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Rekha's clay field becomes waterlogged after rain…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Rekha's clay field becomes waterlogged after rain. Her brother's sandy field dries out fast and cannot hold water. Both of them add manure every year. Explain how manure helps both fields.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
A plant needs 16 nutrients: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from air and water, and 13 from the soil (6 macronutrients and 7 micronutrients). Manure adds organic matter. Fertilisers give nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Wells, canals, river lift systems and tanks bring water. The cropping patterns are mixed cropping, inter-cropping and crop rotation.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. What manure holds. Manure is rich in organic matter.
Step 2. The clay field. Organic matter helps water drain through clay, so the field does not stay waterlogged.
Step 3. The sandy field. Organic matter helps sand hold water, so the field does not dry out so fast.
Answer: the organic matter in manure helps clay soil drain and helps sandy soil hold water.
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