Jeevamruth or Jeevamrutha is a traditional Indian organic fertilizer used to enhance soil fertility by providing essential nutrients and boosting the populations of beneficial microbes in the soil. Technically, a fermented microbial culture, Jeevamruth, is prepared from natural ingredients like cow urine, cow dung, jaggery, pulse flour, healthy local farm soil, and water.
If you want to learn more about fertilization, discover all the relevant articles from the category Sustainable Plant Nutrient Management
Rooted in traditional Indian farming practices, particularly Vedic agriculture, indigenous practices and natural inputs can restore soil health, reduce dependency on chemical fertilizers, and enhance sustainability in agriculture.
Preparation of Jeevamruth
Ingredients:
Fresh cow dung (preferably from A2 breeds): 10 kg
Cow urine (preferably from A2 breeds): 10 liters
Jaggery (or sugarcane molasses): 2 kg
Pulse flour (e.g., chickpea flour): 2 kg
Handful of healthy, chemical-free soil from the farm or forest
Water: 200 liters
Method:
Mix cow dung and urine thoroughly in a large container. Add jaggery, pulse flour, and a handful of soil to the mixture and mix well to form a uniform slurry. Add water to this slurry and stir well.
Keep the mixture in the shade and stir it clockwise twice daily for 3-5 days. When the solution starts to foam up and develops a distinct earthy smell, the Jeevamruth is ready to be used.
How to use Jeevamruth?
- Soil Application:
Dilute the prepared Jeevamruth solution with water in a 1:10 ratio and apply it directly to the soil around the plants' bases. This can be done through drenching or furrow irrigation. It is used once every 15 days during the growing season to maintain soil microbial activity and nutrient availability.
- Seed Treatment:
Soak seeds in a diluted Jeevamruth solution (1:10 ratio with water) for 30 minutes before sowing. This treatment helps to promote better seed germination, early root development, and protection against soil-borne diseases.
- Foliar Spray:
Dilute Jeevamruth with water in a 1:20 ratio to prepare a foliar spray solution. Spraying this concoction provides nutrients directly to the plant foliage and enhances resistance to pests and diseases. Foliar spraying is generally done once every 15-20 days during the growing season.
- Compost Enrichment:
Mix Jeevamruth with compost materials to enhance the beneficial microbial population and speed up the composting process. Incorporating the enriched compost into the soil improves its organic matter content and increases the beneficial microbial population and nutrient availability.
- Drip Irrigation:
Jeevamruth is filtered to remove solid particles to prevent clogging of drip irrigation systems and applied at 200 liters per acre. The solution is diluted to the required concentration according to the field's water requirements to provide a steady supply of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms directly to the root zone.
Uses and Benefits of Sustainable Agriculture
- Soil Health: Jeevamruth introduces and enhances populations of beneficial microbes, which are crucial for long-term soil fertility and health. Synthetic fertilizers cannot provide this.
- Nutrient Supply: Jeevamruth provides essential nutrients to plants, improving growth, yield and overall plant health.
- Pest Resistance: It increases plant immunity against pests and diseases.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Jeevamruth offers a low-cost alternative to expensive chemical fertilizers, especially for small and marginal farmers.
- Environmental Sustainability: Reduces the ecological footprint of farming by minimizing chemical use and promoting organic practices.
- Adaptability: The application of Jeevamruth can be modified and adapted to suit local conditions and crop requirements, providing farmers with flexibility. Applying an excess of Jeevamruth never harms the soil, unlike chemical fertilizers, which need to be used in precise amounts to avoid harmful consequences. Using a handful of local soil adds an inoculum of beneficial microbes, which are best suited and well adapted to the local conditions in that region.
Disadvantages and limitations of Jeevamruth
- Non-Standardized Composition: Natural and locally sourced raw materials can vary widely in nutrient content, making it difficult to ensure consistent results regarding nutrient concentrations, microbial populations, etc.
- Labor-Intensive Preparation: Preparing and maintaining Jeevamruth cultures requires time and effort.
- Short Shelf Life: Once ready, Jeevamruth needs to be used within 15 days to ensure effectiveness since it is a live microbial culture.
- Scalability Issues: Large-scale applications can be challenging for commercial farms, mainly due to the lack of standardization, the requirement of fermentation tanks and filtration, etc.
Jeevamruth's role in promoting sustainable and eco-friendly agriculture makes it a valuable tool for farmers aiming to restore soil health and reduce reliance on chemical inputs. The advantages of using Jeevamruth, particularly in enhancing soil biodiversity and reducing environmental impact, often outweigh the drawbacks, especially when integrated with other sustainable farming practices, and has consistently demonstrated exceptional results in various scenarios.
