Fertile land is preferred for agricultural businesses, because it is profitable. On the other hand, for land that is less fertile, efforts are made to fertilize the land so that the profits obtained increase.
Soil fertility is the ability of a soil to produce desired plant products, in the environment where the soil is located. These plant products can be: fruit, seeds, leaves, flowers, tubers, sap, exudates, roots, shoots, stems, biomass, shade or appearance.
Soil has different fertility depending on the soil-forming factors that dominate the location, namely: parent material, climate, relief, organisms or time. Soil is the main focus in discussing soil fertility, while plants are the main indicator of the quality of soil fertility.
The urgency of maintaining soil fertility
Indonesia's population continues to increase, so food needs continue to increase. On the other hand, the area of productive land remains relatively constant or even shrinks. Good land in Java is being converted into residential or industrial areas. Increasing production can be done through intensification to increase productivity or extensification to obtain new land. The main key to these two things is how to maintain or improve the fertility status of the soil.
The concept of sustainable development continues to be promoted so that agricultural activities remain profitable, safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly. It is necessary to prepare integrated fertilizer recommendations that are location specific, tailored to the commodities cultivated and the land on which the business is conducted. This aims to increase fertilization efficiency and reduce the impact of pollution on the environment.
Some reasons why you should fertilize:
Fertilizer application of nutrients known to be limiting factors will increase yields.
Cultivating high-yielding crops requires continuously fertile soil.
Nutrients absorbed by plants must be replaced.
Using the right fertilizer will increase economic profits.
The relationship between soil fertility and environmental conditions can be described as follows. Nutrients can move towards surface water bodies or ground water. This is because the landscape is interconnected, agricultural land is not separated from the surrounding environment. Poor nutrient management, for example excessive fertilization, careless manure management, will cause environmental costs.
Soil fertility components
The constituent components of the fertility quality of a soil are:
Describe how roots work: solum, erosion, conservation, root range.
Soil structure: water-air balance, ease of root penetration.
Soil reactions: solubility of elements, microbial dominance.
Sufficient and balanced nutrients: types, amounts and ratios.
Nutrient and moisture storage: COC, buffering capacity, moisture retention.
Humus: C-organic soil, chelation, energy for microbes.
Beneficial microbes: synergism, nutrient and material cycling.
Free of toxic materials: toxins, waste.
Evaluation of Soil Fertility
Assessment (evaluation) of soil fertility levels can be carried out on soil materials or plants that grow on the land.
