ORGANIC COURSE SWAHILI: 7 0 COMPOST- 7.9 - GREEN MANURES HAVE A NUMBER OF BENEFITS

ORGANIC FARMING COURSE AGRO-ECONOMY

7 0 COMPOST- 7.9 - GREEN MANURES HAVE A NUMBER OF BENEFITS

• They penetrate the soil with their roots, make it more friable and bind nutrients, which would otherwise be washed away.

• They suppress weeds and protect the soil from erosion and direct sunlight.

• If legume plants are used, nitrogen is fixed from the air into the soil.

• Some green manures can be used as fodder plants or even and also to provide food for human consumption (e.g. beans and peas).

• By decomposing, green manures release all kinds of nutrients in the correct mixture for the main crops to utilise thus improving their yield.

The incorporated plant material encourages the activity of soil organisms and builds up organic matter in the soil. This improves soil structure and water holding capacity.

Green manuring is thus an inexpensive way to improve soil fertility and the nutrition of the main crops grown.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE GROWING GREEN MANURES

Labour is required for tillage, sowing, cutting and incorporation of plants into the soil, and is most intensive where the amount of helpful equipment available is small.

If green manures are intercropped with the main crops, they compete for nutrients, water and light.

When old or coarse plant material is incorporated into the soil, nitrogen may be temporarily immobilised and therefore unavailable for plant growth.

If food and space are in short supply it may be more appropriate to grow a food crop rather than a green manure and recycle the crop residues, or to intercrop a green manure crop with the main crop.

The benefits of green manures occur over the long term and are not always visible immediately.

KOZI YA KILIMO HAI KILIMO-UCHUMI

7 0 MBOLEA- 7.9 - MADINI YA KIJANI INA IDADI YA FAIDA.

• Hupenya udongo kwa mizizi yake, na kuufanya uwe mkaukaji zaidi na kuunganisha virutubishi, ambavyo vinginevyo vingeoshwa na maji.

• Hukandamiza magugu na kulinda udongo dhidi ya mmomonyoko wa udongo na jua moja kwa moja.

• Mimea ya mikunde ikitumiwa, nitrojeni huwekwa kutoka hewani hadi kwenye udongo.

• Baadhi ya mbolea za kijani zinaweza kutumika kama mimea ya malisho au hata na pia kutoa chakula cha matumizi ya binadamu (k.m. maharagwe na mbaazi).

• Kwa kuoza, mbolea ya kijani hutoa kila aina ya virutubisho katika mchanganyiko sahihi kwa mazao makuu kutumia hivyo kuboresha mavuno yao.

• Nyenzo za mimea zilizojumuishwa huhimiza shughuli za viumbe vya udongo na hujenga viumbe hai kwenye udongo. Hii inaboresha muundo wa udongo na uwezo wa kushikilia maji.

Kwa hivyo, mbolea ya kijani ni njia ya bei nafuu ya kuboresha rutuba ya udongo na lishe ya mazao makuu yanayolimwa.

MAMBO YA KUZINGATIA KABLA YA KUKUZA MBOLE ZA KIJANI

• Kazi inahitajika kwa ajili ya kulima, kupanda, kukata na kuingiza mimea kwenye udongo, na ni kubwa zaidi ambapo kiasi cha vifaa muhimu kinachopatikana ni kidogo.

• Mbolea za kijani zikipandwa kwa mseto na mazao makuu, hushindania virutubisho, maji na mwanga.

• Wakati nyenzo kuu ya mmea iliyozeeka au iliyokosa inapoingizwa kwenye udongo, nitrojeni inaweza kuzuiwa kwa muda na hivyo isipatikane kwa ukuaji wa mmea.

• Ikiwa chakula na nafasi ni chache inaweza kuwa sahihi zaidi kupanda mazao ya chakula badala ya mbolea ya kijani na kusaga mabaki ya mazao, au kupanda mseto wa zao la mbolea ya kijani na zao kuu.

Faida za mbolea za kijani hutokea kwa muda mrefu na hazionekani mara moja.