Manure is defined as the organic matter obtained from the wastes like animal excreta, plant waste etc which is added to soil to increase its fertility. Manure contains large quantities of organic matter and small quantities of inorganic nutrients. Manure is prepared by the decomposition of animal excreta and plant waste.
Advantages of manure:
They supply nutrients to the soil. Since the manures contain nutrients in small quantities they have to be used in bulk.
Manure contains a lot of organic matter, so it increases the water holding capacity in sandy soils and drainage in clayey soils.
Organic manures provide food for soil organisms like earthworms which are responsible for improving soil quality.
The bulk of organic matter in manure helps in improving the soil structure.
It is a method of recycling of farm waste.
Prevents soil erosion.
Disadvantages of manure:
Manures contain less inorganic nutrients; hence they have to be used in bulk.
They are bulky so inconvenient to handle, store and transport.
Production occurs at slow rate, hence difficult to maintain a balance between demand and supply.
Do not fulfill the requirement for specific nutrient.
Types of manures:
Farmyard manure (FYM)
Compost
Vermi-compost
Green Manure
Farmyard manure (FYM):
This is the decomposed mixture of excreta (dung) and urine of farm animals like cow, horse, goat and sheep along with leftover hay and fodder.
The waste is collected daily and stored in pits of about 1meter depth and allowed to decompose by the action of micro organisms.
The manure is prepared in about 4-5 months and rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Farmyard Compost
Compost:
Compost is prepared by the decomposition of farm wastes such as farm weeds, straw, sugarcane refuse, rotting vegetables, kitchen wastes, crop stubble, ground nut, rice husk, kitchen waste, livestock excreta etc. decomposition is done by the use action of aerobic and anaerobic microbes and is known as composting.
Compost Pit
Compost
Vermicompost:
The process of producing vermicompost is called vermicomposting.
Vermicompost is prepared by using various species of worms, usually red wigglers, white worms and earthworms to create a heterogeneous mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials and Vermicast.
Vermicast, similarly known as worm castings, worm humus or worm manure, is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by a species of earthworm.
Vermicompost is rich in water soluble nutrients and serves as organic fertilizer and soil conditioner.
Vermicompost
Green manure:
Green manure is a type of cover crop grown primarily to add nutrients and organic matter to the soil.
Typically, a green manure crop is grown for a specific period, ploughed under and incorporated into the soil.
Green Manure
Green manures usually perform multiple functions that include soil improvement and soil protection:
Leguminous green manures such as clover and vetch contain nitrogen-fixing symbiotic bacteria in root nodules that fix atmospheric nitrogen in a form that plants can use.
Green manures increase the percentage of organic matter (biomass) in the soil, thereby improving water retention, aeration, and other soil characteristics.
The root systems of some varieties of green manure grow deep in the soil and bring up nutrient resources unavailable to shallower-rooted crops.
Common cover crop functions of weed suppression and prevention of soil erosion and compaction are often also taken into account when selecting and using green manures.
Some green manure crops, when allowed to flower, provide forage for pollinating insects.
