AU2014254489A1 - Method for restoration and increase of soil fertility, in particular on desert or semi-desert crop areas - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the methods for soil cultivation, in particular under desert and semi-desert conditions, which enables to increase productivity while saving the soil fertility. It is proposed to form, in pre-sowing period, a screening layer mixed with the soil at the depth of the topsoil and containing milled sodium bentonite and a poultry manure previously treated with an enzyme preparation produced under name of Oxyzyme. After sowing or planting the plants, the screening layer is saturated with water, into the water of the first watering another enzyme preparation - Agrozyme, being added in a certain ratio with water. Optimum conditions of carrying out of the method allow to ensure effective development of biocoenosis and, as a result, to achieve restoration and increase of the fertility of the cultured soil.

Description

WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 METHOD FOR RESTORATION AND INCREASE OF SOIL FERTILITY, IN PARTICULAR ON DESERT OR SEMI-DESERT CROP AREAS Field of invention The present invention relates to agriculture, in particular to methods for soil 5 cultivation, and more particular to methods for restoration and maintenance of fertility of the soils of desert and semi-desert areas, as well as fertile soils, in order to gain high crops while maintaining soil fertility. The invention allows to refuse completely from using chemical fertilizers as well as organics introduced on the basis of the needed NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) for planned crops. 10 Background art It is known a method of increasing of soil fertility according to which a phosphorus containing raw material is introduced into a soil together with an acidification agent (RU, 2178964). This method discloses a using of phosphorite meal as a phosphorus containing raw material, and phosphogypsum as acidification agent. Proportion of these components in a 15 mixture is 1:1. This invention enables to increase the crop yield. This method has a disadvantage that consists in necessity to have some obligatory content of humus more than 3% in cultivated soil, which is impossible under conditions of desert sandy soils. Another known method for soil cultivation comprises mulching a soil by means of a 20 powdered peat previously mixed with calcium compounds (RU, 2067804). According to this known method ammonium lignosulfonate is added to a peat in the amount of 0.02 - 0.5 % by weight based on the perfectly dry substance, and then mixed with it. A calcium carbonate is used as a calcium compound in the amount calculated by a specific formula given in the specification . 25 A disadvantage of this known method is obligatory presence of some organics in cultivated soil to ensure viability of cultivated plant, that is impossible under circumstances of sandy desert. Besides, it is known also a method for soil enrichment, where a sapropel subpeat layer with high content of organic substance is applied to the soil (RU, 2408181). The technical 30 result of this prior art method consists in increasing of organic substance content in the soil, increasing of useful microflora content and in improvement of environmental situation in the soil itself owing to increased content of mineral nutrition elements.

WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 2 A disadvantage of the above method is also obligatory presence of some organics in the soil of cultivated area to ensure viability of cultivated plant, that is impossible under sandy desert circumstances. The most relevant method to the present invention is a method for restoration and 5 increase of soil fertility, which includes treatment of soil with a mulch that contains an ecologically pure agronomical ore of natural origin, having high sanitary and hygienic properties as well as nutritional value, namely a zeolite-containing raw material from the Khotynetskii deposit of the Orlovskii oblasty (KHOTYLIT), poultry manure, sideline products of agricultural plants, waists of sawmill and cereal productions (RU, 2199193) . 10 Consumption of the mixture ranges from 8 to 10 t/ha. Using of this known method allows to ameliorate the agrophysical and agrochemical properties of a soil . A disadvantage of the most relevant method consists in applying of the poultry manure without its preliminary disinfection and as a result, in introducing a pathogenic microflora, e. g. helminthes, into soil. No guaranteed "mechanism" is there for triggering certain start 15 conditions to develop microbiocoenosis for desert or semi-desert sand soils accordingly, and there are no guarantees for restoration and maintain of fertility of such soils. Summary of the invention The main object of the present invention is to create such a method for restoration and increase of soil fertility, particularly on desert or semi-desert crop areas, which, by providing 20 certain start conditions to develop microbiocoenosis in soils of desert or semi-desert regions, and by making humus, would allow to achieve higher crop yields at lower costs in comparison with conventional mineral or organic fertilizers applied on the basis of needed NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) for planned crops. The proposed method for restoration and increase of soil fertility, particularly on 25 desert or semi-desert crop areas comprises applying organic and natural mineral materials to the treated soil in pre-sowing period and saturation of the soil with moisture in post-sowing period. According to the invention a poultry manure is used preferably as organic material and sodium bentonite is used as mineral material wherein the treatment of these materials and applying them to the soil are carried out in the pre-sowing period in the following 30 sequence of steps: (a) pretreating of the poultry manure by an enzyme preparation produced under name Exyzyme which is synthesized from syrup of sugar beet and ensured decomposition and disinfection of the used organic material; WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 3 (b) milling sodium bentonite to reduce filtration and the rate of evaporation of the water in the treated soil; (c) applying the materials, obtained at steps (a) and (b), to the treated soil; and (d) mixing the applied materials with the treated soil, laying them at the depth of the 5 topsoil of a plant chosen for cultivation, and as a result, obtaining a screening layer that ensures start conditions of development of microbiocoenosis. Furthermore, after sowing or planting the plants in the obtained screening layer, regular watering of this layer is performed, into the water of the first watering an enzyme preparation produced under name Agrozyme, synthesized from syrup of sugar beet and ensures enhancement of aerobic soil bacteria 10 activity in rhizosphere of the plants, being added . According to a preferable embodiment of the present method, it is advisable at step (b) to perform the milling of bentonite until the diameters of milled particles reaches the range of about 0.005 to 2 mm, and at step (c) to apply the materials to the treated soil in series (one after another) or in a mixture. 15 It is preferable also in one of the embodiments of the invention to choose the consumption of the previously treated organic material in the range of from about 3 to 4 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil is less than about 1 %, from about 1.5 to 2.0 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil does not exceed about 3%, and from about 0.7 to 1.3 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil is more than about 3 %. 20 Furthermore, it is preferable to choose the consumption of the milled sodium bentonite in the range of from about 20 to 25 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil is less than about 1 %, in the range of from about 13 to 18 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil does not exceed 3%, and in the range of from about 7 to 12 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil is more than about 3 %. 25 The enzyme preparation - Agrozyme may be added into the first watering water in the ratio to the water from about 1/200 to 1/1000, while its consumption value may be chosen within the range of from about 4 to 5 liters of the concentrate per 1 hectare. Accordingly to another preferable embodiment of the claimed method, it is advisable after each harvest to re-apply the organic material to the pre-treated at stage (a) screening 30 layer in the quantity of from about 0.7 to 1.3 tons per hectare, and the enzyme preparation Agrozyme in the ratio to the water within the range of about 1/200 to 1/1000 at the rate of 4-5 liter of the concentrate per I hectare. Besides, it is also preferable before performing stage (a), to introduce additionally into WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 4 the poultry manure other wastes of poultry production in the quantity that does not exceed 15 % of the whole mass of the organic material. At that, the most preferable poultry manure is a chicken manure. The author has found that it is a combination of such unique factors as: the proposed 5 creation (in the pre-sowing period) of a screening layer as deep as the topsoil; applying the bentonite and specifically treated organic material based on poultry manure by such preparation as Exyzyme; as well as adding the another preparation - Agrozyme during the first watering when sowing or planting the plants, that enables to start the biocoenosis process. According to the preferable embodiments of the present method, due to optimization 10 of the conditions of pretreating and the composition of the organic material itself, the milling of bentonite and the consumptions of all used materials the most effective development of biocoenosis is provided , and, as a result, the restoration and increase of soil fertility, particularly in the desert or semi-desert regions, are achieved. The characteristic feature of the presence of biocoenosis when using the proposed 15 method is that after starting the biocoenosis, carried out with the proposed conditions, in the absence of removal of nutrients with crop from the field, the operations of steps a) - d), except irrigation, do not need to perform. In the case of removal of the crop from the cultivated area, compensation for removal of the nutrients may be made by application of an additional quantity of the treated organic material (the quantity being far fewer as compared 20 with initial one) and of Agrozyme preparation. It should be noted that the method of the invention allows to restore the natural microbiocoenosis in soils which have lost their fertility, as well as in fertile soils, rather than use of mineral fertilizers for soil cultivation, to prevent loss of soil fertility. At that, on irrigated lands, it is possible, after sowing, to saturate the screening layer 25 with water up to 0.7 FMC (full field moisture capacity of the soil). In case of northern latitudes the screening layer is prepared yet in autumn to retain water content in it after snow melting, while for latitudes with humid climate and seasonal rains the screening layer is prepared before rainy season. Best mode of carrying out of the invention 30 Further the substance of the invention will be explained in more details with reference to the Example of carrying out the invention disclosed restoration and increase of the fertility of irrigated desert soil in the region of Al Ain (UAE) when culturing alfalfa by using the claimed method.

WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 5 The calculated harvest was about 20.0 t/ha. per one collection of green mass, and 200.0 t/ha. per 10 collections when year-round gather of green mass. Initial data of the soils were as follows: Topsoil for alfalfa - 30 cm. 5 Dry soil density Pdry- 1.685 g/cm 3 . Density of solid particles of the soil Psot.p.- 2.65 g/cm 3 . Soil classification - sand of average fineness. Table 1 shows data of laboratory analysis of the soil. 10 Table 1. Agrochemical parameters of soil fertility Parameter Content in soil Content in 30 cm soil layer (mg/kg) (kg/ha.) Alkali-hydrolyzed Nitrogen (available) 29 146 Labile Phosphorus (P205) (available) 50 252 Exchange Potassium (K20) (available) 169.1 855 Table 2 shows data for removal from the soil when the harvest of alfalfa green mass is 20.0 t/ha. - 200 t/ha. Table 2. Removal of nutrients with crop of alfalfa Yield (t/ha.) Content of nutrients Summary removal Consumption of Green Absolute dry in the crop with the crop nutrients per I t of mass substance (% per absolute dry (kg/ha.) the absolute dry substance) substance in the crop (kg) N P K N P K N P K 20.0 4.6 (5.3 of hay) 2.45 0.58 1.51 112.7 27 69 24.5 6 15 200.0 46 (53.3 of hay) 2.45 0.58 1.51 1127 270 690 15 Thus, nutrient removal per planned yield 20.0 t/ha. of alfalfa quantities to: Nitrogen - 112.7 kg/ha., Phosphorus - 27 kg/ha., Potassium - 69 kg/ha. Accordingly, in the case of 10 crops, the removal of nutrients will amount to: Nitrogen - 1127 kg/ha.; Phosphorus - 270 kg/ha.; Potassium - 690 kg/ha.

WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 6 In symbiosis with nodule bacteria the alfalfa accumulates up to 50-75 kg/ha. (average - 62.5 kg/ha.) of Nitrogen per one crop or 500-750 kg/ha. (average - 625 kg/ha.) per 10 crops. To calculate the fertilizer needed for a planned harvest, the parameters shown in Table 3 may be used. 5 Table 3. The approximate consumption rates of the nutrients from the soil and fertilizers by alfalfa plants Nutrient Consumption rate (%) From soil From mineral fertilizer From organic fertilizer Nitrogen 20 40 35-40 Phosphorus 10 15 25-35 Potassium 17 20 50-60 Calculation of fertilizer dosage was performed according to the method and formula developed by "Institut Zemlerobstva Natsionalnoi Akademii akademii agrarnykh nauk Ukrainy" (Institute of Agriculture of NAASU): D- 10oxynXB-Pxa/iOO, 10 V where: D - is the calculated fertilizer doze, kg/ha.; Yn - is the planned yield of the main product (dry substance), t/ha.; B - is nutrient removal per 1 t of the product, kg/ha.; 15 P - is the stock of available nutrients in the soil, kg/ha.; a - is the consumption rate of the nutrients from the soil, %; y - is the consumption rate of the nutrients from the fertilizers, %. Table 4 represents the calculated data of nutrient consumption for the planned 20 harvests. Table 4. Quantities of the nutrients for the planned harvest of the alfalfa green mass The demand for active substances, kg/ha. E With mineral Replenishment due Needed quantity of Nutrient element fertilizer to symbiotic need e nti Nitrogen-fixation nutrients 20 t/ha. (4.6 t/ha. of the absolute dry substance or 5.33 t/ha. of hay) Nitrogen 281 62.5 218.5 WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 7 Phosphorus 182.3 182.3 Potassium 336.5 336.5 200 t/ha. (46 t/ha. of the absolute dry substance or 5.33 t/ha. of hay ) Nitrogen 2810 625 2185 Phosphorus 1823 - 1823 Potassium 3365 3365 Below, a calculation of consumption of the widespread mineral fertilizers related to the case described, i.e. alfalfa culturing on the desert sand soils in UAE, is provided. Urea (carbamide), the most concentrated nitrogen fertilizer: CO(NH 2

)

2 , Nitrogen 5 content amounts to 46%; price: 4000 hrn/t (500 $/t); required quantity: 2185/0.46 = 3957 kg/ha; cost: 3.957 t x 500 = $1978.5; at tenfold crop harvesting (during a year) per 1 ha. Double superphosphate: Ca(H 2

PO

4

)

