4 Cattle Dung Manure Microbiota as a Substitute …
87
okra, amaranthus, celosia, and maize (Odiete et al. 1999; Ojeniyi and Adegboyeaga
2003a) by adding organic manure. Kaur et al. (2005) also reported that organic
manure increased the soil of organic C, N, P, and K, thus highlighting its importance in tropical farmland. Poultry manure, a good source of organic matter, played
a vigorous role in soil fertility enhancement, as well as furnishing micronutrients
for crop production. Earlier, Amiri, and Fallahi (2009) observed that the application
of poultry manure improved the availability of the mineral in soil, hence assisted
to facilitate nutrient uptake in the plant. Nowadays improper utilized poultry waste
becomes a foremost problem, thereby polluting the environment. Since poultry farm
holders use concentrates for feeding as a result of which the excreta cannot be used
as fuel, except as a good source of manure in the crop fields (Zake et al. 2010).
Olasekan (2018), observed the effect of poultry manure on soil properties, growth
and fruit yield of tomato. Adekiya et al. (2019) reported the effect of poultry manure
to improved soil physical and chemical properties, leaf nutrient concentrations, and
yield components of radish.
4.7 Dung Applications: Success and Bottleneck
It reminds us of an era of the late 1960s that was the food security for the everincreasing population, particularly in India. Scientists started using agrochemicals
for productivity enhancement of some major crops such as wheat and rice. Later, it
was realized that the application of chemical fertilizers not only injurious to humans
but also have adverse consequences on the soil water ecosystem. Soil productivity
maintenance is a major constraint of the tropical agriculture system. Low soil fertility
was one of the greatest biophysical constraints to the production of crops across
the world (Ajayi 2007). Tropical soils are unfavorably affected by suboptimal soil
fertility and erosion, instigating deterioration of the nutrient status, and changes in soil
organism populations (Akande et al. 2010). Scientifically, soil amended with animal
dung proved a very good source for sustaining crop production and increasing the
beneficial microbial population in the soil (Raj et al. 2014). All animal origin wastes
such as farmyard manure, poultry manure, and cattle/cow dung have dual advantages
being cheap and contain nutrients that support healthier root development leading to
higher crop yield (Abou El-Magd et al. 2005).
Chemical fertilizers are costly and are not easily available to the majority of the
smallholder farmers, particularly in hilly states of India having marginal farm income,
hence compelled farmers toward the organic sources to substitute soil nutrients.
Besides organic resources are frequently projected as an alternative to commercial
chemical fertilizers. In this scenario, dung is easier and cheaper to transport, handling,
and storage. It has multiple benefits due to the balanced supply of nutrients, including
micronutrients, increased soil nutrient availability due to soil microbial activity. Such
activities occur due to various biochemical reactions involved in soil respiration and
another bioactivity. The alteration of pH, temperature resulted in a change in soil
structure and function (Pettersson and Bååth 2003; Samuel et al. 2003) (Fig. 4.1).
87
okra, amaranthus, celosia, and maize (Odiete et al. 1999; Ojeniyi and Adegboyeaga
2003a) by adding organic manure. Kaur et al. (2005) also reported that organic
manure increased the soil of organic C, N, P, and K, thus highlighting its importance in tropical farmland. Poultry manure, a good source of organic matter, played
a vigorous role in soil fertility enhancement, as well as furnishing micronutrients
for crop production. Earlier, Amiri, and Fallahi (2009) observed that the application
of poultry manure improved the availability of the mineral in soil, hence assisted
to facilitate nutrient uptake in the plant. Nowadays improper utilized poultry waste
becomes a foremost problem, thereby polluting the environment. Since poultry farm
holders use concentrates for feeding as a result of which the excreta cannot be used
as fuel, except as a good source of manure in the crop fields (Zake et al. 2010).
Olasekan (2018), observed the effect of poultry manure on soil properties, growth
and fruit yield of tomato. Adekiya et al. (2019) reported the effect of poultry manure
to improved soil physical and chemical properties, leaf nutrient concentrations, and
yield components of radish.
4.7 Dung Applications: Success and Bottleneck
It reminds us of an era of the late 1960s that was the food security for the everincreasing population, particularly in India. Scientists started using agrochemicals
for productivity enhancement of some major crops such as wheat and rice. Later, it
was realized that the application of chemical fertilizers not only injurious to humans
but also have adverse consequences on the soil water ecosystem. Soil productivity
maintenance is a major constraint of the tropical agriculture system. Low soil fertility
was one of the greatest biophysical constraints to the production of crops across
the world (Ajayi 2007). Tropical soils are unfavorably affected by suboptimal soil
fertility and erosion, instigating deterioration of the nutrient status, and changes in soil
organism populations (Akande et al. 2010). Scientifically, soil amended with animal
dung proved a very good source for sustaining crop production and increasing the
beneficial microbial population in the soil (Raj et al. 2014). All animal origin wastes
such as farmyard manure, poultry manure, and cattle/cow dung have dual advantages
being cheap and contain nutrients that support healthier root development leading to
higher crop yield (Abou El-Magd et al. 2005).
Chemical fertilizers are costly and are not easily available to the majority of the
smallholder farmers, particularly in hilly states of India having marginal farm income,
hence compelled farmers toward the organic sources to substitute soil nutrients.
Besides organic resources are frequently projected as an alternative to commercial
chemical fertilizers. In this scenario, dung is easier and cheaper to transport, handling,
and storage. It has multiple benefits due to the balanced supply of nutrients, including
micronutrients, increased soil nutrient availability due to soil microbial activity. Such
activities occur due to various biochemical reactions involved in soil respiration and
another bioactivity. The alteration of pH, temperature resulted in a change in soil
structure and function (Pettersson and Bååth 2003; Samuel et al. 2003) (Fig. 4.1).