Are the seeds used to grow green manure crops, intended for incorporation into the soil, required to be organic?
Yes. All seeds used in the organic production system, whether the plant is used for food, feed or soil incorporation have the same requirements. They must be organic except under the specific exceptions listed.
@ Melekote, I dont think seeds sowing for green manure crops must be organic. Green manures are plants such ryegrass, clovers, field beans, phacelia, mustards and buckwheat sown fairly thickly (may be organic or inorganic produced seeds) to produce a dense mat of green growth that is dug in (or cut down) before the plant flowers to increase soil fertility. For example, Sesbania Seed is valuable as a green manure crop because of its tremendous growth. Sesbania is a vigorous, very tall annual legume that thrives in warm weather locations. The stalks of this plant reach a height of 8 to 12 feet. It can be ready to plow under in 8 to 12 weeks after germination. Therefore, I think plant biomass is important for green manuring, not the seeds of the plant.
Very good question. Not necessary , the purpose is to have increased biomass and , thereby, higher turnover of metabolised nutrients into the soil....
Not at all, you may have either organic or inorganic seeds. The idea in cover crop production is to have increased biomass for soil organic matter improvements......
May be not all the time! The seeds contain a miniature plant and food reserve that will be utilized during the early growth stage of the seedling. If they are from inorganic or organic source their effect on the growing plant of the soil, interns of any harmful residue is insignificant. The cover crops are grown for biomass and production that will be incorporated into the soil and enriching the soil with Nitrogen (when we grow legumes, which are dominantly) and other mineral nutrients. Whether the seed of the cover crops are from organic or inorganic source, when they germinate the seed coat remains in the soil and decompose, while the endosperm/cotyledons will be converted to sucrose to be used for respiration. Thus, any chemical residue will be leached out from the soil during the production cycle. However, there might be traces of some persistent xenobitics that can be translocated to the ultimate product may have an effect. One of such compounds is Paclobutrazol, which is used for seed dressing. How much of this compound could remain in the product may matter...
Ethically yes. Practically, the seeds mainly used for raising crops for green manuring purposes, should be raised avoiding synthetics.
I think it won't be necessary because we use the crop seeds for green manuring with only and prime objective of producing bulk of biomass with high nutritional quality.
Seed grown with synthetic fertilizers won't be passing those synthetic compounds to green manure and green manure to our economic crops.
The seeds for green manure crops whether these are organic or inorganic may not the obligatory matter of consideration. The main objectives for growing green manure crops are to provide maximum biomass, organic matter ect. to the soil.
Again I say ethically yes. But, production and certification systems have the liberty to include/exclude any particular requirement as per organic production system requires or dictates.
If you look at the organic regulation it is very clear that seedlings originating in conventionally managed enterprises may be used on an interim basis in the country where organic farming is not widely adopted. Similarly, manure sourcing it from conventional farms may sometimes be allowed under special circumstances. For certification it is ensured that products are grown according to organic standards. So it is definitely not necessary that your seed should be originated from organic farming only.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Agriculture
- Horticulture
- Seeds