1- It provides less nutrient to plants in comparison to fertilizers. 2- It doesn't provide high yield as much as fertlizers. Manure is a natural or an organic substance obtained by the decomposition of plant and animal wastes. This is done by microbes, earthworms, fungus etc.
With just a four month or so growing season, this means you should only apply fresh manure in the fall; not in the spring or during the growing season to any area that is or will be planted with food crops. Composting manure eliminates some of the problems of fresh manure — including the odor.
Manures are considered better than fertilizers in maintaining soil fertility because: i) They add nutrients to the soil without affecting its fertility. iii) Manures improve the structure of soil by increasing its water holding capacity, porosity, and texture. They also promote the growth of crops.
When compared to more conventional fertilizer, manure properly applied to land has the potential to provide environmental benefits including:
- Increased soil carbon and reduced atmospheric carbon levels.
- Reduced soil erosion and runoff.
- Reduced nitrate leaching.
Difference between Manures and Fertilizers
| Manures | Fertilizers |
|---|
| It is not very rich in nutrients. | It is rich in soil nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. |
| It is slowly absorbed by the plants. | It is easily absorbed by the plants. |
| It provides a lot of humus to the soil. | It does not provide any humus to the soil. |
Manure contamination can increase nitrate levels in ground water and cause bacterial contamination and fish kills in surface waters. Excess phosphorus can be contained in erosion or runoff from fields and accumulate in surface water impoundments such as ponds and lakes.
To apply manure, add a 2 to 3 in.layer of manure on top of existing soil and mix in well. Like cow manure, horse, chicken and rabbit manure are great for your garden, but because they have higher levels of nitrogen, make sure that they are not fresh and that they have been composted.
It is also lower in the 'fruiting and rooting' nutrients Phosphorus and Potassium, which is why we always warn people not to use horse manure on flowering plants. Use it on non-flowering, nitrogen-hungry plants like lawns, corn, potatoes, garlic, and lettuce; but not on tomatoes, peppers, flowers, and such.
On average, manure is going to come in 5 to 50-pound bags or larger, and the average cost, depending on the brand, type and retailer, can cost $4 to $13 per bag. The typical bag can be anywhere from two to as big as 50-pound bags.
Organic manure is a natural source of nitrogen (N) formation process in the soil. Microbial populations intensively induce the production of phytohormones such as gibberellin and auxin in plant roots grown in fertile soil with rich organic manures which stimulate plant growth [13].
If you are using organic fertilizer such as barnyard manure, spread it evenly over the garden and work it into the soil. Use 20 to 30 pounds of manure for every 100 square feet of garden. Do not use too much. Do not use fresh manure because it can injure plants.
Manure contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients that plants need to grow. Proper use of manure as a fertilizer minimizes nutrient pollution to water resources and helps build healthy soils. Manure nutrients can also be used to grow worms, insect larvae, algae, or other living organisms.
Some of the common examples of manure are rabbit, cow, horse, chicken, sheep, goats, poultry, and bat excreta. Sources of Manure - There are many ways of obtaining manures, some of the widely used ones are: Wastes from cattle – urine, dung, and liquid mix or slurry from biogas plants.
Answer: Manures and fertilisers are added to the soil in order to enrich its organic composition and replenish the nutrients in it. The plants absorb most of the nutrients from the soil, leaving the soil deficient of these nutrients.
1)They provide quick replenishment of plant nutrients in the soil and restores soil fertility. 2)They are easily absorbed by the plants. 3)They are easy to transport,store and handle because they come in bags. 4)The use of fertilisers has helped the farmers to get better yields of crops such as wheat,maize,rice.
There are a few disadvantages associated with use of fertilizers like: Cause water pollution, if followed by excessive irrigation. Excessive use can spoil soil fertility (organic matter & micro-organisms are harmed)