2

*H

2 0, Phosphorus content: 45-50% (47.5%); price: 4800 hrn/t ($600/t); required quantity: 1823/0,47 = 3879 kg/ha; cost: 3.879 T x 600 = $2327; at tenfold crop harvesting (during a year) per 1 ha. 10 Potassium chloride: KCI, Potassium content: 52-60% (56%); price: 4500 hrn/t ($562); required quantity: 3365/0,56 = 6009 kg/ha; cost: 6,009 t x 562 = $3377 at tenfold crop harvesting (during a year) per I ha. Hence, fertilizer cost will be $1978.5 + $2327 + $3377 = $7682.5 or $144.1 $ per 1 ton of hay. 15 Shortage of using mineral fertilizers consists in that they involve a disturbance of the microbiocoenosis and death of useful bacteria. It is the biocoenosis, based on the symbiosis of plants and microflore of the root-zone system, that is the main geologic-converting factor on earth, as result of which there humus and soil fertility have been appeared. 20 Chemical compounds that are applied with mineral fertilizers to the soil, disturb the developed over millions of years nature process of vital activity of the autotrophic microbes, the organisms which synthesize organic compounds from inorganic ones, and which, to build there bodies, use inorganic substances of soil, water, and air. Autotrophes, as the primary link in nutrition of plants, are initial producers of the organic substance in the biosphere and 25 supply nutrients to the secondary link of the microorganisms, heterotrophs, which also are producers of the organic substance. Plants supply up to 20% of their mass in a form of the root-zone secretion, with which they additionally nourish the heterotrophs and WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 8 microorganisms that exhibit properties of both heterotrophs and autotrophs. The whole process is the process of microbiocoenosis that becomes disturbed when the mineral fertilizers are applied. The autotrophs, affected by «knock-out doses of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, perish or mutate under the influence of excessive background of NPK, lose their 5 ability of extracting elements from the mother soil, i.e. their normal vital functions become disturbed. Thus, vital functions of the secondary link, heterotrophs, are disturbed as well, because heterotrophs use, for their vital functions, the organic substances of the previous link. As a result, the release process and the intake of the root-zone secretion disturb, and finally the soil degrades and becomes impoverished, since there is no one to create a fertile humus. 10 In the plants' vegetation period, only small part of useful components of chemical fertilizers is used, because of which, from year to year, a still more increasing background of substances is being created in a quantity that does not correspond to the soil, and disturbances appear in both biocoenosis and adjacent environment. 15 Requirements for the soil moisture, the irrigation water For forming one kilo of its mass (dry substance), transpiration ratio, alfalfa consumes 663-771 kg (717 kg) of water. Alfalfa sets heightened demands for the water; it is resistant to atmospheric drought but exigent to the soil moisture. The minimal consumption of water due to evaporation and filtration is about 25% of 20 the total consumption. The total water consumption with account of transpiration for the described case of alfalfa, on the basis of the planned harvest of 20 t/ha. per one crop of green mass (4.6 t/ha. of absolute dry substance or 5.3 t/ha. of hay), is about 5067 m 3 /ha. or 956 m 3 per 1 ton of hay. For the first watering, quantity of water is calculated on the basis of full field moisture 25 capacity of the soil (FMC): FMC = (1 -Pdry/Psolidp. )X1OO/Pdr,= (1 - 1.685/2,65) x100/1.685 21,6%. Here the demands for soil moisture - Wdem = 0,7xFMC = 0,7x21,6 z15,12 (%). The 30 cm topsoil contains 505.5 kg of soil and needs for the first watering 76.4 1 or 764 m 3 /ha. of water per 1 in 2 , the rest water supply is equal 5067-764 = 4303 m 3 and 30 distributed over the whole vegetation period: for a second and further harvests during about 30 days. Water prices for agriculture (irrigation) are very different over the whole world. For instance, in Ukraine or Uzbekistan I cubic meter of water costs approximately $0.015. It is WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 9 difficult to get reliable data about the prices of irrigation water, particularly for the Middle 3 East countries. According to unofficial data the water price (e. g. for Kuwait) is $0.9/m When for calculations is accepted this price (which is one of the highest water prices in the world), than it can get the expenses for water about $860 per 1 ton of hay of alfalfa. 5 On the basis of the sale price (market price) of alfalfa hay $200/t, it is clear that at actual prices of mineral fertilizers and the cost of irrigation water indicated above ($0.9/m 3 ), cultivation of alfalfa in the circumstances of desert of UAE, when using mineral fertilizers, is absolutely unprofitable. The way to the profitability and cost reduction in agriculture goes through various 10 measures including the economy of water expenses and the reduction of fertilizer costs. This problem may find its solution in implementation of the method of the invention (also could be named as obiocoenosis technology ) which enables to create the start conditions for microbiocoenosis in the soils of desert and semi-desert regions and to perform measures for its further maintenance. The biocoenosis technology enables to restore the 15 natural microbiocoenosis in the soils which had lost their fertility, and in the fertile soils, where for their cultivation the mineral fertilizers are used, to prevent loss of their fertility. Implementation of the proposed biocoenosis technology allows to increase the soil fertility by accumulation of humus, and to obtain considerably higher crops than using mineral fertilizers. 20 The method of the invention includes several specific operations For providing the start conditions a soil screening layer is created as deep as the topsoil of cultivated plants which comprises: - particles of sodium bentonite of the diameter ranged within 0,05-2,0 mm (Table 5). 25 Table 5 Approximate composition of sodium bentonite Norm of applying per 1 ha. Name of index Quantity Quantity At humus At humus At humus in 1 ton content content content in the soil in the soil in the soil up to 1% up to 3% up to 3% 25 tons/ha. 15 tons/ha. 10 tons/ha.

WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 10 Phosphorus (P 2 0 5 ) labile (available) 0.03% 0.3 kg 7.5 kg/ha. 4.5 kg/ha. 3.0 kg/ha. Potassium (K 2 0) 0.36% 3.6 kg 90 kg/ha. 54 kg/ha. 36 kg/ha. exchange (available) Cost of non-activated - - 1750 $ 1050 $ 700 $ bentonite per Iha. at $70/t Bentonite is applied one time, at creation of the start conditions for biocoenosis. Depending on the yield of the soil, repeated applying of bentonite is possible after 5-7 years. For the case being considered, where the soil is sand of the desert of UAE, with a 5 bentonite dose of 25 t/ha., a part of up to 80% of the moisture of FMC (full field moisture capacity of the soil) accumulates in the screening layer due to absorbing property of bentonite, 1 gram of which absorbs 5 grams of water, what is confirmed experimentally. In the initial period of vegetation the root system is developing under the moisture conditions which are close to the optimal ones. A part of the peripheral root penetrates into 10 the layer wetted owing to descending of the moisture below the base layer of the first plowing, 0,30 m. Dying-off of the root hairs (their interchange ) occurs within 10-20 days, resulting in the formation of channels in which moisture condenses and microflora proliferates. Thus, the habitat of both the microorganisms and the plant roots successively expands, enhancing the possibilities of the whole chain of biocoenosis to have access to the 15 nutrients of the soil. Hydrocumulative properties of bentonite support storage moisture in the soil, preventing evaporation and filtration. Some experiments on keeping the sand-bentonite mixture (when dose of bentonite is 25 kg per I m 2 at depth of screening layer for alfalfa of 0,3 m) in an oven at temperature of +50 0 C have shown a decrease of the rate of evaporation of 20 water by about 40%. It should be noted that consumption of irrigation water for the same crop in the same climate region depends on many factors: for instance, of great importance are granulometric composition of the soil, optimal density of sowing which forms the microclimate on the sowing area, etc. In Ukraine, the expense rate of the alfalfa seeds is 18-20 kg/ha. In the UAE this rate increases to 50 kg/ha., i. e. in this case the sowing density prevents 25 from moisture evaporation. In the UAE, quantity of irrigation water, owing to lowering of evaporation and filtration, will decrease from the total amount of 5067 m 3 /ha. down to 4560 M 3 /ha. ($774 per 1 WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 11 ton of hay). At this, the water consumption will decrease by $456 for one harvest. Hence, the costs of bentonite are justified and will be repaid in about 4 harvests (in less than about half a year). Clay particles considerably stimulate the vital activity of a number of species of 5 microorganisms present in the screening layer, and in particular their respiratory activity. The the physiological activity of microorganisms is influenced mostly by bentonite (montmorillonite). Further, to the screening layer is applied also: - chicken manure processed by means of fermentation with "Oxyzyme" preparation 10 which posses an enzyme activity of the oxidase class and is synthesized from syrup of sugar beet (further used as " Organic") (Table 6). "Oxyzyme" is produced by company "Dnieprovskaya Associaciya-K" in Ukraine and in more details described at the site of this company : www.star-k.com.ua Table 6 Approximate composition of Organic *Applying rate per 1 ha. Name of index Quantity Quantity At humus At humus At humus in 1 ton content content content in the soil in the soil in the soil up to 1% up to 3% over 3% 3 tons/ha. 1.5 ton/ha. 1 ton/ha. Alkali hydrolyzed 3.75% 37.5 kg 112.5 kg/ha. 56.3 kg/ha. 37.5 kg/ha. (available) Nitrogen Phosphorus

(P

2 0 5 ) labile (available) 3.37% 33.7 kg 101.1 kg/ha. 50.5 kg/ha. 33.7 kg/ha. Potassium (K 2 0) 3.75% 37.5 kg 112.5 kg/ha. 56.3 kg/ha. 37.5 kg/ha. exchange (available) **Cost of Organic per 1 - - 60 $ 30 $ 20 $ ha. at ~$20/t *** Cost of Organic per 1 - - 300 $ 200 $ 100 $ ha. at ~$100/t 15 *Applying rates are indicated for humidity of Organic in terms of its 12% humidity.

WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 12 **Price of Organic is indicated for its state of production at a farm without drying, milling and packaging. ***Price of Organic is indicated for its state of production at a farm with drying and packaging. 5 The author considers that applying of Organic to the screening layer is a critical factor for starting biocoenosis. After each harvest Organic may be applied to the soil in the quantity of 1 ton per I ha. (Table 7). Table 7 Approximate composition of Organic * Application per 1 ha. after harvest independently from the humus rate of the soil Article Quantity Quantity 1 ton/ha. in 1 ton Alkali hydrolyzed 3.75% 37.5 kg 37.5 kg/ha. (available) Nitrogen Labile (available) Phosphorus (P 2 0 5 ) 3.37% 33.7 kg 33.7 kg/ha. Exchange (available) 3.75% 37.5 kg 37.5 kg/ha. Potassium (K 2 0) **Cost of Organic per - - $20 Iha. at -$20/t *** Cost of Organic per - $100 1 ha. at ~$100/t 10 The process of the production of Organic from a chicken manure with using of the enzyme preparation - Oxyzyme is performed in clamps and allows to warm up of the substrate to the temperature within the range 450-700C providing sterilization it from the pathogenic microflore, helminthes, and weed seeds. In this process thermophilic 15 microorganisms take part, transforming inaccessible forms of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium into forms accessible for plants. Unpleasant smell of manure reduces in a few hours from the beginning of the process. In doing so, not only the manure but also the plume, WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 13 carcasses of the dead animals, and blood are transformed. After 7-30 days, depending on the ambient temperature, a clamp will present a friable mass of brown to deep brown and black color, without specific pungent odor of ammonia and having 40 - 45% humidity, that may be applied to the screening layer. 5 Under the conditions of the UAE, when the day temperature is within 35-45 0 C, the manure transformation process takes about 7 days. And finally, another component applied to the screening layer after sowing of alfalfa is - preparation - Agrozyme which posses an enzyme activity of the oxidase class and is synthesized from syrup of sugar beet (Table 8). 10 Agrozyme is produced by company "Dnieprovskaya Associaciya-K" in Ukraine and in more details described at the site: www.star-k.com.ua Table 8 Composition of Agrozyme of the density of 1.25 g/cm 3 Applying per 1 ha. after Name of index Quantity Quantity harvest, independently in 1 liter from the humus rate of the soil 4.4 1/ha. Alkali hydrolyzed (available) Nitrogen 0.28 % 0.0035 kg 0.0154 kg/ha. Labile (available) Phosphorus (P 2 0 5 ) 0.25 % 0.0031 kg 0.014 kg/ha. Exchange (available) Potassium (K20) 0.6 % 0.0075 kg 0.033 Cost of Agrozyme per 1 ha. at ~$22/1 - - $96.8 After each harvest, Agrozyme is applied to the soil in the quantity of 4.4 1 per I ha. 15 Upon applying with the first watering to the screening layer, a solution of the enzyme preparation - Agrozyme promotes development of the microorganisms in the rhizosphere of the plants, contributes due to its catalytic properties to the accelerated processing of the root hairs which die off, leaving behind them the channels for the penetration of air and moisture. Agrozyme, in addition to the catalytic properties, possesses properties of surface-active 20 substances. This enables to reduce the surface tension coefficient of water solution from 72 x 10-3 N/m to 28-30x1 0- N/m and so to ensure the high penetration of moisture into the WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 14 smallest soil capillary, and hence to favor conditions for proliferation of microflore and economy of moisture. Bentonite and Organic are applied to the screening layer in the amount shown in Tables 5, 6 and are mixed to the depth of 0,3 M (in the case of alfalfa), e. g. by means of a cultivator. 5 The second and the next applying of Organic are performed by surface spreading. Agrozyme is applied by means of sprincler of liquid fertilizers or by means of irrigation system. The costs of starting and maintaining the fertility when producing Organic, under the conditions of a farm without drying for 10 harvests per year will be as follows: $1750+3x$20+9x$20+10x4.41x$22=$2958, or $55.5 per 1 ton of hay in the first year, 10 and 10 x $20+10 x4.41x$22=$1168, or $21.9/t of hay in the second and next years. The costs of starting and maintaining the fertility when producing Organic, under the conditions of a farm with drying for 10 harvests per year will be as follows: $1750+3x$100+9x$100+10x4.41x$22=$3918, or $73.5 per 1 ton of hay in the first year, 15 and 10 x $100+10x4.41x$22=$1968, or $36.9/t of hay in the second and next years. The quantity of available forms of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium applied to the soil with bentonite, Organic, and Agrozyme using the claimed method, for 10 harvests of alfalfa per year, will be: 20 - from bentonite (dose: 25 t/ha.): Nitrogen = 0; Phosphorus = 7.5 kg/ha.; Potassium = 90 kg/ha.; - from Organic (dose: 3 t/ha.+9x1 t/ha.): 25 Nitrogen = 3x37.5+9x37.5 = 450 kg/ha.; Phosphorus = 3x33.7+9x33.7=404.4 kg/ha.; Potassium = 3x37.5+9x37.5=450 kg/ha.; - from Agrozyme (dose: 4.4 1/ha.+9x4.4 1/ha.): Nitrogen = 4,4x0.0035+9x0.0035=0.0469 kg/ha.; 30 Phosphorus = 4.4x0,0031+9x0.003 1=0.0415 kg/ha.; Potassium = 4.4x0.0075+9x0.0075= 0.1 kg/ha.. - In total: Nitrogen = 450,05 kg/ha.; WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 15 Phosphorus = 411,94 kg/ha.; Potassium = 540 kg/ha.. Thus, even without considering the rates of using nutrients from bentonite and Organic for alfalfa, the claimed method provides the amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium 5 which are less than it is needed when using mineral fertilizers namely: of Nitrogen -- 4.85 times (2185 kg/ha.: 450.05=4.85); of Phosphorus - 4.42 times (1823 kg/ha.: 411.94=4.42); of Potassium -6.25 times (3365 kg/ha.: 540=6.23). However, the proposed technology with these doses of applied elements, under the real conditions of a desert ensures the green mass yield of 20 t/ha. per one mowing and 200 t/ha. for 10 mowings over a year, which actually are 10 there. Moreover, from year to year the fertility of the soil increases due to humus accumulation. Use of mineral fertilizers under desert conditions, while calculated for a yield of 20 t/ha., actually gives the harvest of ~10 t/ha. Combination of factors, such as formation of the screening layer as deep as topsoil, applying bentonite, Organic, and Agrozyme to the layer according to the proposed method, 15 ensures start of biocoenosis. Characteristic feature of the biocoenosis if the claimed method is applied is that after the start of biocoenosis at absence of removal of nutrients with crops from the field, using of fertilizers is not needed, except watering. In the case of removal of the crops from the field, compensation for removal of nutrients is performed by applying an additional quantity of Organic and Agrozyme. 20 Plowing (mixing) the field while formation of the screening layer is performed one time only. If it is necessary to replace a sowing culture, for instance, perennial alfalfa by a grain crop, the plowing at the sowing is performed with a flat carved plow at the depth of 5-7 cm with a surface applying of Organic and Agrozyme. When creating the proposed technology which could start biocoenosis, various kinds 25 of organic components in the screening layer were used : cattle, horse or pig manures, and plant composts. It was unobviously stated that none of these kinds of fertilizers starts the biocoenosis, that is, at absence of the removal of nutrients with crops, the culture must be fed by additional application of organic components, since otherwise the cultured plant will begin to fade. It is the treated poultry manure, in particular chicken manure, starts the biocoenosis. 30 According to the author, this phenomenon may be associated with the "genetic" memory of earth: a cataclysm, that occurred on Earth 65 million years ago destroyed the life formation of the era, including dinosaurs. But it was the dinosaurs that gave an evolutionary branch of WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 16 development to birds, and their vital functions served as promotional motive for biocoenosis, the main geological transforming factor on earth. When producing Organic under the conditions of the farming enterprise in the UAE without drying, the costs of starting technology of biocoenosis and maintaining the soil 5 fertility are 2.6 times (7682.5/$2958 $=2.6) for the first year and 6.58 times (7682,5/1168$=6,58) for the 2 "d and the next years lower in comparison with the technology using mineral fertilizers. When using the dried Organic as a complete product bought at an average European price, costs of the biocoenosis technology will be 1.96 times (7682.5/3918=1.96) for the first 10 year and 4.1 times (7682.5/1868=4.1) for the 2 and the next years lower than when using mineral fertilizers. Calculations show that production cost for the described case of alfalfa in UAE is defined as: C = CM+U+(GCM+O)+B, where: 15 C - is the prime cost; CM - is the cost of seeds, accepted as 0.05xC, provided that the seeds are obtained due to self-sufficiency, for what the 1/20 part of areas should be provided; U - is the fertilizer cost; GCM+O - are the expenses for equipment and remuneration of labor; they are 20 accepted as = 0.4xC following the example of existing farms; B - is the cost of irrigation water. Considering the price of realization of alfalfa hay $200/t and the water cost $0.9/t, the level of profitability when using mineral fertilizers is evaluated as follows: $200 = 0.05x200 + 144.1 + 0.4x200 + 860 = $1094. Hence, the deficit 25 (unprofitability) will be: 1092 - 200 = $892/t. Given that the yield in the desert is 2 times lower than the calculated yield, the actual deficit (unprofitability) will be $1784/t. The level of profitability when use of the proposed method begins since the second year, is evaluated as follows: 30 $200 = 0.05x200 + 21.9 +0.4x200 + 774=886 $. That is, the deficit (unprofitability) will be: 886 - 200 = $686/t. Thus, at the accepted water cost and at any technology, the alfalfa cultivation in the desert is unprofitable and can only be subsidized, for example, by the government's programs.

WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 17 However, deficit of means by using the proposed technology will be 2.6 times less than when using mineral fertilizers. At water cost analogous to the ones in Uzbekistan or Ukraine ($0.015\r), the technology of the invention is profitable and can serve as a basic element to carry out the 5 governmental or regional "Program of food safety of the country". It is advisable to use the claimed method at actual programs of urban greening, in forest strips along highways and in other analogous projects. A cow weighing 500 kg, with 20 1 daily milk yield (7300 1/year), needs for its feeding 15 fodder units or 68 kg of alfalfa green mass. For the population of UAE of 7 200 000 people 10 and annual consumption of milk 94.1 1/person (data for 2003) the estimated livestock is of 92811 head of cattle. The biocoenosis technology with the yield of 20 t/ha. per one harvest and 10 harvests per a year, enables to handle such a livestock by means of cultivation of 11518 ha. of the desert. Moreover, by means of refreshment of the livestock (4 years) and getting the meat and 15 meat-foods with the yield of 56% it is possible to provide meat for about 129 935 people when consuming 50 kg/year per person. While the described embodiment of the present method relates to the advantages of cultivation of alfalfa under the conditions of such a country as UAE, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited only to the presented data and can be widely used in 20 cultivation of other crops and on other arable areas. Hence, the method of the invention enables to solve the task of the national food security, particularly in countries having the hot climate and the desert and semi-desert areas. An undisputable advantage of the method is that it makes possible to completely refuse chemical fertilizers while ensuring continuous increase of soil fertility owing to humus 25 accumulation in such soils.

