1 June 01, 2021
Articles
1. Anton O. Nigten
Is Inorganic Nitrogen the Normal Plant Fertilizer? Or Do Plants Grow Better on Organic Nitrogen? (Critical Review)
Biogeosystem Technique. 2021. 8(1): 3-33.
Number of views: 182 Download in PDF
2. Valerii I. Glazko, Gleb Yu. Kosovsky, Tat'yana T. GlazkoBiogeosystem Technique. 2021. 8(1): 3-33.
Abstract:
Mineralized nutrients from artificial fertilizers, and from animal dung and plant residuals, are the cornerstone of modern conventional and organic agriculture. But they form a very risky strategy for fertilizing crops. Mineralized nitrogen is not the only way in which plants can get their nitrogen. In addition to the uptake of inorganic nitrogen, there are five other ways in which plants get their nitrogen. Inorganic nitrogen is not a safe way for plants to get their nitrogen. Ammonia, urea, and nitrate disturb the physiological processes in the plants, and, in consequence, the plants are an easy prey for pests and diseases. Ammonia and nitrate reduce the biodiversity in the patsures and the fields within a few years. But on the other side, not all the organic nitrogen is good for plants. When the symbiotic microbes are put aside by putrefactive microbes, the latter produce a lot of rotting compounds and toxins which hinder and even block the growth of the plants. The cations in conventional and biological products are not in balance, and many trace elelements are missing, with the result that not all nitrogen and sulphur are converted into real proteins. In the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century farmers developed systems to transform animal dung and plant residuals in a healthy plant food by mixing it with earth, heather sods or ditch dredge. By doing this, they kept the nutrients in the mixture and prevented the evaporation and washout of them into the air or the water (ground water). Other farmers added sea minerals to the farmyard manure and the compost. In this way, they gave the crops the necessary sodium, magnesium and trace elements. Crops fed with these products grow well. Still others used dung worms to convert animal dung and compost into valuable fertilizers for the soil and the plants. This vermicompost is a much better fertilizer than animal dung or warm compost. In organic agriculture, the yields are lagging behind because the plants can’t get enough mineralized nitrogen and sulphur, and at the same time they are not able to get the organic nitrogen and sulphur compounds from the soil, because the symbiotic bacteria and fungi which can bring these organic nutrients directly into the plants, are not present, or blocked. The fertilizing systems in organic and conventional farming are based on the same system of mineralization before the uptake of the nutrients by the plants. For that reason, there are only minor differences in quality of the products from both systems. Inorganic nitrogen blocks the nitrogen fixation of leguminous and non leguminous plants, if the levels of it in the soil are too high. As they often are. Practical solutions were developed in the past by many farmers and some scientists. Most of them are forgotten, and must therefore be rediscovered. This article is part of a series in which I try to find out why the yields in organic farming are lagging behind in comparison to conventional farming, and why the quality of both product groups is comparable: not good enough. Lack of available (organic) nitrogen and sulphur seems to be the common key.
