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Abstract
This study evaluated the impact of conventional practices (fertilizer alone) and diverse farming approaches (such as green manuring, farmyard manure application, rice-residue incorporation, residue mulching, residue removal and residue burning) on soil attributes. A total of thirty-five farm sites were selected, with five sites (replications) for each farming approach system, which were used over the past three years in the study farms. Characterization of rice residues of all cultivars, green manure crop (sesbenia: Sesbania sesban) and decomposed farmyard manure samples showed differential behaviours for macronutrients and micronutrients. Continuous application of inorganic fertilizers significantly influenced soil attributes, especially electrical conductivity, nutrient contents, bacterial and fungal population and soil enzymatic attributes. The crop residue treatments favourably influenced the soil parameters over the control. Crop residue incorporation or burning significantly increased soil available potassium, microbial biomass, enzymatic activities and organic carbon when compared with applications of chemical fertilizer alone, while total nitrogen content was increased by residue incorporation. However, green manuring and farmyard manure applications showed inferior responses compared with residue management treatment. It is therefore recommended that bioresources should be managed properly to warrant improvements in soil properties, nutrient recycling and the sustainability for crop productivity, in order to achieve sustainable development goals for climate action.
Highlights
The growing demand for food in developing countries has led to tremendous increases in food production around the world
Data regarding the nutrient concentrations in the farmyard manure samples collected from the various study area showed variation
The findings of the current investigation has revealed that well-decomposed farmyard manures (FYM) contain a score of important primary and secondary micronutrients which play a significant role in improving soil health and crop growth
Summary
The growing demand for food in developing countries has led to tremendous increases in food production around the world. Soil health is an ancient and ubiquitous concept [4,5,6,7]. It would be impossible for us to meet the growing demands for food, feed, fibre, and fuel if we could not maintain soil health properly, instead we would see increased surface disturbance, increased land erosion and reduced plant diversity due to intensive agriculture [8,9]. Soil health depletion can often be self-reinforced, as low-quality soils (having unsustainable agricultural practices) produce low-quality biomass, which in turn, results in low-quality manure. The low-quality manure immobilizes nutrients in the soil and perpetuates a cycle that reduces soil health [1,9]
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