The role of organic matter and humic matter

The role of soil organic matter

Soil organic matter is the basis of soil fertility. It can be said that there is no soil fertility without soil organic matter. Its main functions are manifested in seven aspects:

1. The main source of soil nutrients;

2. Improve soil structure, humus in organic matter can promote the good formation of soil aggregate structure;

3. Increase porosity, improve soil water and fertilizer retention capacity and buffer performance;

4. It is the main source of nutrients and energy for soil microbial life activities;

5. Promote the absorption of other nutrients by plants;

6. Activation of nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium;

7. The vitamins and some hormones in organic matter can promote the growth and development of plants.

The classification of organic matter

Organic matter is a broad concept with subdivided branches:

1. Original state: fresh organic matter, including protein, fat, starch, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, etc.

2. Semi-transformed state: semi-decomposed organic matter, that is, a state that is different from the basic structure of the original state.

3. Humic state, that is, a substance with soil activity generated by the transformation of microorganisms and by physical and chemical action.

The effect of organic matter

It is humus that directly acts on plants, and the original and semi-transformed organic matter must be converted into humus before they can be used. This transformation needs to be decomposed by microorganisms and consumes a large amount of carbon fertilizer nutrients.

Fourth, the difference between organic matter and humic matter

Organic matter is the organic matter in the soil that comes from the excreta or corpses of living organisms.

Humus is the main component of soil organic matter, generally accounting for 50-70% of the total organic matter. It is a mixture of organic compounds with similar composition, structure and properties, mainly carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus and other elements. .

Planting advantages

1. No soil-borne diseases and insect pests.

Substrate cultivation does not use soil for planting, which greatly avoids the occurrence of soil-borne diseases and insect pests, and reduces management costs and production costs. And the substrate can continue to be used after regular disinfection treatment.

2. The product quality is higher.

Due to the sophisticated management technology, the substrate cultivation products provide sufficient nutrients at all growth stages of the plants, and the taste and quality of the products are significantly higher than those of soil-cultivated crops. The price of the product is higher, and it is suitable for taking the mid-to-high-end route.

3. Simple operation and management.

General soilless cultivation needs to prepare nutrient solution, maintain the concentration and ratio of various nutrient elements and measure pH value and EC value during crop growth, which is technically difficult and difficult for ordinary growers to master. The organic substrate and organic ecological soilless culture substrate and organic fertilizer are complete in nutrients and rich in trace elements, which greatly simplifies the nutritional management process.

4. Simple equipment and less investment.

General soilless cultivation such as hydroponics requires steel frame greenhouses, planting facilities, nutrient solution, circulation system, planting board water pump, etc. The construction of these equipment requires a lot of investment. Organic cultivation only requires simple plastic greenhouses, planting troughs and organic substrates, and the cost is far less than that of ordinary soilless cultivation. The organic substrate used at the same time can be reused and can achieve the same effect as the new organic substrate.

5. Crop rotation and intercropping. Implementing the crop rotation and intercropping system to realize the combination of land use and cultivation can maintain and increase the organic matter content, improve the quality of soil organic matter, and activate the aged humus.

6. Plant green manure. Green manure can provide rich organic matter and nitrogen to the soil, improve the agricultural ecological environment and the physical and chemical properties of the soil.