Write about the natural methods used to maintain soil fertility

Write about the natural methods used to maintain soil fertility.

Answer:
To maintain the fertility of the soil following natural methods are used:

  1. Field fallow: The land is left free or fallow for one or more seasons to naturally regain the nutrients.
  2. Mixed cropping: It is the practice of growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same piece of field. For example, if a cereal crop such as w7heat is grown along with a leguminous crop such as pulse (e.g., gram).
  3. Crop rotation: It is the process of growing a crop in between two similar crops. For example, wheat crop is planted during the month of November and harvested in March and April. Rice crop is planted in June-July and harvested in October- November. Now in between these two seasons, the land lies empty. Instead of leaving it as it is, the farmers plant a pulse crop in this time.