Resource Conservation Technologies for Sustainable Soil Management

Abstract

Ushering of Green Revolution in the mid-1960s has shifted Indian agriculture from “traditional animal-based subsistence” to “intensive chemical and machinery-based.” This paradigm shift triggered deterioration of soil health and sustainability of natural resources, as reported from many parts of the country. Intensive tillage, removal/burning of crop residues (CRs), extensive mining of plant nutrients, and intensive mono cropping systems are often found to be the root cause of these “second generation problems,” namely, subsoil compaction, multi-nutrient deficiencies, soil organic matter depletion, decline in nutrient-supplying capacity of soil, low-nutrient use efficiencies, diminishing soil biodiversity, increased energy cost, etc. Often, a lack of proper residue management technologies leads to residue burning for clearing the field. Added to this, excess fossil fuel combustion for tilling machineries results into further atmospheric pollution. In recent years, conservation agriculture (CA) has emerged as an alternative farming practice to address soil degradation resulting from agricultural practices that deplete the organic matter and nutrient content of the soil, aiming at sustained crop productivity with lower production costs. CA is based mainly 174on three principles, that is, minimal mechanical soil disturbance, permanent organic soil cover, and diversified crop rotations. A successful implementation of CA requires effective resource conservation technologies (RCTs), including selection of suitable crop rotations, balanced and integrated plant nutrient supply system, precision nutrient management using soil-test or sensor-based intelligent decision support tools, recycling of CRs, improved tillage practices, use of low grade mining bi-products, biofertilizers, organic manures, green manures, etc. It is envisaged that development of such strategies will not only help in sustaining higher crop productivity but also improving soil health and environmental quality. The chapter covers the application details of such RCTs, along with their benefits and bottlenecks for adoption in Indian conditions.