There is a great variability of soil conditions on an agricultural property, even within an agricultural sector, which leads to the eternal desire to achieve a leveling of plants in order to have an even garden. There are also soil realities that require the incorporation of certain tools to help improve its physical-chemical and biological condition.
Previous articles have discussed the importance of soil and the care it should take, the danger of erosion and loss of production. This article will discuss alternative solutions to these problems and what we can do today once the winter break begins.
Does the COMPOST application help in any way to solve soil problems?
When we talk about compost we are talking about highly humified and mineralized plant organic matter with a C/N ratio of 10 and with very stable carbon.
When we apply compost once the winter break has begun or before the winter rains, in doses of 10 to 15 cubic meters/Ha (7 to 10 thousand kilos/Ha), we will be applying a large amount of stable carbon, necessary for the microbiological life of the soil to be resilient and to be able to remain active for a good amount of time.
Additionally, a significant amount of nutrients will be incorporated into the system, which is contained in the raw material applied, “Compost”. When you review the technical data sheet of a compost, you will find that the nutritional levels in percentages are low compared to inorganic fertilizers, but it must be considered that when applying 7 thousand kilos of compost/ha, the amount of nutrients is very large. For this reason, it is the best strategy when starting a CIC filling job and incorporating elements such as phosphorus, it is the most efficient solution in economic terms.
Additionally, it must be considered that when talking about compost, we are talking about a very high microbial load.
If we consider the three major aspects of compost use, carbon, nutrients and microbiology, the use of this type of technology is essential.
Is the application of calcium sulfate or fertigypsum recommended?
Considering a good diagnosis, for certain conditions the use of fertigypsum or calcium sulphate is of great help, not only because it contributes to the flocculation of soil particles, but also because of the incorporation of calcium into the system. When we think of applications of 3 thousand kilos of fertigypsum, the number of units incorporated is important. The ton of granulated calcium sulphate is economical, not exceeding 70 dollars per ton, which is why it is a viable aid from the economic and technical point of view. For farms which after the rains of last winter, where many were left with a layer between 10 to 40 centimeters of fine silt on the surface, the incorporation of this product prior to the rains is important. For realities in which the sum of CEC bases is desaturated, the application of this tool is also a very good alternative. The amount to be applied must be defined with a previous diagnosis.
Calcium carbonate, under what conditions should I use it?
Calcium carbonate is mainly used in conditions where pH levels need to be raised and calcium addition is also needed; this type of tool does not go down much into the soil profile, much less in clayey soils, so the mesh of the product is important, because the finer the more reactive it will be. Of course it is a good alternative under low pH conditions and, at the same time, where the property is in areas with low or no bicarbonate pressure in water and carbonate in soil, that is, from the Metropolitan region to the north it is not advisable to use this product, but it is advisable to use fertiyeso, this is given that the carbonate levels we have in this zoning of the country are very high and incorporating more carbonate is technically counterproductive.
When to apply these products, can they be mixed?
The ideal is to apply these products before the winter rains, in order to take advantage of these rains for their incorporation, without incurring in any type of energy expenditure; additionally, the fallen water will wash away excess salts that may remain in the soil system.
Which of these three alternatives to apply or generate a combined strategy will depend on a diagnosis of the conditions to be solved, always with the aim of seeking the greatest possible technical impact within the specific economic possibilities of each agricultural company.
These autumn strategies seek to solve problems in technical and economic terms, since in many cases it is not possible to solve problems using products injected via irrigation in season. For fields that do not have technical irrigation, the use of these strategies should be practically mandatory.
