Organic farming: A path to healthy food and environment

Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 637-644<br /> <br /> International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences<br /> ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 3 (2020)<br /> Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Review Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.903.076<br /> <br /> Organic Farming: A Path to Healthy Food and Environment<br /> <br /> P. P. Patel1* and D. D. Champaneri2<br /> 1<br /> ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari,<br /> Gujarat – 396450, India<br /> 2<br /> Department of Vegetable Science, ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari<br /> Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat – 396450, India<br /> *Corresponding author<br /> <br /> <br /> ABSTRACT<br /> <br /> Conventional farming methods have significantly increased yields but in<br /> Keywords recent times due to the increased awareness of people about health, there<br /> organic, has been increasing demand of organically grown foods. Organic farming<br /> environment, helps in maintaining soil health and thereby produce healthy and quality<br /> horticulture, food materials. This concern has prompted an expanding enthusiasm for<br /> agriculture, soil<br /> health, economics organic farming methods since they may diminish a portion of the negative<br /> Article Info<br /> impacts of conventional farming on the earth. Different organic farming<br /> methods have been used for many years to make agriculture and<br /> Accepted: horticulture practical while preserving soil, water, energy, and organic<br /> 05 February 2020 assets. The future of agribusiness can be made increasingly economical and<br /> Available Online:<br /> 10 March 2020 naturally solid by embracing some traditional organic farming methods and<br /> technologies.<br /> <br /> Introduction defined as cultivation of crops without the use<br /> of synthetic chemicals like agrochemicals and<br /> In the recent times, various issues related to use of compost manure, neem based products,<br /> health of human beings are debated which are green compost and practice crop rotation to<br /> directly or indirectly linked to the heavy use grow the crops.<br /> of synthetic agrochemicals in crop production<br /> and their residual effect (Pimentel et al., It is an integrated farming system that focuses<br /> 2005). This has led to the increased awareness on sustainability, enhancement of soil flora<br /> in public about their health and organic and fauna and thereby maintaining soil<br /> farming is again back into the practices which fertility. Organic farming prohibits use of<br /> was practiced before the invention of synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers,<br /> agrochemicals and huge numbers of farmers antibiotics, growth hormones and genetically<br /> are moving towards the organic farming of modified organisms. It aims on providing<br /> different crops. Organic farming can be healthy food. To overcome the losses<br /> <br /> 637<br />  Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 637-644<br /> <br /> <br /> confronted by conventional farming methods, synthetic agrochemicals and reduce other<br /> organic farming concept is now greatly inputs to improve the environment and farm<br /> emphasized. Integrated pest management and business. The goal of organic farming is to<br /> nutrient management by using more of conserve the ecological processes, improve<br /> organic products can help in reducing the use nutrients intake and save water resources.<br /> of synthetic chemicals and can make With ongoing concerns about nature and the<br /> environment healthy and sound. Government synthetic chemical substances utilized in food<br /> of some countries like Sweden, Canada, etc. production, and with the developing<br /> have demonstrated that use of pesticides can accessibility of guaranteed certified organic<br /> be greatly reduced without loss of yield and food production, the viewpoint for proceeding<br /> quality (BANR/NRC 2003). with development of organic food production<br /> is brilliant (Dimitri and Greene 2002).<br /> Organic farming methods can eliminate use of<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 638<br />  Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 637-644<br /> <br /> <br /> This paper focuses on the various findings of All things considered, it is extremely hard to<br /> research to investigate soil health, separate soil fertility from production and<br /> environment and economics of organic ecological parts of the system. Crop rotation<br /> farming on different types of crops. Various is the focal apparatus that coordinates the<br /> advantages and the need of organic farming in maintenance and improvement of soil fertility<br /> present times has been analyzed and with various aspects of crop and livestock<br /> presented. production in natural systems. Supplemental<br /> nutrients supply to crops relies upon the use<br /> Soil Health Aspects of legumes and vegetables to add nitrogen to<br /> the soil in acceptable forms.<br /> Growing research and evidences links<br /> management of farms and land, soil health Organic manures and farm waste are<br /> and plant health yet connections among soil deliberately figured out that how to reuse<br /> health, food crop dietary and nutritional supplements around the farm. The<br /> quality, and human health with wellbeing are management of soil organic matter, basically<br /> less understood. Various examinations are using short term leys, guarantees great soil<br /> done so as to reveal insight into these structure and biological action, significant for<br /> connections about organic farming and soil supplement supply, health and profitability of<br /> health. Organic farming systems use carbon- the both- harvested crops and domesticated<br /> based changes, differing crop revolutions, and animals. Carefully planned diverse rotations<br /> spread crops to build soil fertility. helps in lessening the frequency of pests and<br /> diseases and take into account cultural<br /> These practices increase biologically methods and various techniques for weed<br /> accessible soil organic matter and helpful soil control. Because of the intricate interactions<br /> microorganisms and invertebrate activities, between various components of a system,<br /> improve soil physical properties, diminish fertility management in organic farming<br /> disease potential and increase plant health and depends on a long term coordinated approach.