.....Earthworms aerate the soil and improve drainage. Chemical pesticides that kill off life within the soil leave the soil compacted, an inhospitable environment for growing plants. Basically the soil then serves as just a medium in which to physically hold plants upright, requiring the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers to provide what the soil no longer does: nutrients. Compacted soil also contributes towards flooding.
.....It's been a big problem in India on account of genetically-modified cotton and associated use of toxic pesticides. Fortunately, there's been a movement towards biodynamic & organic gardening to restore the once-precious resource of loose, aerated soil teeming with LIFE, thanks in large part to "worm obsessed" Peter Proctor, may his soul rest in peace.
.....Earthworms aerate the soil and improve drainage. Chemical pesticides that kill off life within the soil leave the soil compacted, an inhospitable environment for growing plants. Basically the soil then serves as just a medium in which to physically hold plants upright, requiring the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers to provide what the soil no longer does: nutrients. Compacted soil also contributes towards flooding.
.....It's been a big problem in India on account of genetically-modified cotton and associated use of toxic pesticides. Fortunately, there's been a movement towards biodynamic & organic gardening to restore the once-precious resource of loose, aerated soil teeming with LIFE, thanks in large part to "worm obsessed" Peter Proctor, may his soul rest in peace.