Soil fertility

Earthworms are one of the most important organisms in soil that play an important role in maintaining natural soil processes. Excessive amounts of slurry, which contains a high proportion of nitrogen in the form of ammonia, such as ammonium sulfate and some manures, can reduce the number of earthworms in the soil. Harmful effects on earthworms can be reduced by avoiding the application of slurry on wet and poorly permeable soil.

Inadequate microbiological conditions of soil can be enhanced with microbial inoculants. Reducing the use of chemical fertilizers by using commercial microbial soil inoculants. Some beneficial microbes have positive effect in plant nutrition and on soil structure. For example: a, Microbes capable of biological nitrogen fixation b, microbes able to dissolve and mobilize phosphorous c, microbes able to break down organic matter.

Tilling and sowing across the slope is a farming technique in which a farmer tills and sows crops across a sloped area. This technique involves digging furrows or trenches across the slope, planting seeds or seedlings in the furrows. This technique helps to prevent soil erosion and stabilizes the soil.

Mulch tillage is tillage system in which residue is partially incorporated using chisels, sweeps, field cultivators, providing fine tilth and soil cutting, with 30% of plant residues on surface.

Introducing intercrops for green manure into the crop rotation to preserve soil organic matter, prevent soil erosion and reduce nitrate leaching.

Crop residues are the stalks, leaves, chaff and husks that remain on the fields after the grain, seeds or fibers have been harvested. Harvest residues should not be burned, but should be incorporated into the soil, as this increases the content of organic matter and the biological activity of the soil.

This describes a system of providing the necessary nutrients to field crops in order to achieve optimum health and growth. This could involve organic fertilizers, soil amendments, or other soil enrichment products. The goal is to maintain a balanced nutrient supply to the crops that is enough to optimize their health and production.

Soil cover conserves moisture, reduces temperature, intercepts raindrops (to reduce their destructive impact), suppresses weed growth, and provides habitat for members of the soil food web that spend at least some of their time above ground. This is true regardless of land use (cropland, hayland, pasture, or range). Keeping the soil covered while allowing crop residues to decompose (so their nutrients can be cycled back into the soil) can be a bit of a balancing act.

A cover crop is defined as a close-growing crop that provides soil protection, seeding protection, and soil improvement between periods of normal crop production. 

Green manure is a type of crop that is grown to improve the fertility of soil. It is usually a type of legume, such as alfalfa, clover, or vetch, which is planted, allowed to grow, and then plowed back into the soil, adding organic matter and nutrients. Green manure helps to improve soil structure, suppress weeds, reduce erosion, and improve water retention. Legumes are a type of plant that are able to take nitrogen from the atmosphere and fix it in the soil.