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Principles of Organic Farming About the Authors Dr E. Somasundaram, is the Professor and Head of the Department of Sustainable Organic Agriculture, Directorate of Crop Management, and PRO of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, involved in education, teaching, research and extension activities on organic agriculture in the University. He has completed M.Sc. (Ag.) with University rank and won S.R.P.P. Chettiar Gold Medal and Shield, A.C Mudaliar and Rao Saheb Murugesa Mudaliar awards for the best M.Sc. (Ag.). Student of the University. He has also won PPIC Gold Medal for the best M.Sc. (Ag.) Thesis on resource conservation and recycling for rice yield maximisation and IOB Gold medal for the best M.Sc. (Ag.) Student in Agronomy. He is the recipient of Prof. Subramanian and Dr.K.K.Subbiah awards for the best Ph.D., student in Agronomy. Recently he received the best Professor in agribusiness management during 24th B School awards at Mumlai. He visited several countries for presenting papers. He published many books besides having 50 research publications and many popular articles to his credit. He continues to guide M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. Dr. D. Udhaya Nandhini, Post Doctoral Fellow, Centre of Excellence in Sustaining Soil Health, ADAC & RI, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Trichy. She has completed her M.Sc. in Agronomy in the same situation with reference to cropping system in pigeonpea. She was awarded with Student Senior Research Fellowship and worked on stress physiology to study the effect of Lipo Chito Oligosaccharides (LCO) compounds on maize and blackgram under stress conditions. She was the recipient of Adarsh Vidya Saraswati Puraskar Award. She authored 2 books besides having 30 research publications and several popular articles to her credit. Dr. M. Meyyappan obtained his B.Sc. (Ag.), M.Sc. (Ag.) Agronomy and Ph.D in Agronomy from Annamalai University. He secured first rank in M.Sc. (Ag.) Agronomy. He is working as Assistant Professor of Agronomy in Annamalai University from 2000 onwards. He is teaching various subjects for Diploma in Agriculture, B,Sc. (Agri and Horti.), M.Sc. (Ag.) Agronomy and Ph,D Agronomy students. He participated and presented papers in eleven international conferences and twenty five National seminars. He published twenty six research papers in various journals and conference proceedings. He guided six M.Sc. (Ag.) Agronomy students. He authored individually for two books, Basic Text Book on Forestry and Notes on Water Management during 2012 and 2013 respectively. Principles of Organic Farming E. Somasundaram D. Udhaya Nandhini M. Meyyappan First published 2022 by CRC Press 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN and by CRC Press 6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742 © 2022 New India Publishing Agency CRC Press is an imprint of Informa UK Limited The right of E. Somasundaram et.al. to be identiﬁed as the authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, access www.copyright.com or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. For works that are not available on CCC please contact mpkbookspermissions@tandf. co.uk Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identiﬁcation and explanation without intent to infringe. Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Bhutan). British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record has been requested ISBN: 978-1-032-19784-5 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-003-26084-4 (ebk) DOI: 10.1201/9781003260844 TAMIL NADU AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY Dr. K. Ramasamy, Ph.D. Coimbatore - 641 003 Vice-Chancellor Tamil Nadu, India Foreword Global interest has been increased on organic farming as it has diversified benefits to the society and enviroQment. The rapid growth of organic farming at global scale started during the implemented and movements were promoted by both governmental and non governmental organizations. This led to rapid development of organic farming with co-ordinate and rational approach. By the end of 2017, about 50.9 million hectares of organic agriculWural land including in- conversion areas reported around 179 countries in the world showing posLtiYe growing trend as compared to yesteryears. The infRUPDtLon on organic agriculture is scattered while the interest on subject is increasing linearly day by day. Therefore this effort with the aim to fill the gap of need on various aspects of organic farming and its publication is quite appropriDte and timely. The present book title “Principles of Organic Farming” provides solid background information that is accessible for those who have a stURng interest in organic agricultural education, research and development. I hopH that the book will cater the needs of undergraduates and postgraduates studying organic agriculture and sustainable crop production. The interpretation of subject matter in each chapter of this book has also been made carefully and systematically by the authors giving more emphasis on the requirements at thH agricultural university level education in the country. I have no doubt that this text book will go through many editions, being reworked and updated to become a standard reference for those pursuing courseV on organic farming in the country with the days to come. viii Principles of Organic Farming The efforts by Dr. E. Somasundaram, Dr. Udhaya Nandhin and Dr. M. Meyyappan to develop the theme for each chapter and transform into a valuable publication deserves appreciation. I am sure that this textbook would be of great value for the students in particular and will be useful to the teaching community at large. Place: Coimkbatore (K. Ramasamy) Dated 17-10-2018 Preface The quantitative sufficiency of food in our country has led into think the maintenance of soil health and crop husbandry techniques, which maintain the nature’s balance. Organic agriculture (OA) can be seen as pioneering efforts to create sustainable development based on other principles than mainstream agriculture. Practices of organic farming are resilient and becoming increasingly important due to pressing needs to protect the air, soils, and water; to improve socioeconomic conditions of farmers, farm workers, and rural communities; and to provide healthy, safe, and nutritious horticultural products to a rapidly increasing world population. Organic agriculture has always been India’s inherent advantage and strength. The shift in the global consumption patterns, health awareness among the consumers and the increasing significance of sustainability is now putting Indian organic products to the forefront both internationally as well as in the domestic market. Principles of Organic Farming is a practical oriented text to organic crop management that provides background information as well as details of ecology-improving practices. This book is meant to give the reader a holistic appreciation of the importance of organic farming and to suggest ecologically sound practices that help to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture. This book represents a current look at what we know about organic farming practices and systems, primarily from the Indian perspectives. This book is intended as a professional basic textbook for undergraduate level students and will specifically meet out the requirement of the students of Organic Farming being taught at many of the universities. In addition, the purpose of this work is to spread the basic concepts of organic farming in order to; guide the