Humus is fertility
Humus cycle is essential for healthy and fertile soils. The humus cycle refers to the decomposition process of dead plants and animal matter. To better understand the humus cycle, it is primarily needed to investigate how humus gets formed in the soil.
Humus formation is carbon based
Primary materials needed for humus formation are organic (carbon-based) matter. Soil humus is established in two forms of natural and artificial (compost). For this, the primary raw materials should be provided in the soil containing: organic matter (carbon-based materials) such as plant residues and roots after harvest, straw, leaves, and dead plant materials. In addition to this, municipal, industrial, and green wastes, sewage sludge, and overall, each material that has the capacity of being decomposed in soil can be considered as primary raw materials in forming soil humus.
There are two types of humus
Permanent humus is a type of humic materials that are stable in long-term, which is gradually formed through the process of decomposition, transformation, and production by the activities of soil microbes, and has a decisive role in determining the soil structure. The permanent humus is in the center of the humus cycle and has the greatest impact on the cycle, where the habitat of microbes is.
Nutritious humus is stable for a brief time because it can be quickly established by the activities of soil microbes and one more time be absorbed by plant roots. Therefore, the nutritious humus is considered as a valuable and rich nutritional resource for plants, and an indispensable part of humus cycle.
Humus means sustainability
Humus cycle promotes sustainability in the soil system. In the case of continuation of humus formation in the soil, humus cycle runs forever. Because it can adjust the soil biological conditions, water, and air storage in the soil, and in general, makes the entire system sustainable. Eventually, since the soil conditions are of immense importance, especially at the beginning of humus establishment in the soil, adding an amount of 100-150 m3/ha compost would be recommended to improve and strengthen the soil for sustainable continuation of humus cycle.