Soil Biology: The Hidden Life Beneath Your Farm
Beneath every healthy farm lies an invisible world teeming with life. Soil microbiologists believe that healthy soil means living soil—trillions upon trillions of organisms consuming organic matter, consuming each other, and releasing nutrients in the process. Understanding this hidden ecosystem is key to successful natural farming.
The Invisible Workforce: Soil Microorganisms
Healthy soil contains an astonishing diversity of life:
- Bacteria: Break down organic matter and fix nitrogen
- Actinomycetes: Decompose tough materials like lignin
- Fungi: Form vast networks that transport nutrients
- Protozoa: Feed on bacteria and release nutrients
- Nematodes: Regulate microbial populations
These organisms perform essential services: decomposing organic matter, cycling nutrients, and making minerals available to plants. When we apply chemical fertilizers, we bypass this living system. When we apply Jeevamrit, we feed and multiply it.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: Plant Partners
Mycorrhizal fungi are among the most important organisms in healthy soil. They colonize plant root systems, forming a partnership that benefits both:
- Plants provide sugars from photosynthesis to the fungi
- Fungi help plants absorb water and minerals, especially phosphorus
In healthy soil, mycorrhizal fungi grow immensely, creating networks that:
- Improve soil aggregate stability
- Build soil carbon
- Improve water use efficiency
- Increase nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulphur uptake
To encourage mycorrhizal fungi: reduce tillage, eliminate synthetic fertilizers, and maintain living plant cover as long as possible.
Earthworms: Engineers of the Soil
Earthworms are remarkable soil engineers. A systematic comparison in Andhra Pradesh revealed that natural farming fields host an average of 232 earthworms per square meter compared to just 32 on conventional fields.
What earthworms do:
- Create tunnels that bring oxygen deep into soil
- Improve drainage and water infiltration
- Mix organic matter throughout the soil profile
- Produce nutrient-rich casts (excrement)
Research shows that fresh worm casts contain:
- 5 times more accessible nitrogen than surrounding soil
- 7 times more accessible phosphorus
- 11 times more accessible potash
Earthworms are sensitive to chemical inputs. Tillage, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides all reduce their populations. Natural farming practices allow them to flourish.
Micro-Arthropods: The Tiny Nutrient Cyclers
Among soil micro-arthropods, springtails (Collembola) and mites (Acari) play primary roles in nutrient recycling. They graze on bacteria and fungi, stimulating microbial activity and contributing to nitrogen mineralization.
These tiny creatures are sensitive to changes in land management and are used as indicators of soil quality. Their abundance is positively correlated with soil carbon and nitrogen content.
Soil Organic Matter: The Foundation
Soil organic matter (SOM) is the key constituent dictating soil health. It:
- Creates granular soil structure
- Maintains favorable aeration and permeability
- Increases water-holding capacity
- Reduces surface runoff and erosion
- Serves as food for soil organisms
- Stores nutrients and buffers pH changes
Soil without organic matter is essentially dirt—tightly packed, impermeable, and unable to support healthy plant growth.
Building Soil Biology
Natural farming practices specifically target soil biology:
- Jeevamrit application: Introduces billions of beneficial microbes
- Mulching: Feeds soil organisms and moderates temperature
- No chemical inputs: Allows sensitive organisms to thrive
- Minimal tillage: Protects fungal networks and earthworm tunnels
- Diverse crops: Different plants support different microbial communities
The transition takes time. Soil depleted by years of chemical farming doesn't recover overnight. But with consistent natural farming practices, farmers report seeing earthworms return, soil becoming darker and more fragrant, and plants growing healthier—all signs of biological recovery.
When the invisible life beneath the farm thrives, everything above ground benefits. This is the foundation of natural farming.