Claims (9)

1. A method for restoration and increase of soil fertility, in particular on desert or semi-desert crop areas, by means of application of organic and natural mineral materials to a treated soil in pre-sowing period and saturation the soil with moisture in post-sowing period, 5 characterized in that a poultry manure is used preferably as the organic material , and sodium bentonite is used as the mineral material, the treatment of these materials and application of them to the soil in pre-sowing period are performed according to the following sequence of steps: (a) pretreating of the poultry manure with an enzyme preparation - Oxyzyme which 10 is synthesized from syrup of sugar beet and ensured decomposition and disinfection of the used organic material; (b) milling the sodium bentonite so as to reduce the filtration and the rate of evaporation of the water in the treated soil; (c) applying the materials, obtained at stages (a) and (b), to the treated soil; and 15 (d) mixing the applied materials with the treated soil, laying them at the depth of the topsoil of the plant chosen for cultivation, and as a result obtaining a screening layer that ensures the start conditions of development of microbiocoenosis; and after sowing period or planting the plants in the screening layer a regular watering of this layer is performed, into the water of the first watering an enzyme preparation 20 Agrozyme , which is synthesized from syrup of sugar beet and ensures enhancement of aerobic soil bacteria activity in the rhizosphere of the plants, being added

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at stage (b) the milling of bentonite is performed to achieve the diameter of milled particles within the range of 0,005 25 to 2 MM.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that applying the materials to the cultured soil at stage (c) is performed in series or in a mixture. 30

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the consumption of previously treated organic material is in the range of about 3 to 4 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil is less than about 1 %, of about 1.5 to 2.0 tons per hectare when WO 2014/171912 PCT/UA2014/000043 19 humus content in the soil does not exceed about 3%, and of about 0.7 to 1.3 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil is more than about 3 %.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the consumption of 5 the milled sodium bentonite is in the range of about 20 to 25 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil is less than about 1 %, in the range of about 13 to 18 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil does not exceed 3%, and in the range of about 7 to 12 tons per hectare when humus content in the soil is more than about 3 %. 10

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the enzyme preparation - Agrozyme is used in a ratio to the water within the range of 1/200 to 1/1000 and its consumption ranges from 4 to 5 liters of the concentrate per 1 hectare.

7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that 15 after each harvest, the organic material in the amount of about 0.7 to 1.3 tons per hectare and the enzyme preparation- Agrozyme in the ratio to the water within the range of about 1/200 to 1/1000 are re-applied to the screening layer, pre-treated at stage (a), at the rate of 4-5 liters of the concentrate per 1 hectare. 20

8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that before performing the stage (a) other wastes of poultry production are additionally introduced into the poultry manure in the quantity that does not exceed 15 % of the whole mass of the organic material. 25

9. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a chicken manure is used as the poultry manure.