IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SOIL

Abstract

Agricultural soils in México are generally poor in organic matter (OM), with values lower than 1 % with estimated contributions of 17.4 kg of nitrogen (N) ha^-1, while a rich soil (4 %) can contribute up to 69.6 kg N ha^-1, calculated from its percentage of annual mineralization of 1.5 %, with an N content in organic matter of 5.8 % for a soil weight per hectare of 2X10⁶ kg in the first 0-15 cm. This is an indicator of the importance that organic matter has in the soil to supply minerals and as improver of the physical characteristics and energy storage for microbial life. The only way of maintaining a good OM content in the soil is through the addition of organic fertilizers, and plant and industrial residues, suitable and transformed as compost and vermicompost.