Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration by Long-Term Application of Manures Prepared from Trianthema portulacastrurm Linn

Abstract

ABSTRACTA 6-year field experiment was conducted at Maharashtra, India, from 2011 to 2017 on a silty clay soil, to study the impact of organic manure prepared from common weed Trianthema portulacastrurm Linn. on soybean-fodder maize crop system and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. Organic manures were prepared from Trianthema as compost, vermicompost, dry leaf powder and were compared with application of Farm Yard Manure (FYM), chemical fertilizer treatment (NPK), and control. All treatments were repeated to same earlier treated plots every year for subsequent 6 years. Soil samples were analyzed before experiment and after harvesting of crops at the end of 6 years. All organic manures prepared from Trianthema and FYM increased SOC, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content in the soil as compared to chemical fertilizer treatment and control. The overall increase in SOC content in the 0–60-cm soil depth in vermicompost treatment was 3.51 Mg C ha−1 as compared to control at the end of this 6 years experiment at the carbon sequestration rate of 585 kg ha−1 year−1. Preparation and use of different manures from Trianthema will increase the carbon sequestration in soil, a measure to mitigate global warming.