The soil is made up of millions of tiny living organisms, including bacteria, fungi, beetles, earthworms, ants, and termites, which live freely or in association with plant roots. These organisms are capable of remarkable alchemy, ranging from capturing, fixing, and exchanging nitrogen from the air with the plants to mobilizing nutrients or converting one element into another. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi are the main microorganisms that engage in beneficial interactions with plants. Without ground cover, the sun burns the soil and kills these organisms. That is why the soil in the forest is always covered with leaves and wood. We can observe that the soil under a tree trunk is always moister, small earthworms fertilize the earth with their droppings, and whitish fungi absorb nitrogen from the air. To ensure soil health, household waste, trash, and non-recyclable materials such as batteries should be disposed of properly. In addition, burning plastic releases harmful gases that can affect soil quality and our health.

The soil’s microfauna consists of various animals that live in the soil and alter its physical and chemical properties. For example, when earthworms, termites, and ants dig tunnels and galleries in the soil, the pore volume (empty spaces in the soil) increases, which improves water infiltration and soil ventilation. Furthermore, earthworms help decompose organic material. Ants, in turn, promote the population control of other organisms.

Organic Matter and Green Manure

To enhance soil vitality, it should be enriched with organic materials. The secret is to plant in order to prune. Of course, organic material can be supplied externally, but it is best to have plants that produce such materials, such as daisies, grasses, desmodium, gliricidia, inga, annatto, embauba, pueraria, tephrosia, crotalaria, guandu bean, pigweed, peanut, lupine, hibiscus, castor bean (also known as castor cake), black mucuna, mulberry tree, among others that adapt well to the region and regrow after pruning.

Essential Nutrients for Plant Development

For proper growth, plants need various nutrients. Each element favors a specific part of the plant: nitrogen promotes leaf formation, phosphorus encourages grain and fruit formation, and potassium stimulates the growth of stems and roots.