Authors:
Aroma Murtaza,Tehseen Sarwer
Department of Plant pathology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad
Introduction
Organic farming is defined as growing fruits, vegetables and plants without using harmful pesticides, synthetic chemicals and inorganic fertilizers. Organic farming is a practice that seeks to provide you, with fresh, tasty and authentic food without harming the people and natural environment.
Typical organic farming practices include
• Crop rotation.
• green manures and legumes.
• The right soil cultivation at the right time.
• Mulching on the soil surface.
• Selecting plant and animal species that are resistant to disease.
• Encouraging useful predators that eat pests.
• Good cultivation practice.
OBJECTIVES OF ADOPTING ORGANIC FARMING
Organic farming may be adopted to
• Encourage more usage of natural pesticides.
• Ensure the right soil cultivation at the right time.
• Build good soil structure and fertility.
• Increase genetic diversity.
• Control diseases and weeds pests.
TYPES OF ORGANIC FARMING
Pure organic farming
In the technique, we can use of organic manures and bio pesticides with complete evasion of inorganic chemicals and pesticides.
Integrated organic farming
Use of Integrated nutrients management and integrated pest management. It is the type of farming in which natural resources are used for the development of crops with complete nutritive value.
Techniques of Organic farming
● CROP ROTATION: Growing of various kind of crops in the same area, according to the different seasons, in a consecutive manner.
● GREEN MANURE: It refer to as a cover crop that grown primarily to add nutrients to soil. Dying plants that are uprooted and turned into the soil to make them act as a nutrient for the soil to increase its quality. Green manure is a crop or plant that is grown and then intentionally plowed under to improve the underlying soil.
● COMPOST: It is decomposed and recycled organic matter used as a fertilizer in the agricultural farms.
● BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL: Biological control is a technique in which living organisms are used to control the diseases and to protect the host crop from different pathogen.
Advantages of Organic Farming
• Organic farming reduces the need for purchased inputs.
• Organic farming is Poison-free.
• Organic farming provides the tasty food.
• Organic manures produce an optimal condition for the good quality and high yield of crops.
• Ground water pollution is stopped by using organic farming.
• Organic matter improves the plant growth and physiological activities of plants.
• Nutritional value of the organic food is higher than non-organic foods.
• Organic crops can compete with weeds for the nutrients.
• Organic plants are more draught resistant.
• Organically grown crop provide healthier and nationally superior food for man and animals that those grown with commercial fertilizers.
