SOS 511 - Maintaining Soil Fertility - BJ-1

Maintenance and loss of Soil Fertility Under
Intensive and Extensive Agriculture

What is Soil Fertility?
 Soil fertility is the ability of the soil to supply nutrients

(in adequate and in proper balance) for the growth of
plants, when other important growth factors are
favourable.
 Soil fertility refers to the ability of a soil to sustain

agricultural plant growth, i.e. to provide plant habitat and
result in sustained and consistent yields of high
quality. ... The ability to supply essential plant nutrients
and soil water in adequate amounts and proportions for
plant growth and reproduction.
Extensive Agriculture
 Extensive farming or extensive agriculture is an
agricultural production system that uses small inputs of
labor, fertilizers, and capital, relative to the land area being
farmed
 System of crop cultivation using small amounts of labour

and capital in relation to area of land being farmed.
 The crop yield in extensive agriculture depends primarily

on the natural fertility of the soil, terrain, climate, and the
availability of water.
Extensive Agriculture
 Because extensive agriculture produces a lower yield
per unit of land, its use commercially requires large
quantities of land in order to be profitable.
 This demand for land means that extensive agriculture

must be carried on where land values are low in relation
to labour and capital.
 Extensive agriculture is practiced where population

densities are low and thus usually at some distance
from primary markets.
Intensive Agriculture
 Intensive farming or intensive agriculture is an
agricultural production system characterized by a low
fallow ratio and the high use of inputs such as capital,
labour, or heavy use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers
relative to land area.
 Intensive farming or intensive agriculture is a kind

of agriculture which involves using a lot of capital and
labour to increase yield.
 The use of pesticides for crops and medication for animal
stocks is common.
Difference between Extensive
and Intensive Agriculture
 Extensive Agriculture involves using more
land with lower yield to produce the same
amount of food.
 Intensive Agriculture involves using less area

of land, but have a large amount of fertilizers
and machinery, as well as it requires large labor
and capital inputs for farming.
Advantages of Intensive Agriculture
 It helps the farmer to easily supervise and monitor the land and
protect his livestock from being hurt or hounded by dangerous wild
animals.
 Farm produce, such as vegetables, fruits, and poultry products
becomes less expensive. It also aids in solving the worldwide hunger
problems to a great extent.
 Large productivity of food is possible with less amount of land.
 High crop yield
 Farmers can easily monitor the land and protect livestock
 Ability to meet the ever-increasing demand for food supplies

Advantages of Extensive Farming
 Less labour per unit areas is required to farm large
areas, especially since expensive alterations to land (like
terracing) are completely absent.
 Greater efficiency of labour means generally lower

product prices.
 Animal welfare is generally improved because animals

are not kept in stifling conditions.
Advantages of Extensive Farming
 Lower requirements of inputs such as fertilizers.
 Local environment and soil are not damaged by overuse

of chemicals.
 The use of machinery and scientific methods of farming

produce a large quantity of crops.
Disadvantages of Extensive Farming
 Yields tend to be much lower than with intensive
farming in the short term.
 Because extensive agriculture produces a lower yield

per unit of land, its use commercially requires large
quantities of land in order to be profitable.
 Large land requirements limit the habitat of wild species

(in some cases, even very low stocking rates can be
dangerous), as is the case with intensive farming.
Disadvantages of Intensive Farming
 Chemical pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers are
used during intensive farming.
 Livestock are living in cramped and dirty conditions

leading to infections and diseases.
 The environment is altered – forests destroyed and soil

erosion affects the natural habitat of wild animals.
 Pesticides and insecticides also kill the beneficial

insects.
Disadvantages of Intensive Farming
 Fruits and vegetables from intensive farming are covered
with pesticides.
 Cancer rates are increasing and research shows direct

relation to intensive farming.
 Livestock and poultry are given growth hormones, this

then passes to humans who consume the meat and
poultry products.
Maintenance of Soil Fertility
 To increase the soil fertility, it is
necessary to check the loss of nutrient
and to increase the nutrient content of
soil.
 The following things must be properly

