ORGANIC FARMING

Organic farming is an alternative agricultural system which originated

early in the 20th century in reaction to rapidly changing farming
practices. Organic farming continues to be developed by various organic
agriculture organizations today. It is defined by the use of fertilizers of
organic origin such as compost manure, green manure, and bone meal
and places emphasis on techniques such as crop rotation and companion
planting. Biological pest control, mixed cropping and the fostering of
insect predators are encouraged. In general, organic standards are
designed to allow the use of naturally occurring substances while
prohibiting or strictly limiting synthetic substances .Organic agricultural
methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by many
nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International
Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), an
international umbrella organization for organic farming organizations
established in 1972. Organic agriculture can be defined as:
An integrated farming
system that strives for sustainability , the enhancement of soil fertility
and biological diversity whilst , with rare exceptions , prohibiting
synthetic pesticides , antibiotics , synthetic fertilizers , genetically
modified organisms , and growth hormones.
 HISTORY OF ORGANIC FARMING

Agriculture was practiced for thousands of years without the use of

artificial chemicals. Artificial fertilizers were first created during the
mid-19th century. These early fertilizers were cheap, powerful, and easy
to transport in bulk. Similar advances occurred in chemical pesticides in
the 1940s, leading to the decade being referred to as the 'pesticide era'.
These new agricultural techniques, while beneficial in the short term,
had serious longer term side effects such as soil compaction, erosion,
and declines in overall soil fertility, along with health concerns about
toxic chemicals entering the food supply. In the late 1800s and early
1900s, soil biology scientists began to seek ways to remedy these side
effects while still maintaining higher production.
In 1921 the founder and pioneer of the organic movement Albert
Howard and his wife Gabrielle Howard, accomplished botanists,
founded an Institute of Plant Industry to improve traditional farming
methods in India. Among other things, they brought improved
implements and improved animal husbandry methods from their
scientific training; then by incorporating aspects of the local traditional
methods, developed protocols for the rotation of crops, erosion
prevention techniques, and the systematic use of composts and manures.
Stimulated by these experiences of traditional farming, when Albert
Howard returned to Britain in the early 1930s he began to promulgate a
system of organic agriculture.
In 1924 Rudolf Steiner gave a series of eight lectures on agriculture with
a focus on influences of the moon, planets, non-physical beings and
elemental forces .They were held in response to a request by adherent
farmers who noticed degraded soil conditions and a deterioration in the
health and quality of crops and livestock resulting from the use of
chemical fertilizers.
In 1940 Howard published his An Agricultural Testament. In this book
he adopted North Bourne’s terminology of "organic farming." Howard's
work spread widely, and he became known as the "father of organic
farming" for his work in applying scientific knowledge and principles to
various traditional and natural methods

Albert Howard “FATHER OF ORGANIC FARMING”

 METHODS OF ORGANIC FARMING

Organic farming methods combine scientific knowledge of ecology and

some modern technology with traditional farming practices based on
naturally occurring biological processes. Organic farming methods are
studied in the field of agro ecology. While conventional agriculture uses
synthetic pesticides and water-soluble synthetically purified fertilizers,
organic farmers are restricted by regulations to using natural pesticides
and fertilizers. An example of a natural pesticide is pyrethrin, which is
found naturally in the Chrysanthemum flower. The principal methods of
organic farming include crop rotation, green manures and compost,
biological pest control, and mechanical cultivation. These measures use
the natural environment to enhance agricultural productivity: legumes
are planted to fix nitrogen into the soil, natural insect predators are
encouraged, crops are rotated to confuse pests and renew soil, and
natural materials such as potassium bicarbonate and mulches are used to
control disease and weeds. Genetically modified seeds and animals are
excluded.

AGROECOLOGY :
Agro Ecology is the study of ecological
processes applied to agricultural production systems
CROP DIVERSITY :

Organic farming encourages Crop diversity. The science of agro ecology

has revealed the benefits of polyculture (multiple crops in the same
space), which is often employed in organic farming. Planting a variety of
vegetable crops supports a wider range of beneficial insects, soil
microorganisms, and other factors that add up to overall farm health.
Crop diversity helps environments thrive and protects species from
going extinct.

