Question

Why is organic matter important for crop production?

Answer 1

Hint: Organic matter is the source of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It acts as raw material for plants so that they can make food and then we, the consumers can use it.

Complete solution:
We know that plants are the providers of food to all the animals, including humans. Where do plants get their food from? Plants perform photosynthesis for making the organic carbon, but for their overall growth and development, certain types of nutrients are needed.
Any type of plants, including the crop plants, depend on organic matter and inorganic minerals for their growth and development. Where does this organic matter present in the soil come from? It comes from the decomposition of dead plants and animals. This decomposition of organic matter is performed by the decomposing bacteria and fungi present in the soil.
Now, what is so special about organic matter? The constituents of organic matter are carbohydrates, proteins, fats and nucleic acids. When these are decomposed, the inorganic minerals like carbon, nitrogen, phosphates, etc. are released that are utilised by the plants.
The organic matter also preserves the quality of the soil by increasing its nutrient composition and increasing water holding capacity.
Therefore, manure is widely used for crop plants because it is a rich source of organic matter.

Note: Plants cannot use the organic matter directly. It has to be broken down through the process of decomposition into inorganic nutrients. Just like we eat food, such as pizza but our body cells cannot consume the pizza directly. It has to be digested by our digestive system.