Long term influence of tillage management on physical condition of soil under acidic soil of rainfed rice cropping system of Brahmpura valley of Assam

Abstract

The present study evaluated the effects of long-term tillage operation on soil physical properties and nutrient dynamics on surface soil. The soil samples were collected at 0 to 15cm soil depth profiles in the year of 2016 and 2017 from following treatment (T1) Minimum Tillage, (T2) Minimum tillage with Two harrowing, (T3) Minimum tillage harrowing + Pulverization (T4) Conventional Tillage (T5) Farmers Practices (T6) Barren land The samples were analyzed for physical properties, Soil organic carbon and macronutrient. The statistical analysis was made in SAS 9.3 DMRT test was employed to compare the mean of estimated soil nutrient dynamics. Coupled with other physic chemical parameters of soil affected by different tillage treatment. The effect of tillage management was found significant on most of soil physic chemical parameters the result revealed that the minimum tillage had highest amount of available N, P, K and S over other tillage treatments. The highest SOC was found in minimum tillage where as lowest was recorded in farmers practice. The result also revealed that the physical condition of soil is significantly affected by the tillage management as a result the aggregation and water available capacity was found more in minimum tillage compare with the conventional and farmers practices. This study showed that minimum tillage enhances physical environment of soil as well as availability of nutrients that may result sustainable soil health and enhance crop yield.