SOIL MANAGEMENT :

Organic farming relies heavily on the natural breakdown of organic

matter, using techniques like green manure and composting, to replace
nutrients taken from the soil by previous crops. This biological process,
driven by microorganisms such as mycorrhiza, allows the natural
production of nutrients in the soil throughout the growing season, and
has been referred to as feeding the soil to feed the plant. Organic
farming uses a variety of methods to improve soil fertility, including
crop rotation, cover cropping, reduced tillage, and application of
compost. By reducing tillage, soil is not inverted and exposed to air; less
carbon is lost to the atmosphere resulting in more soil organic carbon.
This has an added benefit of carbon sequestration, which can reduce
greenhouse gases and help reverse climate change.

Plants need a large number of nutrients in various quantities to flourish.

Supplying enough nitrogen and particularly synchronization so that
plants get enough nitrogen at the when plants need it most, is a challenge
for organic farmers. Crop rotation and green manure ("cover crops")
help to provide nitrogen through legumes (more precisely, the family
Fabaceae), which fix nitrogen from the atmosphere through symbiosis
with rhizobial bacteria. Intercropping, which is sometimes used for
insect and disease control, can also increase soil nutrients, but the
competition between the legume and the crop can be problematic and
wider spacing between crop rows is required. Crop residues can be
ploughed back into the soil, and different plants leave different amounts
of nitrogen, potentially aiding synchronization. Organic farmers also use
animal manure, certain processed fertilizers such as seed meal and
various mineral powders such as rock phosphate and green sand, a
naturally occurring form of potash that provides potassium. Together
these methods help to control erosion. In some cases pH may need to be
amended. Natural pH amendments include lime and sulfur, but in the
U.S. some compounds such as iron sulfate, aluminum sulfate,
magnesium sulfate, and soluble boron products are allowed in organic
farming.
Mixed farms with both livestock and crops can operate as ley farms,
whereby the land gathers fertility through growing nitrogen-fixing
forage grasses such as white clover or alfalfa and grows cash crops or
cereals when fertility is established. Farms without livestock
("stockless") may find it more difficult to maintain soil fertility, and may
rely more on external inputs such as imported manure as well as grain
legumes and green manures, although grain legumes may fix limited
nitrogen because they are harvested. Horticultural farms that grow fruits
and vegetables in protected conditions often rely even more on external
inputs.
Biological research into soil and soil organisms has proven beneficial to
organic farming. Varieties of bacteria and fungi break down chemicals,
plant matter and animal waste into productive soil nutrients. In turn, they
produce benefits of healthier yields and more productive soil for future
crops. Fields with less or no manure display significantly lower yields,
due to decreased soil microbe community. Increased manure improves
biological activity, providing a healthier, more arable soil system and
higher yields.
 Micorrhiza On Root Of plants

Rhizobial Attack On Root OF Plant

WEED MANAGEMENT :

Organic weed management promotes weed suppression, rather than

weed elimination, by enhancing crop competition and phytotoxic effects
on weeds. Organic farmers integrate cultural, biological, mechanical,
physical and chemical tactics to manage weeds without
synthetic herbicides.
Organic standards require rotation of annual crops,meaning that a single
crop cannot be grown in the same location without a different,
intervening crop. Organic crop rotations frequently include weed-
suppressive cover crops and crops with dissimilar life cycles to
discourage weeds associated with a particular crop. Research is ongoing
to develop organic methods to promote the growth of natural
microorganisms that suppress the growth or germination of common
weeds.
Other cultural practices used to enhance crop competitiveness and
reduce weed pressure include selection of competitive crop varieties,
high-density planting, tight row spacing, and late planting into warm soil
to encourage rapid crop germination.
Mechanical and physical weed control practices used on organic farms
can be broadly grouped as;

 Tillage - Turning the soil between crops to incorporate crop residues

and soil amendments; remove existing weed growth and prepare a
seedbed for planting; turning soil after seeding to kill weeds,
including cultivation of row crops;

 Mowing and cutting - Removing top growth of weeds;

 Flame weeding and thermal weeding - Using heat to kill weeds; and

 Mulching - Blocking weed emergence with organic materials, plastic

films, or landscape fabric. Some critics, citing work published in
1997 by David Pimentel of Cornell University, which described an
epidemic of soil erosion worldwide, have raised concerned that tillage
contribute to the erosion epidemic. The FAO and other organizations
have advocated a 'no-till' approach to both conventional and organic
farming, and point out in particular that crop rotation techniques used
in organic farming are excellent no-till approaches.

