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=== Soil management === Organic farming relies more heavily on the natural breakdown of organic matter than the average conventional farm, using techniques like [[green manure]] and [[composting]], to replace nutrients taken from the soil by previous crops. This biological process, driven by [[microorganism]]s such as [[mycorrhiza]] and [[earthworms]], releases nutrients available to plants throughout the growing season. Farmers use a variety of methods to improve soil fertility, including crop rotation, cover cropping, reduced tillage, and application of compost. By reducing fuel-intensive tillage, less soil organic matter is lost to the atmosphere. This has an added benefit of [[carbon sequestration]], which reduces greenhouse gases and helps reverse climate change. Reducing tillage may also improve soil structure and reduce the potential for soil erosion. [[Plant nutrition|Plants need]] a large number of nutrients in various quantities to flourish. Supplying enough [[nitrogen]] and particularly synchronization, so that plants get enough nitrogen at the time when they need it most, is a challenge for organic farmers.<ref name=SoilFertility>{{Cite journal|vauthors=Watson CA, Atkinson D, Gosling P, Jackson LR, Rayns FW | title = Managing soil fertility in organic farming systems | year = 2002 | journal = Soil Use and Management | pages = 239β247| volume = 18 | doi = 10.1111/j.1475-2743.2002.tb00265.x | bibcode = 2002SUMan..18S.239W | s2cid = 36782412 | url = http://orgprints.org/8060/2/Watson_orgprints_8060.pdf }} [http://orgprints.org/8060/ Preprint with free full-text].</ref> [[Crop rotation]] and green manure ("[[cover crop]]s") help to provide nitrogen through [[legume]]s (more precisely, the family [[Fabaceae]]), which fix nitrogen from the atmosphere through symbiosis with [[rhizobia]]l [[bacteria]]. [[Intercropping]], which is sometimes used for insect and disease control, can also increase soil nutrients, but the competition between the legume and the crop can be problematic and wider spacing between crop rows is required. [[Crop residue]]s can be [[plough]]ed back into the soil, and different plants leave different amounts of nitrogen, potentially aiding synchronization.<ref name=SoilFertility/> Organic farmers also use animal [[manure]]and certain processed fertilizers, such as seed meal and various [[mineral]] powders such as [[rock phosphate]] and [[Greensand (geology)|green sand]], a naturally occurring form of [[potash]] that provides potassium. In some cases, [[pH]] may need to be amended. Natural pH amendments include [[Agricultural lime|lime]] and [[sulfur]], but in the U.S. some compounds, such as [[Iron(II) sulfate|iron sulfate]], [[aluminum sulfate]], [[magnesium sulfate]], and soluble [[boron]] products are allowed in organic farming.<ref name=Gillman2008/>{{Rp|43}} Mixed farms with both [[livestock]] and [[Tillage|crops]] can operate as [[ley farming|ley farms]], whereby the land gathers fertility through growing nitrogen-fixing [[forage]] grasses, such as [[white clover]] or [[alfalfa]], and grows [[cash crop]]s or [[cereal]]s when fertility is established. Farms without livestock ("stockless") may find it more difficult to maintain soil fertility and may rely more on external inputs, such as imported [[manure]], as well as grain legumes and green manures, although grain legumes may fix limited nitrogen because they are harvested. [[Horticulture|Horticultural]] farms that grow fruits and vegetables in protected conditions often rely even more on external inputs.<ref name=SoilFertility/> Manure is very bulky and is often not cost-effective to transport more than a short distance from the source. Manure for organic farms may become scarce if a sizable number of farms become organically managed.
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