Fertilization effects on yield sustainability and soil properties under irrigated wheat–soybean rotation of an Indian Himalayan upper valley

Abstract

To date, the sustainability of wheat (Triticumaestivum)–soybean (Glycinemax) cropping systems has not been well assessed, especially under Indian Himalayas. Research was conducted in 1995–1996 to 2004 at Hawalbagh, India to study the effects of fertilization on yield sustainability of irrigated wheat–soybean system and on selected soil properties. The mean wheat yield under NPK + FYM (farmyard manure) treated plots was ~27% higher than NPK (2.4 Mg ha−1). The residual effect of NPK + FYM caused ~14% increase in soybean yield over NPK (2.18 Mg ha−1). Sustainable yield index values of wheat and the wheat–soybean system were greater with annual fertilizer N or NPK plots 10 Mg ha−1 FYM than NPK alone. However, benefit:cost ratio of fertilization, agronomic efficiency and partial factor productivity of applied nutrients were higher with NPK + FYM than NPK, if FYM nutrients were not considered. Soils under NPK + FYM contained higher soil organic C (SOC), total soil N, total P and Olsen-P by ~10, 42, 52 and 71%, respectively, in the 0–30 cm soil layers, compared with NPK. Non-exchangeable K decreased with time under all treatments except NPK. Total SOC in the 0–30 cm soil layer increased in all fertilized plots. Application of NPK + FYM also improved selected soil physical properties over NPK. The NPK + FYM application had better soil productivity than NPK but was not as economical as NPK if farmers had to purchase manure.