Some naturally sourced chemicals are allowed for herbicidal use. These
include certain formulations of acetic acid (concentrated vinegar), corn
gluten meal, and essential oils. A few selective bioherbicides based on
fungal pathogens have also been developed. At this time, however,
organic herbicides and bioherbicides play a minor role in the organic
weed control toolbox.
Weeds can be controlled by grazing. For example, geese have been used
successfully to weed a range of organic crops including cotton,
strawberries, tobacco, and corn, reviving the practice of keeping cotton
patch geese, common in the southern U.S. before the 1950s. Similarly,
some rice farmers introduce ducks and fish to wet paddy fields to eat
both weeds and insects.
Geese Do Feed Themselves On Weed
CONTROLLING OTHER ORGANISM :

Organisms aside from weeds that cause problems on organic farms

include arthropods (e.g., insects, mites), nematodes, fungi and bacteria.
Organic practices include, but are not limited to:

 encouraging predatory beneficial insects to control pests by serving

them nursery plants and/or an alternative habitat, usually in a form of
a shelterbelt, hedgerow, or beetle bank;

 encouraging beneficial microorganisms;

 rotating crops to different locations from year to year to interrupt pest

reproduction cycles;

 planting companion crops and pest-repelling plants that discourage or

divert pests;

 using row covers to protect crops during pest migration periods;

 using biologic pesticides and herbicides;

 using stale seed beds to germinate and destroy weeds before planting;

 using sanitation to remove pest habitat;

 using insect traps to monitor and control insect populations; and

 using physical barriers, such as row covers.

Examples of predatory beneficial insects include minute pirate

bugs, big-eyed bugs, and to a lesser extent ladybugs (which tend to fly
away), all of which eat a wide range of pests. Lacewings are also
effective, but tend to fly away. Praying mantis tend to move more slowly
and eat less heavily. Parasitoid wasps tend to be effective for their
selected prey, but like all small insects can be less effective outdoors
because the wind controls their movement. Predatory mites are effective
for controlling other mites.

Naturally derived insecticides allowed for use on organic farms use

include Bacillus thuringiensis (a bacterial toxin), pyrethrum (a
chrysanthemum extract), spinosad (a bacterial metabolite), neem (a tree
extract) and rotenone (a legume root extract). Fewer than 10% of
organic farmers use these pesticides regularly; one survey found that
only 5.3% of vegetable growers in California use rotenone while 1.7%
use pyrethrum. These pesticides are not always more safe or
environmentally friendly than synthetic pesticides and can cause
harm. The main criterion for organic pesticides is that they are naturally
derived, and some naturally derived substances have been controversial.
Controversial natural pesticides include rotenone, copper, nicotine
sulfate, and pyrethrums Rotenone and pyrethrum are particularly
controversial because they work by attacking the nervous system, like
most conventional insecticides. Rotenone is extremely toxic to fish and
can induce symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease in
mammals. Although pyrethrum (natural pyrethrins) is more effective
against insects when used with piperonyl butoxide (which retards
degradation of the pyrethrins), organic standards generally do not permit
use of the latter substance.

Naturally derived fungicides allowed for use on organic farms include

the bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus; and the
fungus Trichoderma harzianum. These are mainly effective for diseases
affecting roots. Compost tea contains a mix of beneficial microbes,
which may attack or out-compete certain plant pathogens, but variability
among formulations and preparation methods may contribute to
inconsistent results or even dangerous growth of toxic microbes in
compost teas.

Some naturally derived pesticides are not allowed for use on organic
farms. These include nicotine sulfate, arsenic, and strychnine.
 Geocoris Neuropetra

Insect Fly Trap Parasitoid wasps

LIVESTOCK :

Raising livestock and poultry, for meat, dairy and eggs, is another
traditional farming activity that complements growing. Organic farms
attempt to provide animals with natural living conditions and feed.
Organic certification verifies that livestock are raised according to the
USDA organic regulations throughout their lives. These regulations
include the requirement that all animal feed must be certified organic.
Organic livestock may be, and must be, treated with medicine when they
are sick, but drugs cannot be used to promote growth, their feed must be
organic, and they must be pastured.
Also, horses and cattle were once a basic farm feature that provided
labor, for hauling and plowing, fertility, through recycling of manure,
and fuel, in the form of food for farmers and other animals. While today,
small growing operations often do not include livestock, domesticated
animals are a desirable part of the organic farming equation, especially
for true sustainability, the ability of a farm to function as a self-renewing
unit.