'Preparation 500' application in agricultural soils under a biodynamic management. (Alicia Morugán Coronado)
1. Preparation 500 application in agricultural soils under a biodynamic management is applied in a flat orchard of 40 ha located in Jumilla in southeastern Spain. It is sited in the north east of the Murcia region, on the Altiplano area, close to the towns of Cieza and Yecla. This area has an important agricultural activity where the main plantations are vineyards, but as well orchards of different mediterranean fruits. Jumilla is a Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) for wines that extends over the north of the region of Murcia.
2. This technology is based on the application of the preparation number 500, commonly known as cow horn manure. Preparation 500 is made by filling a cow's horn with cow dung every year, and burying it in the soil during the cooler months (November through February). The horns should be buried open end down so that they will not become water logged if the pit is over watered. When the preparation is ready after 4 months it should have turned into dark humus. It should then be stored in a cool place and in glazed, isolated pots. It is sprayed up to four times a year. The best times are in October and November and then again in February and March. It is stirred for one hour making a vortex. The Horn Manure preparation 500 should be diluted in good-quality rainwater that has been properly stored. The preparation is then stirred vigorously for exactly one hour before spraying. The water should be heated before stirring, ideally to body temperature. Spraying in the field area should be done in the evening, not before 5 pm (4 pm in winter) on a day that is not too windy or too hot, avoiding direct sunlight. A slightly overcast, late afternoon is ideal. Avoid spraying in the rain, or if heavy rains are forecasted after spraying. Don't spray if night frost is expected, in order to ensure the correct working of preparation 500.
3. The main purpose of this technology is to sustain living soils, since application of ‘Preparation 500’ is intended to increase soil bacteria life, enhance the earthworm activity, promote rooting and greater absorption and retention of water.
4. The flat tree orchard was already under organic farming management (since 1998) before the current technology was applied. In 2014 the farmer changed the agricultural management on his own initiative to biodynamic practice with the same crop. The major new activity was the elaboration of the preparation 500, that is sprayed out in the orchard after the weeds are cutted. Secondary activities focus on maintaining the preparation 500 during the rest of the year and on improving the soil by keeping a permanent vegetation cover and reducing the tillage.
5. There were several benefits observed after this technology was applied: regarding the soil quality a strong humus layer was formed and organic matter increased. In general the soil structure improved. Another positive impact was the response against plagues: the establishment of this self-sustaining agro-ecosystem as a whole increases the biodiversity and the beneficial species in the orchard.
6. The land user is satisfied with the results of this technology in his orchard because it opened him a new market sector - the biodynamic farm market. The fruit quality and the soil characteristics improved, soil organic matter, soil structure and response against plagues were enhanced. On the other hand, the land user mentioned as challenging factors the big amount of money to change the agricultural management to biodynamic farming and the great effort to get the Preparation 500 and the external organization certifications, which are expensive.
Location: Jumilla, Murcia, Spain
No. of Technology sites analysed: single site
Spread of the Technology: evenly spread over an area (approx. 0.1-1 km2)
In a permanently protected area?:
Date of implementation: 2014
Type of introduction
| Specify input | Unit | Quantity | Costs per Unit (Euro) | Total costs per input (Euro) | % of costs borne by land users |
| Labour | |||||
| Weed cutting | person-day | 2.0 | 60.0 | 120.0 | 100.0 |
| Elaboration process Preparation 500 | persona/dia | 15.0 | 60.0 | 900.0 | 100.0 |
| organic amendment | persona/dia | 5.0 | 60.0 | 300.0 | 100.0 |
| Equipment | |||||
| picks and shovels to dig the cow horns during winter | item | 2.0 | 18.0 | 36.0 | 100.0 |
| glazed storing pots for Preparation 500 | item | 100.0 | 10.0 | 1000.0 | 100.0 |
| Cow horns to be filled with cow dung | item | 3.0 | 50.0 | 150.0 | 100.0 |
| tractor with trailer (hire per day) | pieza | 1.0 | 30.0 | 30.0 | 100.0 |
| cow dung | item | 5.0 | 60.0 | 300.0 | 100.0 |
| Plant material | |||||
| shovel | item | 1.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 100.0 |
| tank | item | 1.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 100.0 |
| Ride-on Mowers | item | 1.0 | 3000.0 | 3000.0 | 100.0 |
| Fertilizers and biocides | |||||
| cow manure needed to produce Preparation 500 | kg | 10.0 | 10.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| organic amendment | |||||
| Total costs for establishment of the Technology | 5'961.0 | ||||
| Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD | 6'311.22 | ||||
| Specify input | Unit | Quantity | Costs per Unit (Euro) | Total costs per input (Euro) | % of costs borne by land users |
| Labour | |||||
| Elaboration process Preparation 500 | person/day | 15.0 | 60.0 | 900.0 | 100.0 |
| organic amendment | person/day | 5.0 | 60.0 | 300.0 | 100.0 |
| weed cutting | person/day | 2.0 | 60.0 | 120.0 | 100.0 |
| Equipment | |||||
| tractor with trailer (hire per day) | day | 8.0 | 30.0 | 240.0 | 100.0 |
| Fertilizers and biocides | |||||
| cow manure needed to produce Preparation 500 | kg | 10.0 | 10.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| manure | item | ||||
| Total costs for maintenance of the Technology | 1'660.0 | ||||
| Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD | 1'757.53 | ||||
The product quality improved with preparation 500 and higher resistance to plagues was observed.
New production areas were acquired for new market opportunities thanks to the biodynamic product.
Expenses on agricultural inputs increased after the application of preparation 500.
After the preparation 500 application, the incomes in the farm increased because new market opportunities appear in biodynamic sector, and the land user can establish the product price because the flat peaches in biodynamic market is a new product in markets.
Biodynamic farming reduces soil degradation
The application of preparation 500 increases the moisture in soil.
The soil keeps the moisture because of the organic amendment applied through preparation 500.
After application of preparation 500 the tillage was reduced and the soil loss decreased.
Soil structure was improved after preparation 500 application.
Soil structure was improved after preparation 500 application.
Soil nutrient was improved after preparation 500 application.
Soil organic matter was enhanced after preparation 500 application.
Reduction of soil pH was observed after the application of organic amendment in preparation 500.
Biomass was enhanced after preparation 500 application.
The response of the soil and the orchard against invasive species was empowered after preparation 500 application.
Beneficial species have appeared in the agro-ecosystem after preparation 500 application
After preparation 500 application a self-sustainable agro-ecosystem was formed.
The response of the soil and the orchard against disease or pest were empowered after preparation 500 application.
With the application of preparation 500 inorganic fertilizers and plaguicides are not needed anymore, and therefore groundwater pollution was reduced.
