Carolina

=What is in the soil used in organic food production? = ====Organic soil is composed of organic matter. Organic matter is composed of living or dead plants and animals. Organic soil contains inorganic nutrients that provide for the plants grown in the soil, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. As for their benefits towards each of the plants, this will be elaborated on in the next section... ====

=What benefit does each of these components have for the plants? = ====**Nitrogen** - fundamental to all living cells, part of chlorophyll necessary for photosynthesis, helps increase growth and better results ==== ====**Phosphorus** - used in part of photosynthesis, increases speed of growth, enhances root growth ==== ====**Potassium** - helps build protein, protects plant against disease, used in part of photosynthesis ==== ====**Calcium** - fundamental to cell wall structure which provides support for the plant, may protect plant against harmful acids and salts ==== ====**Magnesium** - part of chlorophyll necessary for photosynthesis, initiates enzymes needed for plant growth ==== ====**Sulfur** - needed for plant to create protein, initiates and supports enzymes and vitamins needed for plant growth, helps chlorophyll form for photosynthesis, enhances root growth and reproduction (seeds), helps enhance plant growth, protects plants from cold ====

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 "Organic farming." //UXL Encyclopedia of Science//. Ed. Rob Nagel. 2nd ed. Detroit: U*X*L, 2007. //Junior Reference Collection//. Gale. Hershey Middle School. 4 Feb. 2010 .

"Plant Nutrients." //North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services//. Web. 04 Feb. 2010. .

EHow. "Organic Fertilizing : Making Organic Compost." //YouTube//. 2 Sept. 2008. Web. 18 Feb. 2010. .