Mineralized nutrients from artificial fertilizers, and from animal dung and plant residuals, are the cornerstone of modern conventional and organic agriculture. But they form a very risky strategy for fertilizing crops. Mineralized nitrogen is not the only way in which plants can get their nitrogen. In addition to the uptake of inorganic nitrogen, there are five other ways in which plants get their nitrogen. Inorganic nitrogen is not a safe way for plants to get their nitrogen. Ammonia, urea, and nitrate disturb the physiological processes in the plants, and, in consequence, the plants are an easy prey for pests and diseases. Ammonia and nitrate reduce the biodiversity in the patsures and the fields within a few years. But on the other side, not all the organic nitrogen is good for plants. When the symbiotic microbes are put aside by putrefactive microbes, the latter produce a lot of rotting compounds and toxins which hinder and even block the growth of the plants. The cations in conventional and biological products are not in balance, and many trace elelements are missing, with the result that not all nitrogen and sulphur are converted into real proteins. In the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century farmers developed systems to transform animal dung and plant residuals in a healthy plant food by mixing it with earth, heather sods or ditch dredge. By doing this, they kept the nutrients in the mixture and prevented the evaporation and washout of them into the air or the water (ground water). Other farmers added sea minerals to the farmyard manure and the compost. In this way, they gave the crops the necessary sodium, magnesium and trace elements. Crops fed with these products grow well. Still others used dung worms to convert animal dung and compost into valuable fertilizers for the soil and the plants. This vermicompost is a much better fertilizer than animal dung or warm compost. In organic agriculture, the yields are lagging behind because the plants can’t get enough mineralized nitrogen and sulphur, and at the same time they are not able to get the organic nitrogen and sulphur compounds from the soil, because the symbiotic bacteria and fungi which can bring these organic nutrients directly into the plants, are not present, or blocked. The fertilizing systems in organic and conventional farming are based on the same system of mineralization before the uptake of the nutrients by the plants. For that reason, there are only minor differences in quality of the products from both systems. Inorganic nitrogen blocks the nitrogen fixation of leguminous and non leguminous plants, if the levels of it in the soil are too high. As they often are. Practical solutions were developed in the past by many farmers and some scientists. Most of them are forgotten, and must therefore be rediscovered. This article is part of a series in which I try to find out why the yields in organic farming are lagging behind in comparison to conventional farming, and why the quality of both product groups is comparable: not good enough. Lack of available (organic) nitrogen and sulphur seems to be the common key.
Number of views: 182 Download in PDF
Human and Domesticated Species (Critical Review)
Biogeosystem Technique. 2021. 8(1): 34-44.
Number of views: 174 Download in PDF
3. Anton O. NigtenBiogeosystem Technique. 2021. 8(1): 34-44.
Abstract:
The agrarian civilization was formed due to the domestication of mainly five species of mammals (goat, sheep, cattle, pig, horse) and a limited number of plant species, the main of which are wheat and rice. This small number of species has remained the basis of the agrarian civilization to this day, despite the ongoing attempts to domesticate other wild species. By now, it has become clear that domestication is one of the variants of mutualistic relationships between humans and the corresponding species. It may well explain the limited number of species that have been successfully involved in domestication, since the possibilities of "symbiosis" with humans are highly species-specific. Hence, it becomes obvious that the loss of the diversity of the gene pools of agricultural species is fundamentally irreplaceable, as well as the degradation of soils, the biosphere and is a direct threat to the existence of agricultural civilization, since these species historically lay at the basis of its existence and development. From this point of view, the preservation of the biodiversity of agricultural species becomes a critical condition for the existence of an agrarian civilization in the future. Mechanisms of domestication are a key issue in understanding and managing the genetic resources of agricultural animal and plant species. The review examines the basis for the formation of an agrarian civilization, which is due to the activity of humans to involve other species in his niche, which contribute to increasing his adaptive and reproductive potential. A significant contribution to this process was made by factors related to human social activity, his cognitive functions and his ability to purposefully study and control various characteristics of the species involved in domestication. The main signs included in the "domestication syndrome" in animals are associated with their social activity and genomic instability. Their variability, which creates the basis for selection, depends on the diversity of the microbiota and the closely related virom. The formation of a mobilome in genomes based on virom creates the material basis for phenotypic diversity, which allows for targeted selection based on the adaptive potential of animals and plants to the niche created by man, as well as on various phenotypic characteristics that increase the adaptive and reproductive potential of a person in the niche organized by him.
