Abstract
Integrated nutrient management (INM) is a widely recognized tool to ensure sustainable crop productivity while preserving soil fertility. The addition of organic manures in soil has been evidenced to improve soil characteristics, in addition to improving nutrient availability. The soil samples, with five treatment combinations of chemical fertilizers with farmyard manure (FYM), were collected from a 17-year-old field experiment conducted at PAU, Ludhiana to investigate the effect of INM on the buildup of organic carbon (OC), microbial community, soil nutrient status and improvement in soil physical properties under the maize–wheat cropping system. The INM technique enhanced the OC content (0.44 to 0.66%), available N (152.8 to 164.9 kg ha−1), P (22.8 to 31.4 kg ha−1) and K (140.6 to 168.0 kg ha−1) after 17 years. The DTPA-extractable and total micronutrients (Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn) status also improved significantly with FYM supplementation. The organic source, coupled with inorganic fertilizers, improved the water holding capacity, total porosity, soil respiration, microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N, and potentially mineralizable N. However, pH, EC, and bulk density of soil decreased with the addition of FYM, coupled with chemical fertilizers.
Highlights
Combined supplementation of fertilizers with farmyard manure (FYM) showed a notable impact on the organic carbon (OC) contents of the D2 (15–30 cm)
An improvement in OC content might be associated with the soil organic matter (SOM) supplementation in the form of FYM, improved root anatomy, and more plant residue addition, with the higher application of nutrients through manure and chemical fertilizers [35]
The combined addition of FYM and chemical fertilizers enhanced the microbial biomass carbon (MBC) content over their initial levels in D1 and D2 soil samples, which may be related to improved root growth and crop residues addition after harvesting [38]
Summary
In north-western India, the continuous rice–wheat cropping has led to the exhaustion of natural resources and deteriorated soil fertility, producing agricultural outcomes [1]. A paradigm shift in cropping systems with different crops is required to maintain soil health and sustainable yield. Alternate cropping systems and soil management practices may prove beneficial to improve soil fertility and maintain environmental health. Maize-wheat cropping system has been identified as a suitable alternative to rice–wheat system [2,3]. Maize accounts for a significant fraction of global food consumption. The acreage under maize has increased in the past few years, as it helps to maintain soil health, in contrast to the rice–wheat cropping system. The acreage under maize has increased in the past few years, as it helps to maintain soil health, in contrast to the rice–wheat cropping system. [4]
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