followed for increasing the fertility of soil:
 Proper use of land
 Good yield of crop is not possible if we cultivate any crop in any land. So it is
necessary to select the crop which is suitable for a particular land. The crop
should be cultivated on the basis of the nature soil e.g. cultivation of paddy is
best suited in low land clay soil.
 Good tillage
 Weeds and stubbles of previous crops ploughed under by tillage are turned
into organic matter. As a result, the physical, chemical and biological change
of soil takes place which is necessary for the maintenance of soil fertility.
 Crop rotation
 If we cultivate the particular crop year after year in the same field, the
particular nutrients of soil become exhausted and the fertility of soil is
decreased. For this, different crops should be cultivated in a year.
 Control of weeds
 Weeds compete with crop plants for water, space, light and mineral
matter. to maintain and improve the soil fertility, it is necessary to control
the weeds.
 Maintenance of optimum moisture in soil

 Optimum moisture in the soil is essential for the proper growth of crops.
Excessive water in the soil causes the losses of nutrient b leaching and
as a result, the fertility of the soil decreases.
 Control of soil erosion

 Some of the nutrient especially nitrogen, remains on the upper layer of
the soil and if it is removed by any means, the fertility of the soil
decreases.
 Cultivation of green manuring crops
 Addition of green manuring crops increases the organic matter and
nitrogen content of soil. As a result, the fertility of soil is increased.
 Application of manures
 Application of manures i.e. plant origin (oil cakes, compost, farm yard
manure etc.) and animal origin (i.e. cow dung, urine, bone meal etc.)
increases the organic matter in the soil and thereby the fertility of soil is
increased.
 Cultivation of cover crops

 Cover crops such as cowpea, sweet potato (Ipomea batatus) etc. make a
cover of the surface of the soil which reduces the soil erosion and
leaching loss of nutrients from the soil. As a result, the fertility of soil is
conserved.
 Removal of excess water
 Removal of excess water from the soil is very much essential.
Otherwise, nutrients are lost by the process of leaching.
 Application of fertilizers
 Manure contains fewer amounts of nutrients. So we should apply
fertilizer to meet the requirement of plant. Applications of fertilizer
do not increase the fertility of soil. But it is possible to meet the
demand of plant through the fertilizer application.
 Maintenance of proper acidity alkalinity of soil

 Acid and alkali soils are not suitable for the cultivation of all crops.
Lime is applied for reclamation of acid soil and gypsum is applied
for the reclamation of alkali soil.
Causes of decline in soil fertility
1. Loss of top soil by erosion
2. Nutrient mining
3. Physical degradation of soil (poor structure,
compaction, crusting and waterlogging etc.
4. Decrease in organic matter content and soil
bioactivity
5. Loss of nutrients through various routes
6. Soil acidification, salinization and alkalization
7. Inefficient soil management
8. Soil pollution
End of Lecture
Thank You!!

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Maintenance and loss of Soil Fertility Under

Intensive and Extensive Agriculture

 Soil fertility is the ability of the soil to supply nutrients

 Soil fertility refers to the ability of a soil to sustain

 System of crop cultivation using small amounts of labour

 The crop yield in extensive agriculture depends primarily

 This demand for land means that extensive agriculture

 Extensive agriculture is practiced where population

 Intensive farming or intensive agriculture is a kind

 Intensive Agriculture involves using less area

 High crop yield

 Farmers can easily monitor the land and protect livestock

 Ability to meet the ever-increasing demand for food supplies

 Greater efficiency of labour means generally lower

 Animal welfare is generally improved because animals

 Local environment and soil are not damaged by overuse

 The use of machinery and scientific methods of farming

 Because extensive agriculture produces a lower yield

 Large land requirements limit the habitat of wild species

 Livestock are living in cramped and dirty conditions

 The environment is altered – forests destroyed and soil

 Pesticides and insecticides also kill the beneficial

 Cancer rates are increasing and research shows direct

 Livestock and poultry are given growth hormones, this

 The following things must be properly

 Maintenance of optimum moisture in soil

 Control of soil erosion

 Cultivation of cover crops

 Maintenance of proper acidity alkalinity of soil

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