ATLAS ORGANIC FERTILIZERS (PTY) LTD was founded on the basis of its belief in the benefits of organic fertilisation. Atlas originated in March 1966 at their premises in Meyerton in the Vaal Triangle.

Well educated field personnel are trained to supply the required agronomical and sales services, covering a wide range of crops grown under dry-land and irrigation conditions in the Republic of South Africa and adjacent territories.

During all the years since 1966, Atlas succeeded in providing, by means of statistical research work the excellence of techno-economic advantages attached to an organic fertilisation approach.

The results were also expressed in economic terms and confirmed that a higher nett income can be generated by the alternative use of enriched organic products.

ENRICHED ORGANIC PRODUCTS: Atlas fertilizers contain composted fowl manure, enriched with high grade inorganic raw materials, in an endeavour to achieve a wide variety of final mixtures with different nutritional values.

Apart from the NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium) requirements of a specific crop, a complete range of other macro- and micro elements are made available to plants. This more complete nutritional menu will lead to a lower risk regarding the depletion of plant food reserves in the soil. Note that "the weakest link in the plant food chain will determine the strength of the chain."

Among the physical benefits of organic material in soils, are the improvement of: plant food retention, cation-absorption-capacity, better moisture retention, better aeration, better exchange of soil gasses and the formation of aggregates leading to improved soil structure.

During the decomposition of organic material, various by-products are also formed of which carbon (C) related products are the most important.

The 5% organic matter in soils which is required for optimum microbiologic activity in soils, is not normally achievable in cultivated soils in South Africa, due to our climate. Atlas' approach therefore, is to apply relatively small quantities of organic material in enriched-organic-product- form for maintenance of plant food. Consequently microbiologic activities can continuously be stimulated. This biologic stimulation will, amongst others, lead to less nitrogen leaching and less phosphate fixation.

These benefits can be attributed to the fact that the soil microbes initially use nitrogen as a source of energy, and when they die off, the nitrogen will again be available for plant use. In effect applied nitrogen ends up in a biological circle, rather than mineralising in one way only and eventually leaching beyond the root zone of plants.

The lower phosphate fixation is due to the formation of organic acids during decomposition of organic material, and forms chelates with cations in soils, which otherwise would have played a role in the fixation of freshly applied phosphates.

These chelated plant nutrients will be available to plants over a wider pH spectrum than would have been the case in the absence of organic material.

The above-mentioned organic acids also play a role in the transport of plant food between plant roots and the soil solution.

A further secondary benefit of organic material and its by-products is the suppression of detrimental pathogens and eelworm in soil.

The degree at which the above advantages will materialise, will be influenced by the general quality and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C: N ratio) of organic material in enriched organic products. The latter is the main reason why seabird guano plays such a crucial role in the final product.

RESEARCH: Confirmation of abovementioned benefits was achieved through research work done since 1990.

APPLICATION: Due to the different features of Atlas' products, application methods must be adapted to fit standard practices on a particular farm.

CONCLUSION: The use of enriched organic products in South Africa has enormous merit due to: our climate, more comprehensive plant food menu, low carbon levels in soils, and the abovementioned indirect agronomic benefits, all of which eventually lead to higher profits.

Atlas representatives and agronomists are available to assist farmers regarding surveys, recommendations, product choice and application methods, all of which can lead to optimization of techno-economic benefits.