Soil Organic Carbon: Unleashed Potential Everyone Should Know

A component of the soil’s organic matter is what makes soil organic carbon (SOC). Organic fertilisers like compost and animal manure, particularly cow dung combined with agricultural wastes left in the field, are added to the soil to increase its organic matter. It thus qualifies as a crucial element for preserving soil health and enhancing agricultural productivity. Moreover, soil organic carbon has numerous advantages, for as improving soil quality and is essential for reducing climate change. Keep reading to learn more about soil organic carbon and its advantages.

Introduction

Authentic soil is the right soil which is loaded with organic matter. If not, it is merely dirt. Also, one of the primary indicators of healthy soil is the rich colour of the soil when compared to unfertile soil. Plant and animal remain that are in the process of decomposing or that have already broken down, and also by-products and soil bacteria, all contribute to the formation of soil’s organic carbon. Organic matter in soil helps it hold nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate, and carbon.

SOC plays a significant role in agriculture, combating climate change, and finding sustainable food sources. It is a type of organic material found in soil that serves as a natural energy reserve and is highly prized among biopolymers. SOC increases the biological, chemical, physical, and structural stability of soil as well as its ability to hold water. It is crucial to the creation of the organic acids in soil that are essential to the dissolving of soil minerals, their availability to crops, and nutrient leaching.

Carbon is crucial for nutrient retention, giving the soil life and structure. The most crucial factor for good soil is thought to be soil organic carbon. As it holds soil aggregates together, absorbs and releases nutrients, holds onto water, and provides habitat and energy to soil microorganisms, it is characterized as the “glue and sponge” of soil. Crops tend to receive carbon out of the atmosphere rather than the soil. Nonetheless, it is crucial, and without SOC, crops remain prone to stresses and diseases.

What Is Soil Organic Carbon? 

A quantifiable part of soil organic matter is soil organic carbon. The carbon that is present in the soil after a living organism’s products have partially decomposed is known as soil organic carbon. It is a significant portion of soil organic matter and thus is thought to be essential for many ecological and soil activities. A soil’s organic carbon content is influenced by the local geology, climate, land use, and maintenance. The topsoil is mostly where organic carbon is found. Since there is twice as much carbon in the soil as there is in the atmosphere, soil serves as a significant carbon storage area. And cow dung is another source. Cow dung includes a lot of organic compounds that are nutrient-rich and rich in ammonia^[1]. On the other end, manure and dung are sources of potentially advantageous bacteria that can be utilised to make biogas, a sustainable and environment option for fossil fuels and a rich fertiliser. 

Benefits of Soil Organic Carbon

Increased amounts of organic matter enhance the soil’s physical, biological, and chemical functions. The following five functions serve as a summary of the advantages of soil organic carbon:

1. Biochemical Process: The majority of the advantages of soil organic matter start with boosting the biodiversity and activities in the soil. Microbial activity tends to rise with an increase in organic materials. Organic matter contains 58% carbon, which is necessary for microbial activity when combined with other nutrients. The substances that microorganisms excrete can improve soil structure, water-holding capacity, and water retention by acting as a binder for soil particles.
2. Soil Structure: The presence of SOC makes soil aggregates more stable by causing soil particles to bond and form stable aggregates. Improved soil structure boosts water infiltration into the soil, which increases the soil’s capacity to absorb and hold water and lowers the risk of soil surface crusting.
3. Erosion Control: Higher levels of soil organic carbon can increase water infiltration rates and reduce the likelihood that soil, water, and nutrients will weaken. This is often the case in soil with higher aggregate stability. Because of improved moisture retention and ongoing soil aggregate formation, data from the universal soil loss equation suggest that high soil organic carbon between 1 to 3% can reduce erosion by 20 to 33%.
4. WaterHolding Capacity: Higher levels of SOC can penetrate and store water more effectively. Organic matter can absorb as well as hold up to 90% of its water weight, thereby behaving somewhat like a sponge. Soil organic carbon’s ability to store water has the enormous benefit of releasing the majority of the water it takes in. Only one per cent more organic matter in the soil can reduce bulk density and improve total water capacity by about 0.2 to 0.3 feet, which can be very helpful for plants to manage water during times of moisture deficits.
5. Nutrient Supply: For plants and other living things, organic matter is indeed a significant source of nutrients. More minerals are transferred from organic forms to inorganic forms, which are available to plants when microorganisms become more active in warmer temperatures, which primarily occurs in the summer and spring seasons. The organic carbon in soil has negative charge sites that draw in and store positively charged ions like ammonium-nitrogen, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. 

How to Increase Soil Organic Carbon? 

Fundamentally, one of the very first things to consider while maintaining soil organic carbon is the carbon cycle. It’s vital to remember that carbon is constantly coming in and going out of the soil. The amount of organic carbon in soil is the result of the net balance between the amount of organic carbon that plants primarily add through the roots, dry and fallen leaves, and compounds released by living roots and the amount that is taken out by harvesting or released as carbon dioxide by microorganisms. But, the primary objective is to restore the soil with more carbon than they lose to the atmosphere or harvest.

How do you go about doing that, then? A few studies suggest that this can be achieved by making managerial decisions that change the carbon balance. Remember, the process of losing soil organic carbon is substantially easier than gaining some. And one such method of achieving soil organic carbon is a no-till method. According to a few researchers, constantly practising the no-till method increases the amount of organic carbon in our soil. Many of our farmland soils have lost 40–50% of their valuable SOC over the years. Tillage has been used for most of this. This technique can promise the above-mentioned benefits brought on by the organic carbon level.

Another excellent way to keep the level of carbon in our soil stable is through the use of cover crops. In addition to preventing soil erosion, cover crops recycle nutrients from the soil. Their leftovers act as a blanket to keep the soil moist and fresh, and some of that leftover material turns into soil organic carbon as it breaks down.

Crop rotation and waste management are two other crucial management choices that have a significant impact on the quantity of carbon contributed to your soil. Farmers who raise cows on their farms also have a fantastic opportunity to directly apply cow dung to their soils, which will help maintain soil health and increase SOC, and crop health as these animals graze on cover crops or agricultural waste in the form of fodder.

Conclusion

The soil requires critical minerals to function, much as our bodies do. For soil to be healthy and ideal, organic matter, particularly carbon, is necessary. The proper balance of soil organic carbon helps prevent erosion, preserve the health of your soil, and offer the necessary nutrients for healthy crop yields. In this post, we’ve discussed the advantages of soil organic carbon and how to raise its levels. With that, we’d like to urge you once more to utilise a natural approach while using cow dung in your field. It will protect your crop and soil from infections and stressors. At SwadeshiVIP A2 Milk Farm, we apply cow dung to the soil, thereby maintaining soil health and growing organic fodder. The healthy and nutritious food consumed by cows ensures 100% pure and natural A2 Gir Cow Milk.

Read our Article: Throwing Light on the Benefits of Cow Dung and its Importance