mycorhizzae.

Biological research and soil organisms have finned beneficial to the system of organic farming. Varieties of bacteria and fungi break down chemicals, plant matter and animal waste, in productive soil nutrients.

Turning the soil produce benefits by healthier yields and more arable soil for future crops.

CONSULT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hernández, D.1992. Conservation de suelos y aguas. Bol.Tec. Proyecto de agricultura sostenible Programa recuperación Cuenca Rio Segundo. Universidad Nacional.

Hernández, D. 2002. Agicultura ecologicamente apropiada. Bol.Téc. UNA. Heredia Costa Rica.

Hilje,L 1992. Manejo integrado una opción viable para enfrentar el problema de plagas. Primer simposio sobre plaguicidas.San Jose Costa Rica.

Maeder, P. et al (2002). Soil Fertility and Biodiversity in Organic Farming. Science v296, , 1694-1697. Accessed April 2, 2008.

http:// .wikipedia.org/wiki/ 25 nov.2208.

Wessling,C.1992. El uso de plaguicidas en Costa Rica Programa plaguicida , salud y ambienteSimposio Nacional de Plaguicidas. San Jose Costa Rica.

How to do for having an organic farm?

How to do for having an organic farm?

1. The first step to have an organic farm is protect and improve de management of the soil with a good practice who avoid the leaching of the nutrients, and increase the microbiology of the soil with emends of organic matter and good quality of organic fertilizers.

2. Planning and select the each area of the farm for the best option over the capacity productive of the soil; for example classification each part for annual crops, permanent crops, grass , permanents fruits, trees for wood, forest for protection and others.

3. Mix of crops: put different kinds of plants in the same area, to improve the growing of them, where they don’t compete for light, water and nutrients, also to avoid the exposition of the soil to the erosion. For example in tropical areas is possible cultivate beans with corn, tomato with green, beans and cucumber with lettuce.

4.Crops rotation after the each harvests necessary to select the best crops for cultivate in the same are, for maintain the fertility, avoiding problems with pest, and to be useful the rest of nutrients of the crops. For example after corn you could be plantain beans or after tomato cucumber.

5. Plants for cover. In areas where isn’t possible to plantain annual crops is necessary cultivate plants who protect the soil against erosion, because the plants cover all the ground and their roots, and the rest of the leafs falling and give organic matter and improve the fertility.

For example in Costa Rica is possible to plantain special legumes with this objective; Mucuna spp, Arachis spp

6. Green plants. Is a good practice plantain special family of plants who give many nutrients to the soil, for example Gliricidia septum, Erytrina spp, Cajanus indicus, Mucuna spp and others. These plants are had been planted in the tropics with excellent results.

7. Organic fertilizers. The objective of use of organic fertilizers with good quality is improve de nutrition of the soil, also the characteristics biologics, fertility, physicals characteristic structure, texture, porosity, permeability, also improve the micro and microbiological organism in the soil. Is very important checking the quality for the organic fertilizers, because this depends of the methodology of production, ingredients, humid, oxygenation and balance of carbon and nitrogen? In the markets you can buy organic fertilizers with compost, casting, and “bocashi”, special recipe of oriental peoples.

8. Conservation and protection of lands. There are many practices for protect and conserve the lands, against erosion. For example plantation in contour, bands of plants, channels of deviation, drains, terraces, vegetative barriers, curtains for wind. Also installing good irrigation systems for avoid affect de soil and plants.

9. Integrate management of pest. The integrate management of pest include the selection and application of practices for combat of plagues of the crops consider social, economic and ecology factors.

About the possibilities of practices for an integrate management of pest are:

Biologic combat: is the use of special natural enemies for each class of plague (depredator, parasite, and pathogens).

Genetic combat: is the use the best varieties of plants in resistance and tolerance to different kinds of plagues.

Cultural practices: tillage and preparation of land for cultivating. Select the best date for seeding, combat of weds, rotation of crops, resting land, destroy rest of crops, use of mulching, mix of crops, transplant of plants, management of fertility, irrigation systems and management of water, use of post tutors, pruning, biocides plants Organic pest control involves the cumulative effect of many techniques, including, allowing for an acceptable level of pest damage, encouraging or even introducing beneficial organisms, careful crop selection, and mechanical controls such as row covers and traps.

These techniques generally provide benefits in addition to plagues control—soil protection and improvement, fertilization, pollination, water conservation, season extension, and these benefits are both complementary and cumulative in overall effect on farm condition.

This control requires a thorough understanding of pest life cycles and interactions.

By Danilo Hernandez G, ex- Professor National University of Costa Rica

Organic Agriculture #2

Organic Agriculture #2

Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people.

To aid on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of to charge with adverse effects.

Organic agriculture mix tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.

An organic farm, is not one that uses some methods and products and avoids others; it is a farm whose components is formed in imitation of the structure of a natural system that has the quality, the independence and the useful dependence of an organism.

Some governments to support organic farming, because these countries believe in the external benefits of use the right quantity of water, to diminish water contamination by pesticides and nutrients, reduced soil erosion, there are less carbon emissions, to help to biodiversity, and others.

In the Organic help to climate change because with to reinforce on closed nutrient cycles, biodiversity, and appropriate soil management, has the capacity to diminish even reverse the effects of this problem.

1. D. Hernandez (2008). Professor Organic agriculture Costa Rica

Organic Agriculture

Is a production system that tries to at the same time use to the maximum the resources of the property, giving him emphasis to the microbiology and fertility of the ground and, to diminish the use of the non-renewable resources and not to use synthetic fertilizers of chemical origin and pesticides to protect environment and the human health.

Organic agriculture involves not only not to use chemicals products also means a commitment of the producer not only with the protection of environment but with the protection of the health of its family and the society in general.

Between the conditions that must be considered they are: the vegetal selection of seeds and materials; the method of improvement of the plants; the maintenance of the fertility of the used ground and the recycling of organic matters; the method of farming and the conservation and the maintenance of the water; and the control of plagues and weeds

By Danilo Hernandez G, ex- Professor National University of Costa Rica