<br /> leading to good growth and development of<br /> plants. Ongoing researches proposes that Organic farming heavily relies upon green<br /> organically grown products contain more manuring and increasing the levels of organic<br /> significant levels of health promoting matter in the soil. The use of organic<br /> phytochemicals, potentially connected to materials has shown positive effects on the<br /> more prominent plant stress, rhizosphere various properties of the soil. Increasing the<br /> microbial networks, and additionally lower levels of organic matter in the organic<br /> accessible nitrogen. Yet, the overlap in farming methods can cause fluctuations in the<br /> different management practices among ion concentrations of soil and soil pH.<br /> different farming systems makes broad Supplements high in organic matter when<br /> generalizations troublesome. Besides, incorporated heavily in soil leads to increase<br /> ecological and crop species or potentially in the faunal population which are beneficial<br /> cultivar interactions may apply more to maintain the soil fertility.<br /> grounded impacts than the management.<br /> Various researches shows that the farms on<br /> Complex connections exist between various which organic farming has been practiced<br /> segments of the organic farm and the quantity over years have higher levels of organic<br /> and quality of the end products rely upon the matter, total nitrogen content, has high cation<br /> working of the entire framework and systems. exchange capacity. Also this soils have high<br /> <br /> 639<br />  Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 637-644<br /> <br /> <br /> extractable potassium, water content, pH, and also increase the uptake of nutrients from<br /> polysaccharide content, enzyme levels and the soil as they can be easily available.<br /> good amount of microbial biomass. Organic matter provides better aeration in the<br /> Organically farmed based soil also has good soil due to aggregate formation.<br /> physical properties like more granular<br /> structure, less hard and more friable. Research Nutrient cycling efficiencies can be greatly<br /> proved that organic farmed based soils also balanced by using organic matter which can<br /> shows lesser amount of soil erosion due to be observed in organic farming. Organic<br /> good soil structure which can be maintained matter in the soil can help in storing of water<br /> by different crop rotations. Organic farms and thereby reducing the ill effects of drought<br /> include green manure crop in its rotation and on plants.<br /> had different tillage methods which provides<br /> benefits against soil erosion. This indicates Organic farming also helps to increase the<br /> that organic farming over long period has beneficial microbes in the soil and augment<br /> greater benefits in maintaining soil tilth and them. Fungus, nematodes and other organism<br /> other soil properties. are present in abundant quantity in organic<br /> farming based soils. Parasitic fungus are<br /> Lower amount of organic matter in the soil available in high amount which controls the<br /> leads to poor soil structure and it inhibit crop level of harmful fungus which hampers the<br /> rooting. Vegetable crops are mostly shallow plant growth and productivity. But contrary to<br /> rooted crops and this affects the rooting of the this sometimes high level of harmful<br /> plants and thereby affecting the growth and organisms can also be observed. Mycorrhizal<br /> development of the plant. Organic matter in fungi are very useful in organic farming as<br /> the soil can help in even distribution of they acts as natural fertilizers and helps in<br /> nutrients and micronutrients can be easily increasing plant yield. It also contributes to<br /> available. Organic materials in the soil binds increase crop productivity and enhancing<br /> the particles and make good structure of soil ecosystem sustainaibility.<br /> which helps in better activity of root system<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 640<br />  Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 637-644<br /> <br /> <br /> Environment Aspects conventional farming regarding more<br /> extensive, worldwide effects. Direct energy<br /> Organic farming methods have been advanced use, energy related emissions, and ozone<br /> as, inter alia, diminishing the environmental depleting greenhouse gases are higher for the<br /> effects of agriculture. Organic farming organic farming test. Direct water use and<br /> practices commonly have positive and business are lower for the organic farms.<br /> beneficial on the environment per unit of Overall the emissions and other factors<br /> zone, yet not really per product unit. Organic impacting greenhouse effect are not too much<br /> farms in general have higher soil organic high in the organic farming systems.<br /> substance and lower nutrient losses (nitrogen<br /> draining, nitrous oxide emissions and alkali Various comprehensive assessment tools are<br /> emissions) per unit of field area. However, required for describing overall environmental<br /> alkali emissions, nitrogen leaching and impacts of different agriculture systems for<br /> nitrous oxide emission per item unit are developing highly sustainable systems for<br /> higher from natural and organic farming. more production and less environmental<br /> effects. Presently LCA (Life Cycle<br /> Organic farming had lower energy Assessment) is being greatly utilized to<br /> requirements, yet higher land use, compare the environmental sustainability of<br /> eutrophication potential and fermentation different farming methods and their products.<br /> potential per product unit. Impacts that are When LCA studies are performed for organic<br /> found to vary altogether between the systems farming methods it shows wide variation in<br /> are soil organic matter content, nitrogen the results. More variation is observed in<br /> leaching, nitrous oxide emissions per unit of resource efficiency of products from this<br /> field area, energy use and land use. A large different methods of farming. The studies<br /> portion of the examinations that thought about shows that impacts on environment per area<br /> biodiversity in organic cultivating exhibited of farmed land are usually less in organic<br /> lower ecological effects. In organic farming, farming but when related to quantity<br /> the principle challenges are to improve the produced environmental effects are often<br /> nutrient management and increase yields. greater.<br /> Cropping patterns can influence the impact on<br /> environment of farming systems. Mono Organic farming uses low agricultural inputs<br /> cropping which is essential in organic farming and it results in low energy demand. Organic<br /> certification is factor impacting the farming can help in energy savings and<br /> environment of the organic farming. carbon sequestration when practiced on huge<br /> scale. Also it provides number of important<br /> The arrangement of food production system environmental and social services like<br /> causes environmental effects that range from improving and maintaining the soil quality,<br /> local through to worldwide in scale. Organic increasing carbon sink, reducing the water<br /> farming, used here to mean farming practices usage, preserving biodiversity, reducing the<br /> with a more prominent emphasis on long term use of harmful chemicals which guarantees<br /> sustainability, is one general way to deal with safe food to people.<br /> reduce these effects. While organic farming<br /> might be contended to be better than Insect- pests and pathogens are the major<br /> conventional cultivating based on local problems in growing food organically by<br /> impacts, it is indeed not clear how organic various organic farming methods. It can be<br /> farming performs comparative with controlled by employing various crop rotation<br /> <br /> 641<br />  Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 637-644<br /> <br /> <br /> techniques. Some pests can be controlled by results in higher biodiversity of flora and<br /> various parasitoids. Controlling of pests by fauna. With the increased organisms<br /> parasitoids in organic farming of tomato has biodiversity in the soil it can lead to increased<br /> shown good results. Augmentation of various activity in soil which helps in soil health<br /> biological fauna can help in destruction of management.<br /> harmful pests and disease causing organisms.<br /> Various types of fauna helps in pollination<br /> Use of agrochemicals which are harmful to and increase the crop productivity.<br /> human health can be lowered by use of Researches shows that when organic farming<br /> parasitoids, entomopathogens, etc. In organic is practiced in a proper and sustained way it<br /> farming systems oils and natural chemicals can avoid losses of species and increase the<br /> are largely used which indirectly provides landscape view of the surroundings.<br /> good environmental effect. Neem based Contamination of water with chemicals leads<br /> products are widely used for controlling to deterioration of environment and also<br /> various types of pests and diseases. Due to effects the human health. Contamination of<br /> this environmental impacts can be lessened as groundwater with various chemicals can also<br /> lower usage of chemicals by which soil and be avoided in organic farming systems.<br /> human health can be benefited.<br /> Research showed that the population of<br /> Organic farming plays another role in bumble bees are affected with context to the<br /> maintaining and harboring various floral and landscape of the farms and its practices.<br /> faunal biodiversity. When organic farming is Higher homogeneity is observed in the<br /> practiced it maintains the species in an landscape of the organic farms with species<br /> environment. GMO ( Genetically modified richness and its abundance which attracts the<br /> organisms ) are also not permitted in organic bumble bees. Another factor affecting the<br /> farming systems as they disturb the habitat of attraction of bees to organic farming<br /> natural flora and fauna. The restricted use of landscapes is number of different flowers and<br /> pesticides in the organic farming approach abundance on the site.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 642<br />  Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 637-644<br /> <br /> <br /> Economics Aspects References<br /> <br /> Organic products are in huge demand Arden-Clarke, C., and Hodges, R. D. (1988).<br /> nowadays due to increased awareness about The environmental effects of<br /> health in public. Organic products comes at conventional and organic/biological<br /> higher prices due to increased cost of farming systems. II. Soil ecology, soil<br /> cultivation in terms of money for producing fertility and nutrient cycles. Biological<br /> healthy foods. Planting materials, organic Agriculture & Horticulture, 5(3), 223-<br /> manures, plant protection and other things 287.<br /> increase the cost of cultivation. Organic [BANR/NRC] Board on Agriculture and<br /> technologies when used for organic farming Natural Resources, National Research<br /> requires higher labour inputs. Yields can be Council. 2003. Frontiers in Agricultural<br /> substantially reduced for major horticultural Research: Food, Health, Environment,<br /> crops in organic farming which decreases the and Communities.<br /> profit level of farmers. In organic farming, Delate, K., Duffy, M., Chase, C., Holste, A.,<br /> weed competition is one major issue which Friedrich, H., & Wantate, N. (2003). An<br /> leads to increase in the cost of cultivation. economic comparison of organic and<br /> conventional grain crops in a long-term<br /> Organic farming when seen on long term agro ecological research (LTAR) site in<br /> benefits then surely it is beneficial to the lowa. American Journal of Alternative<br /> farmers. 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Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci. 9(03): 637-644.<br /> doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.903.076<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 644<br />