ABSTRACT

The conversion from intensive/conventional agriculture to alternative forms of agriculture, including organic agriculture, shows the change in human attitudes toward the excessive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc. The increased use of synthetic fertilizers in cultivation has helped feed the world’s growing population, but their excessive use has also polluted the environment and caused a decline in soil productivity (Higa, 1991; Parr et al., 1994). There is evidence that many of these synthetic chemicals alter biological ecosystems, initiate changes in nontarget organisms, and exert influence on soil microorganisms. Nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas, evolved from soils due to the excessive use of fertilizers and now causes damage to the ozone layer. All these factors have resulted in a change in the attitude toward the conventional system of agriculture and a shift toward exploring alternative means. Traditional practices such as organic farming are now being considered as remedies for the hazardous effects that synthetic fertilizers have had on soil biology (Thampan, 1995; Das and Biswas, 2002). Organic agriculture emphasizes the functional dynamic interactions among soil, plants, animals, humans, ecosystems, and environment. Organic farming means farming in the spirit of organic relationships. Organic agriculture involves the judicious use of resources and ecological processes that are otherwise naturally present in an agriculture ecosystem. It is a production system that avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetically produced fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, and livestock feed additives. To the maximum extent feasible, organic farming systems rely on crop rotation, crop residues, animal manures, green manures, off-farm organic waste, and aspects of biological pest control to maintain

soil productivity and tilth, to supply plant nutrients, and to control pests. Organic farming also considers the soil a living system that harbors and develops the activities of beneficial organisms. The overall aim of organic agricultural management is to reduce off-farm inputs and minimize waste and environmental degradation, while encouraging resilience to disturbances such as disease outbreaks and adverse climate conditions.