Farmyard Manure as K-Fertilizer Modulates Soil Biological Activities and Yield of Wheat Using the Integrated Fertilization Approach

Sanjeev Kumar,Shiva Dhar,S A Kochewad,L R Meena,Sudhir Kumar,Dileep Kumar,Mahendra Vikram Singh Rajawat,Sharmistha Barthakur

doi:10.3389/fenvs.2021.764489

Abstract

Potassium fertilization is often ignored by assuming alluvial soils have sufficient K reserves in the North West Plain Zone of India under cereal-based cropping systems. There is scanty information on the impact of integrated K fertilization on soil enzymes, nutrients availability, microbial population, and wheat yield cultivated in the corn–wheat cropping system. The current study exhibits that treatment (T7) applied with a dose of 90 kg K ha−1 [30 kg K by farmyard manure (FYM) and 60 kg K by muriate of potash (MOP)] significantly enhances the various microbial populations from 48.00 to 123.10% and 39.00 to 124.00%, soil enzymatic activities from 70.31 to 180.00% and 102.42 to 175.68%, and available nutrients from 2.43 to 8.44% and 14.79 to 22.87% for the first and second years of wheat cultivation, respectively. It also improved various yield parameters (12.39–41.71% and 18.24–41.14%) during both the consecutive years of cultivation. Statistical analyses revealed that the treatments (T4, T5, and T7) applied with integrated fertilization of wheat cultivation through FYM and MOP were more promising for improving soil enzymatic activities (11.59–57.22%), microbial populations (5.14–15.70%), available nutrients in soil (7.60–16.54%), and crop yield (1.06–5.85%) during the second year of cultivation as compared to the first year of cultivation. This study might be helpful to reclaim soil health and reduce chemical fertilizers used in agricultural lands.

Highlights

Soil is home to different kinds of microbes and enzymes
The bacterial population count was significantly improved through integrated fertilization of K in the combination of muriate of potash (MOP) and farmyard manure (FYM) among the treatments T4 (106.25 and 80.80%), T5 (97.92 and 92.30%), and T7 (114.58 and 121.20%) as compared to treatment T1 during the first and second years of wheat cultivation, respectively (Figure 1A)
The P-solubilizing bacterial count was significantly improved through integrated fertilization of K in the combination of MOP and FYM among treatments T4 (64.00 and 44.00%), T5 (64.00 and 52.00%), and T7 (84.00 and 63.00%) as compared to treatment T1 during the first and second years of wheat cultivation, respectively (Figure 1B)

Summary

Introduction

The activities and functions of these microbes and soil enzymes are dependent on soil pH, soil temperature, soil organic matter, cropping system, crop management factors, soil amendments, and conditioners. Soil microbial population and enzymatic activities are a key driving force that helps in degeneration and management of exogenic plant material and anthropogenic depositions, conversion of organic matter, and progression and conservation of the soil structure (Canarutto et al, 1995; Bandick and Dick, 1999). Farmyard Manure as an Alternative K-Fertilizer decomposer soils. This functional process contributes a significant role in the cycling of nutrients and favor to plant life (Clarholm and Rosengren-Brinck, 1995; Balota et al, 2003). The enzymatic activities and soil microbial populations preserve soil health and fertility by imparting alterations through their biochemical procedures (Nannipieri et al, 2003; Okore et al, 2012)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion