No-till Research Articles

Long-term Effect of Tillage, Residue and Biofertilizer on Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon and Dehydrogenase Activity under Rice-wheat Cropping System in Terai Agro-ecological Region of West Bengal

As a major supply of staple foods, the rice-wheat cropping system is crucial to global food security. However, continuous cultivation of these crops has led to several soil-related environmental problems, including the gradual decline in soil health and quality. In this context, maintaining soil health necessitates the adoption of conservation agriculture. This study assessed the effect of tillage, residue and biofertilizer management practices on soil dehydrogenase activity (SDHA) and soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) of post wheat soils at various soil depth (0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-40 cm). The research was conducted as part of a long-term field experiment initiated in 2006 in rice-wheat cropping system under a factorial randomized block design with three replications in the Terai agro-ecological regions of West Bengal. The results revealed that the SDHA and SMBC were increased by the influence of long-term zero tillage, bio fertilizer & residue addition at the most of the soils depths under study except at 20-40 cm. The highest short-term change of SDHA (213.19%) in compared to the initial soil status was observed in conventionally tilled soil with biofertilizer addition treatment combination. Since SDHA and SMBC are critical indicators of soil health and quality, this study also explored their relationship. Positive good regression coefficient of 0.74, 0.65 and 0.67 at 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm and 10-20 cm soil depth were observed respectively. These findings highlight the strong association between the two parameters. With growing future demand of foods, conservation agriculture must be practiced to ensure the long-term sustainability of soil productivity. The study provides evidence that implementing zero tillage along with residue and biofertilizer addition significantly improves these key soil health parameters.

Sustainable Agricultural Alternatives to Cope with Drought Effects in Semi-Arid Areas of Southern Mozambique: Review and Strategies Proposal

Drought, pests, soil fertility depletion, environmental challenges, and the limited use of agricultural inputs continue to plague food production in many developing countries such as Mozambique. As a response to these production constraints, sustainable strategies must be defined to cope with these problems. One strategy, largely applied worldwide, is the combination of the usage of plant growth-promoting microorganisms, conservation tillage, intercropping, and crop residue management. The above can help smallholder farmers to become more resilient, sustainable, and productive, in a framework where the limitations imposed by global climate change are being exacerbated. The impacts of these strategies are less known and lack studies in Mozambique. Here, we provide a comprehensive review based on the relevant scientific literature published in the last three decades which evaluated the effects of diverse sustainable alternatives for crop production, mainly oriented to enhance crop tolerance to drought. The use of these strategies and their promising potential to increase crop yields under drought conditions emerge as one of the most sustainable approaches, leading to both an increase in agricultural productivity and the amelioration of soil properties in Southern Mozambique. However, to achieve this goal, it is critical to perform studies that enable positive impacts and also take full account of the specific socio-economic and environmental contexts in which agricultural production is developed in the semi-arid areas of Southern Mozambique. Hence, future field studies assessing conservation agriculture practices effects on yield productivity and environment under drought conditions are suggested to address issues concerned to sustainable agricultural productions which allow us to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1) and SDG 2.

Evaluating integrated fertilizer strategies for sustainable paddy yield improvement in Mahaweli System B, Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka's dry-zone region, the Mahaweli System B area is central to national paddy production, benefiting from supplementary irrigation from the Maduru Oya reservoir. However, the high dependency on chemical fertilizers, subsidized by the government, has led to escalating environmental concerns and diminishing returns in paddy yields. Consequently, farmers have increasingly adopted integrated fertilizer management practices that blend organic and inorganic inputs to balance cost, yield, and environmental impact. This research investigates the effectiveness of these farmer-adapted integrated fertilizer strategies compared to conventional chemical-only fertilizer applications, focusing on yield performance, soil health, and economic feasibility. Data were collected through surveys of 100 farmers in the Dimbulagala block, assessing a range of factors including soil nutrient levels, crop residue management, fertilizer application rates, and land preparation practices. The findings reveal that while integrated practices support soil health and nutrient availability, yield outcomes vary significantly based on the type, timing, and quantity of fertilizers used. Notably, farmers who adopted a comprehensive management approach—incorporating organic inputs with optimized land preparation and crop residue practices—achieved better yields and improved soil quality. This study underscores the need for context-specific fertilizer recommendations that prioritize sustainability and long-term soil fertility. Further research on fine-tuning integrated nutrient management practices may enhance both productivity and ecological health, thereby supporting the livelihoods of paddy farmers in Mahaweli System B.

Evaluation of Soil Physical Properties in Natural and Conventional Farming in the Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka, India

This study examines variations in soil properties resulting from natural and conventional farming (Farmer Practices) methods across three distinct duration categories (less than 5 years, 5 to 10 years and 10 to 15 years) in the Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka. The results revealed that natural farming consistently produced lower soil bulk density, higher soil porosity, greater water-holding capacity and improved aggregate stability when compared to conventional farming practices. Over time, natural farming led to a decrease in bulk density; however, conventional practices showed an increase. Soil porosity, water-holding capacity and aggregate stability also saw improvement with natural farming because of the incorporation of organic matter, no-tillage methods and minimal disturbance. Conventional farming practices, which involved intensive tillage and the application of chemical inputs, resulted in soil compaction and structural degradation. Additionally, soil color became darker over time under natural farming, indicating a higher organic matter content; whereas, conventional practices contributed to lighter soil hues.

An organic matter database (OMD): consolidating global residue data from agriculture, fisheries, forestry and related industries

Abstract. Agricultural, fishery, forestry and agro-processing activities produce large quantities of residues, by-products and waste materials every year. Inappropriate disposal and inefficient use of these resources contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and non-point pollution, placing significant environmental and economic burdens on society. Since many nations do not keep statistics on these materials, it has not been possible to accurately quantify the amounts produced, their competing uses and the quantities potentially available for recycling at a local level. Therefore, the objectives of the present work were to provide (1) definitions, typologies and methods to aid consistent classification, estimation and reporting of the various residues and by-products, (2) a global organic matter database (OMD) of residues and by-products from agriculture, fisheries, forestry and related industries and (3) regional and global estimates of residues and by-products potentially available for use in a circular bio-economy. To the best of our knowledge, the OMD is the first of its kind to consolidate quantities and nutrient concentrations of residues and by-products globally from agriculture, fisheries, forestry and related industries (available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10450921; Sileshi et al., 2024). The OMD will be updated continuously as new production data are published in FAOSTAT and country-specific conversion coefficients become available. This information is expected to contribute to evidence-based policies and actions in support of sustainable utilization and the transition towards a circular economy. The database could be used for a variety of purposes, including estimation of residue availability for soil amendment, livestock feed, bioenergy and other industrial applications as well as assessment of the environmental impacts of residue management practices such as soil application and burning. The estimates in the OMD are only available at the national level. Due to the lack of a uniform methodology, conversion coefficients and data on competing uses across countries, it was difficult to accurately estimate the quantities of all agricultural, fishery and forestry residues and by-products. Therefore, we strongly recommend investment in the inventory of agricultural, fishery and forestry residues as well as by-products and wastes at the national and sub-national levels for use in a circular bio-economy.

Modelling and optimization of trajectory deviation for compound directional drilling in coal mines

During the sliding mode of compound directional drilling process in coal mines, the inclined angle and azimuth angle need to be changed to minimize the trajectory deviation between the actual trajectory and the designed trajectory. The inclined angle and azimuth angle can be changed by adjusting the tool face angle. In this article, a modelling and optimization method is proposed to obtain optimal tool face angle for sliding mode. Firstly, the gaussian process regression method is employed to build calculation model of trajectory deviation. The optimization model of trajectory deviation consists of the established calculation model of trajectory deviation and the set constraints. Then, the optimal inclination angle and azimuth angle are obtained by solving the constitutive optimization model using an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm. Next, the calculation model of tool face angle is built to represent the relationship between inclination angle, azimuth angle and tool face angle. The optimal tool face angle is calculated based on optimal inclined angle and azimuth angle. Finally, an industrial case study based on the actual drilling data verifies that the proposed method is beneficial to track designed trajectory during drilling process. The proposed method meets the requirements of on-site construction accuracy and ensures the safety and stability of drilling.

A harmonized dataset relating alternative farmer management practices to crop yield, soil organic carbon stock, nitrous oxide emissions, and nitrate leaching generated using IPCC methodologies and meta-analyses.

Farming practices such as soil tillage, organic/mineral fertilization, irrigation, crop selection and residues management influence multiple ecosystem services provided by agricultural systems. These practices exhibit complex, non-linear interrelationships that affect crop productivity, water quality, and non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, possibly offsetting their benefits regarding soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. Current methodologies from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for assessing the impacts of alternative farming practices on GHG emissions rely on global or country-specific coefficients. However, these methods often do not explicitly account for the combined effects of management practices on carbon and nitrogen cycles or productivity, as this is not required for national GHG inventories. Here we present a new dataset featuring 1.8 Mln of agronomic case scenarios, i.e., unique combinations of farming practices and pedoclimatic conditions, which have been associated with values of SOC changes, nitrous oxide emissions, nitrate-nitrogen leaching, and crop yield. To synthesize trade-offs and synergies between farming practices, each case scenario has been ranked with a ∑ommit index (∑i) value, a fuzzy-based measure ranging from 0 (bad) to 1 (good). The four trade-off components have been estimated by combining available information from i) the 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, ii) the guidelines for Green Water Footprint Accounting, iii) the Italian National Institute of Statistics, iv) and other international meta-analytic studies. The dataset presents four ∑i series, corresponding to alternative perceptions of sustainability from three potential stakeholder categories (young farmers' cooperative, agrochemical company, public agricultural policy agency) plus one equally weighted option. By providing a harmonized data source and an innovative metric, this dataset allows users to explore trade-offs associated with alternative management practices across four key agricultural components and assess their impact on perceived agroecosystem sustainability.

Assemblage of Bacteria Communities and Resistome Enrichment by Dairy Flurries Along the Rhizosphere–Bulk Soil Continuum on Dairy Farms

The use of dairy slurries as organic fertilizer amendments is a common practice in agriculture as a cost-saving measure, as well as a residue management strategy. However, concerns related to the increase in antibiotic resistance in the environment under the scope of the One Health strategy are increasing. In this study, we aimed to assess resistome enrichment driven by dairy slurry application in four southern Chile dairy farms. Slurry pits, rhizospheres of Lolium perenne amended with those slurries, and bulk soils were sampled. Thirteen antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs, tetA, tetG, tetM, tetQ, tetW, tetX, sul1, sul2, blaCTXM, blaOXA-1, blaTEM, ermB, and dfrA1) for five antibiotic classes (tetracyclines, sulfonamides, beta-lactams, macrolides, and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole), two related integrases (intl1 and intl2), and total bacteria (16S rRNA) abundance was measured by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Then, the abundance profiles of two enzyme-inactivated ARGs (tetX and blaTEM) were determined. The differences between the bacterial communities inhabiting the different sample types were explored with 16S rRNA metabarcoding. In general, all measured ARGs were detected in slurries. A decreasing trend in ARG copy numbers was observed with increasing soil depth, with the exception of tetX, whose abundance increased in the bulk soil at specific farms. The tetX and blaTEM communities revealed no differences in the relative abundance of variants in any of the samples. Finally, taxonomic and structural differences were found among all sample types. Thus, the enrichment of the sampled farm soil resistomes was driven by the application of the raw slurries as fertilizer.

Zero-Tillage Induces Reduced Bio-Efficacy Against Weed Species Amaranthus retroflexus L. Dependent on Atrazine Formulation

Zero-tillage (ZT) is a conservation soil management approach which relies more heavily on herbicide application for weed control than in ploughed soil. Changes in soil management can influence the structure and organisation of pore space in soil, which drives changes in the transport of particulates and dissolved substances. Formulation of pesticides can be used to change the delivery of active ingredients to soil; however, it is currently unknown how changing the formulation of an herbicide can influence the transport properties between ZT vs. ploughing. We investigated the bioefficacy of two formulations of the herbicide atrazine, a pre- and post-emergence herbicide that inhibits photosystem II. Bioefficacy was assessed using physical measures and survival analysis of an early photosynthesis-dependent weed species, Amaranthus retroflexus L., over time, and soil pore network structure was assessed by analysing three-dimensional images produced by X-ray Computed Tomography. Increasing the herbicide application rate generally improved bioefficacy, though it was reduced in soils managed under ZT. Under herbicide-treated ZT samples, survival time was higher, ranging from 13.4 to 18.2 days compared with 12.6 to 15.4 days in ploughed samples, the mean dry plant mass was higher, ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 mg compared with 0.05 to 0.68 mg in ploughed samples, and the mean total plant length was higher, ranging from 1.73 to 12.1 mm compared with 0.2 to 5.45 mm in ploughed samples. Changes in the soil pore network previously demonstrated to be indicators of preferential transport were correlated with measures of bioefficacy, including pore thickness and connectivity density. Reduced atrazine efficacy under ZT is problematic considering the inherent reliance on chemical methods for weed control, we suggest that pursuing formulation strategies to alleviate potential risks of loss via preferential transport may be fruitful.

Environmental impact analysis of crop residue burning in Madhya Pradesh: A multivariate comparison across key crops.

This study quantified the environmental impacts of residue burning of major produced and burned crops in Madhya Pradesh, central India. The environmental impacts were quantified using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) coupled with Monte Carlo simulation of 1000 iterations. Crop wise marginal impacts of the crops have been quantified using Multivariate regression model. The results showed that sugarcane and rice have the highest emissions in key impact categories, such as particulate matter formation (PMF) and global warming potential (GWP), whereas wheat and maize exhibit comparatively lower impacts. The combustion of residues significantly increases marine eutrophication (MEUT), agricultural land use (ALU), terrestrial acidification (TEAF) and GWP. Each kilogram of burned residue results in an increase of 21% in MEUT, 0.05% in ALU, 0.046% in TEAF and 0.028% in GWP, intensifying climate change. The results underscore the immediate necessity for specialized residue management strategies for sugarcane and rice crops. It is advisable to utilize sustainable alternatives such as composting or biochar production to mitigate emissions and enhance soil health, thereby addressing environmental and human health issues.

Machine learning the abiotic stressor impacts on nitrogen availability and photo energy use in dryland forage systems under different tillage and green manuring practices

Background and aimSorghum sudangrass (SSG), a vigorous hybrid C4 plant grown as forage or bioenergy crop during the summer has deeply distributed fibrous root system beneficial to dryland agriculture. Despite these advantages, the crop faces challenges from abiotic stressors, particularly during severe drought seasons. Thus, the goal of planting SSG as a forage is to generate ample biomass with minimal inputs, minimize toxicity, identify stress factors, and implement suitable management strategies with negligible environmental impact. This study focused on machine learning the intricate soil–plant-water-atmosphere relationships associated with abiotic stresses and agroenvironmental variables to enhance energy-efficiency and alleviate nitrogen (N) stress.MethodsA long-term simulation study involving SSG with four N treatments (spring-fallow and N fertilization, and three spring-time cover with 100% residue addition as green manures) under no-till (NT) and conventional (CT) tillage systems was unsuccessful to provide distinct effects of N strategies. Machine learning (ML) was employed to determine how abiotic-stress factors were varied, specifically under influence of green manures such as oat (OG), field peas (FP) and grass peas (GP) under conventional and conservation systems.ResultsResults indicated significantly higher use-efficiency of photosynthetically-active radiation (PAR) and the lowest N stress in NT + FP contrasting with the lowest PAR and the highest N-stress in conventional system. ML Regression models highlighted significant impact of average daily temperatures on water (R2 of 78%) and N-stress (R2 of 79%). Multi-regression ML models, incorporating various agro-environmental variables identified tillage as the most influential factor during wet seasons, water-stress during normal seasons, and temperature as the predominant factor during drought seasons influencing N stress in SSG forage-system.ConclusionConspicuously, drought exhibited a more pronounced influence from green manuring compared to wet or normal seasons in our study. Thus, farmers should be encouraged to adapt the practice of using cover and green-manures despite the concerns about water reserves for summertime cash crops.

Impact of Long-term Residue Management on Soil Aggregation and Carbon Accumulation Under Wheat-based Cropping Systems in a Typic Haplustept

Impact of Long-term Residue Management on Soil Aggregation and Carbon Accumulation Under Wheat-based Cropping Systems in a Typic Haplustept

Assessing the Impact of Residue Retention on Soil Biochemical Properties of Vertisols in a Maize-Chickpea Cropping System under Different Tillage Practices in Central India

This study examined, the potential effect of different residue retention practices on soil biochemical properties in Vertisol of central India. Experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three different levels of crop residue retention (RR); 0%, 30%,90% in maize chickpea cropping system over conventional tillage (CT). The parameters assessed were total organic carbon (TOC), β-glucosidase activity, dehydrogenase activity (DHA), fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activity (FDA), and stratification ratio. Soil samples were collected from 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm depths at the end of the cropping cycle to evaluate the effects of different residue management strategies. At the surface soil (0–15 cm), TOC was significantly higher under 90% RR (15.24 g kg⁻¹) and 30% RR (12.16 g kg⁻¹) compared to CT (9.39 g kg⁻¹). Enzymatic activities also showed significant improvements with increased residue retention. DHA at 0–15 cm was highest under 90% RR (103.57 µg TPF g⁻¹ day⁻¹), followed by 30% RR (84.63 µg TPF g⁻¹ day⁻¹) and CT (70.75 µg TPF g⁻¹ day⁻¹). A similar trend was observed for FDA, where 90% RR recorded 26.13 µg fluorescein g⁻¹ h⁻¹, exceeding CT (22.91 µg fluorescein g⁻¹ h⁻¹). β-glucosidase activity was also highest under 90% RR (169.60 µg PNG g⁻¹ soil h⁻¹), with reduced values at greater soil depths. Enzymatic activities (β-glucosidase, DHA, and FDA) exhibited a strong correlation (p < 0.01) with TOC content and were also strongly correlated, confirming their sensitivity to management practices. Stratification ratios did not vary significantly across residue retention levels, likely due to the high clay content protecting TOC and enzymes. These findings highlight the potential of residue retention to enhance soil health and serve as reliable indicators of soil quality in sustainable cropping systems.

Crop Residues: The Unseen Threat to Environmental Sustainability

Crop residue management (CRM) is a critical aspect of sustainable agriculture, addressing significant environmental and economic challenges. In India, the widespread practice of burning crop residues leads to severe air pollution, soil degradation, and health hazards. This paper explores the importance of CRM in environmental conservation, its economic potential, and the sustainable practices available for managing crop residues. It highlights the detrimental effects of residue burning, such as the release of harmful gases (CO2, CH4, NH3), and the subsequent loss of soil nutrients and biomass. The paper also discusses alternative CRM strategies, including composting, mulching, bioenergy production, and biochar utilization, which offer solutions to mitigate environmental damage while improving agricultural productivity and economic returns. The findings underscore the need for integrated approaches involving government policies, technological innovations, and farmer education to promote sustainable CRM practices across India.

Waste and residue management: sustainable hospital catering services

ObjectiveHospital catering services, like other food and beverage businesses, have the potential to cause negative environmental impacts. This study aims to analyze the food waste, food residue, and non-food waste calculations of the menus used in hospital catering services.MethodThe study was conducted in all 4 seasons and 31 day months were included in the study to standardize the number of days of practice in the selection of seasonal menus. In the menus, one of the most frequently produced dishes using traditional production methods was selected separately for lunch and dinner. In the study, food waste, food residue, and non-food waste calculations of pre-selected meals applied in hospital catering services were made.ResultsIn the spring, summer, autumn, and winter seasons, the food waste levels of the one portion for the first group were significantly higher than the food waste levels of the second group and one portion for the third group (p < 0.001). In the summer season, the level of food residue of one portion for the second group was significantly higher than the level of food residue of one portion for the first group (p < 0.05). In all seasons, the levels of non-food waste of one portion for the second group were significantly lower than the levels of non-food waste of the first group and one portion for the third group (p < 0.05).ConclusionDietitians need to plan menus by adopting sustainable nutrition models. In this context, efforts should be made to plan menus in which local suppliers will be supported and food waste and non-food waste will be reduced. In-service training activities covering strategies and activities to reduce food waste and food residues should be planned for kitchen and service personnel under the leadership of food services and nutrition dietitians.

Approaches to Sustainable Agriculture: A Retrospective Analysis for Soil Health Improvement

Gaining insight into farmers' viewpoints is essential for attaining Sustainable Development Goals in agriculture. By actively involving farmers and integrating their perspectives, it is possible to foster novel strategies that enhance soil quality and bolster the agricultural ecosystem. It is possible to improve soil health and reduce reliance on outside inputs by using regenerative farming methods that are based on agroecological principles and precision farming technologies. Engaging in collaboration with researchers, policymakers, and agricultural communities is crucial to jointly developing creative artificial intelligence (AI), which has the potential to enhance economic expansion, reduce inefficiencies, and provide nutrients directly to plant roots. This transformation revolves around the recognition of solutions that effectively tackle the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advance the improvement of soil health. The study regenerated previous understanding and recommended that farmers investigate the intricate correlation between bacteria and nutrients to discover more effective approaches to soil management. Several natural alternatives include cyanobacteria, biofertilizers, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), and livestock manure. Optimal soil health is crucial for the overall functioning and sustainability of entire ecosystems. The study emphasized the significance of prioritizing farmers' practices and adopting their perspectives to comprehend the real-time decision-making process. Furthermore, the study suggested some effective recommendations that farmers should receive to practice land tilling, smart farming adoption, residue management, and weed management. These potential strategies significantly enhance agricultural productivity.

Cover Crops Can Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from No-Till Maize in Southern Brazil: Insights from a Long-Term Field Experiment

Brazil is one of the countries that has the most agricultural area under no-till (NT) management. This research study aims to evaluate life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from maize (M) grain production in agroecosystems that used different cover crops under NT management in southern Brazil. The data for this study were from a long-term 41-year field experiment in southern Brazil. The long-term experiment evaluated the effects of fallow (F) and cover crops (oat (O), vetch (V), cowpea (B), pigeon pea (P), and lablab (L)) on nitrous oxide and methane emissions and soil carbon (C) sequestration in maize agroecosystems. Five cropping systems, FM, OV/M, OV/MB, PM, and LM, were evaluated. Our results show that cover crops can reduce life-cycle GHG emissions by ~40 to &gt;100% through increased soil C sequestration. The agroecosystems with winter cover crops (OV/M and OV/MB) had higher life-cycle GHG emissions (0.5 kg CO2e kg−1 of M or 2.6 Mg CO2e ha−1) than the agroecosystem with winter F (0.06 kg CO2e kg−1 of M or 0.2 Mg CO2e ha−1). Summer cover crops (P and L) resulted in negative life-cycle GHG emissions (an average of −0.2 kg CO2e kg M−1 or −1.2 Mg CO2e ha−1) and increased the M grain yield. This study shows that cover crops can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from NT M in southern Brazil.

Fast forward modeling and response analysis of extra-deep azimuthal resistivity measurements in complex model

The Extra-Deep Azimuthal Resistivity Measurements (EDARM) tool, as an emerging technology, can effectively identify geological interfaces within a range of several tens of meters around the borehole, providing geological structures for directional drilling, and effectively improving reservoir encounter rates and enhancing oil and gas recovery rates. However, the signal is jointly affected by interfaces located both ahead of the drill bit and around the borehole, making it impossible to directly obtain the interface position from the signal. Considering the increased detection range of EDARM and the requirements for computational efficiency, this paper presents a 2.5-dimensional (2.5D) finite element method (FEM). By leveraging the symmetry of simulated signals in the spectral domain, the algorithm reduces computation time by 50%, significantly enhancing computational efficiency while preserving accuracy. During the geosteering process, fault and wedge models were simulated, and various feature parameters were extracted to assess their impact on the simulation outcomes of EDARM. The results show that both Look-around and Look-ahead modes exhibit sensitivity to changes in the angle of the geological interface. Crossplot analysis allows for effective identification of interface inclinations and the distances between the instrument and the geological interface. This recognition method is quick, intuitive, and yields reliable results.

Promoting synergy among environmental and economic performances in food waste treatment by optimizing biogas residue management practices.

Improper management of biogas residue (BR) can reduce sustainability in the food waste treatment industry. To address this issue, a comprehensive evaluation framework, based on emergy analysis, carbon emissions and economic analysis, is proposed in this study, to explore how different BR disposal practices affect the comprehensive performance of the industry. A food waste treatment plant in Henan Province, China (anaerobic digestion (AD) + BR landfilling: Scenario 1 [S1]), and two alternative scenarios (S2: AD + BR incineration; S3: AD + BR composting) are investigated as a case study. Compared with S1, S2 and S3 reduce carbon emission intensity by 16.93 % and 22.92 %, respectively; S2 enhances environmental sustainability by 48.63 % while S3 reduces the environmental sustainability by 11.64 %. Furthermore, S2 and S3 improve economic benefits by 8.70 % and 43.48 %, respectively. Generally, S2 and S3 increase the system coordination degree by 9.35 and 9.52 times, respectively. Therefore, BR management should be devoted to improving the resource structure in the future.

Effect of Nutrient Management on Ricebean [Vigna umbellata (Thunb.) Ohwi and Ohashi]- linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Background: Soil fertility depletion is a major constraint on agricultural production, necessitating a balanced application of inorganic and organic nutrients while effective crop residue management post-harvest enhances soil quality and structure, mitigates evaporation and aids carbon fixation. In Nagaland, agriculture faces challenges like nutrient loss from erosion and minimal use of external inputs while sustainable agriculture requires a viable cropping system and effective crop management; technological advancements in agro-techniques, particularly in cropping systems and nutrient management, are crucial for improving productivity in a ricebean-based linseed cropping system. Methods: A field experiment was conducted to focus on green manuring followed by cultivating a legume crop, rice bean and subsequently linseed in 2019-2021, the investigation would carry out to study the growth, yield and quality parameter and the study was laid in randomized block design with three replications and nine treatments with sources of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers. Result: The study revealed substantial influence of growth and yield which included a combination of poultry manure at 0.7 tons ha-1 along with 100% RDF exhibited superior performance in ricebean, a similar trend was also observed in the subsequent crop, which was linseed and also yielded promising results in terms of plant height, nodules, pods plant-1, seeds pods-1 and yield and concluded to achieve higher seed yield, improve seed quality, preserve soil quality.