The agrarian civilization was formed due to the domestication of mainly five species of mammals (goat, sheep, cattle, pig, horse) and a limited number of plant species, the main of which are wheat and rice. This small number of species has remained the basis of the agrarian civilization to this day, despite the ongoing attempts to domesticate other wild species. By now, it has become clear that domestication is one of the variants of mutualistic relationships between humans and the corresponding species. It may well explain the limited number of species that have been successfully involved in domestication, since the possibilities of "symbiosis" with humans are highly species-specific. Hence, it becomes obvious that the loss of the diversity of the gene pools of agricultural species is fundamentally irreplaceable, as well as the degradation of soils, the biosphere and is a direct threat to the existence of agricultural civilization, since these species historically lay at the basis of its existence and development. From this point of view, the preservation of the biodiversity of agricultural species becomes a critical condition for the existence of an agrarian civilization in the future. Mechanisms of domestication are a key issue in understanding and managing the genetic resources of agricultural animal and plant species. The review examines the basis for the formation of an agrarian civilization, which is due to the activity of humans to involve other species in his niche, which contribute to increasing his adaptive and reproductive potential. A significant contribution to this process was made by factors related to human social activity, his cognitive functions and his ability to purposefully study and control various characteristics of the species involved in domestication. The main signs included in the "domestication syndrome" in animals are associated with their social activity and genomic instability. Their variability, which creates the basis for selection, depends on the diversity of the microbiota and the closely related virom. The formation of a mobilome in genomes based on virom creates the material basis for phenotypic diversity, which allows for targeted selection based on the adaptive potential of animals and plants to the niche created by man, as well as on various phenotypic characteristics that increase the adaptive and reproductive potential of a person in the niche organized by him.
Number of views: 174 Download in PDF
Is There a Nitrogen Deficiency in Organic Farming, and are the Yields in Organic Agriculture Lagging Due To Nitrogen Deficiency? And Can Conventional Agriculture Learn from the Mistakes of Organic Agriculture? (Critical Review)
Biogeosystem Technique. 2021. 8(1): 45-67.
Number of views: 165 Download in PDF
4. Biogeosystem Technique. 2021. 8(1): 45-67.
Abstract:
In organic agriculture the yields are roughly 25 % lower than in conventional agriculture. And the quality differences are only small, save for pesticide residuals which are in general lower in organic products. Some scientists think the lower yields are caused by the slow mineralization of organic nitrogen. But in this article is demonstrated that the quality of the animal dung and the warm compost hinders the uptake of organic nitrogen and other organic nutrients. The dung and the compost in organic agriculture today are not treated well and because of this the plants are hindered in their growth. Their symbionts in the soil can’t assist them in collecting the organically bound nutrients, because they are lacking or silenced. Above that the dung and the warm compost have lost lots of nutrients in the stables, during composting and while at the piles. Vermicomposts on the other side have less losses, better microbes and no growth limiting poisonous organic compounds. Compared to vermicompost, animal dung and warm compost give lower yields, inferior growth qualities and less resistance to pests and diseases. The adding of earth into the dung or the compost has comparable positive effects as vermicompost. The improperly treated dung and warm compost lead to crops which contain too much non protein nitrogen and probably also non protein sulphur. And the crops are not in balance for their other cations and anions. Just like the crops in conventional agriculture. Through this cows for instance don’t become old and they produce a poor quality urine and poop. And the milk is also of poorer quality. So there is a lot to improve. In organic agriculture and in conventional agriculture.
In organic agriculture the yields are roughly 25 % lower than in conventional agriculture. And the quality differences are only small, save for pesticide residuals which are in general lower in organic products. Some scientists think the lower yields are caused by the slow mineralization of organic nitrogen. But in this article is demonstrated that the quality of the animal dung and the warm compost hinders the uptake of organic nitrogen and other organic nutrients. The dung and the compost in organic agriculture today are not treated well and because of this the plants are hindered in their growth. Their symbionts in the soil can’t assist them in collecting the organically bound nutrients, because they are lacking or silenced. Above that the dung and the warm compost have lost lots of nutrients in the stables, during composting and while at the piles. Vermicomposts on the other side have less losses, better microbes and no growth limiting poisonous organic compounds. Compared to vermicompost, animal dung and warm compost give lower yields, inferior growth qualities and less resistance to pests and diseases. The adding of earth into the dung or the compost has comparable positive effects as vermicompost. The improperly treated dung and warm compost lead to crops which contain too much non protein nitrogen and probably also non protein sulphur. And the crops are not in balance for their other cations and anions. Just like the crops in conventional agriculture. Through this cows for instance don’t become old and they produce a poor quality urine and poop. And the milk is also of poorer quality. So there is a lot to improve. In organic agriculture and in conventional agriculture.
Number of views: 165 Download in PDF