Carbon dioxide flush as a soil health indicator related to soil properties and crop yields

Author(s):  
Upendra M. Sainju ◽  
Daniel Liptzin ◽  
Sadikshya M. Dangi
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (04) ◽  
Author(s):  
MINAKSHI SERAWAT ◽  
V K PHOGAT ◽  
ANIL Abdul KAPOOR ◽  
VIJAY KANT SINGH ◽  
ASHA SERAWAT

Soil crust strength influences seedling emergence, penetration and morphology of plant roots, and, consequently, crop yields. A study was carried out to assess the role of different soil properties on crust strength atHisar, Haryana, India. The soil samples from 0-5 and 5-15 cm depths were collected from 21 locations from farmer’s fields, having a wide range of texture.Soil propertieswere evaluated in the laboratory and theirinfluence on the modulus of rupture (MOR), which is the measure of crust strength, was evaluated.The MOR of texturally different soils was significantly correlated with saturated hydraulic conductivity at both the depths. Dispersion ratio was found to decrease with an increase in fineness of the texture of soil and the lowest value was recorded in silty clay loam soil,which decreased with depth. The modulus of rupture was significantly negatively correlative with the dispersion ratio.There was no role of calcium carbonate in influencing the values of MOR of soils. Similarly,the influence of pH, EC and SAR of soil solution on MOR was non-significant.A perusal of thevalues of the correlations between MOR and different soil properties showed that the MOR of soils of Haryana are positively correlated with silt + clay (r = 0.805) followed by water-stable aggregates (r = 0.774), organic carbon (r = 0.738), silt (r = 0.711), mean weight diameter (r = 0.608) and clay (r = 0.593) while negatively correlated with dispersion ratio (r = - 0.872), sand (r = -0.801) and hydraulic conductivity (r = -0.752) of soils.


Soil Research ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 200 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Somasundaram ◽  
M. Salikram ◽  
N. K. Sinha ◽  
M. Mohanty ◽  
R. S. Chaudhary ◽  
...  

Conservation agriculture (CA) including reduced or no-tillage and crop residue retention, is known to be a self–sustainable system as well as an alternative to residue burning. The present study evaluated the effect of reduced tillage coupled with residue retention under different cropping systems on soil properties and crop yields in a Vertisol of a semiarid region of central India. Two tillage systems – conventional tillage (CT) with residue removed, and reduced tillage (RT) with residue retained – and six major cropping systems of this region were examined after 3 years of experimentation. Results demonstrated that soil moisture content, mean weight diameter, percent water stable aggregates (>0.25mm) for the 0–15cm soil layer were significantly (Pmoderately labile>less labile. At the 0–15cm depth, the contributions of moderately labile, less labile and non-labile C fractions to total organic C were 39.3%, 10.3% and 50.4% respectively in RT and corresponding values for CT were 38.9%, 11.7% and 49.4%. Significant differences in different C fractions were observed between RT and CT. Soil microbial biomass C concentration was significantly higher in RT than CT at 0–15cm depth. The maize–chickpea cropping system had significantly (P–1 followed by soybean+pigeon pea (2:1) intercropping (3.50 t ha–1) and soybean–wheat cropping systems (2.97 t ha–1). Thus, CA practices could be sustainable management practices for improving soil health and crop yields of rainfed Vertisols in these semiarid regions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3617
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Medyńska-Juraszek ◽  
Agnieszka Latawiec ◽  
Jolanta Królczyk ◽  
Adam Bogacz ◽  
Dorota Kawałko ◽  
...  

Biochar application is reported as a method for improving physical and chemical soil properties, with a still questionable impact on the crop yields and quality. Plant productivity can be affected by biochar properties and soil conditions. High efficiency of biochar application was reported many times for plant cultivation in tropical and arid climates; however, the knowledge of how the biochar affects soils in temperate climate zones exhibiting different properties is still limited. Therefore, a three-year-long field experiment was conducted on a loamy Haplic Luvisol, a common arable soil in Central Europe, to extend the laboratory-scale experiments on biochar effectiveness. A low-temperature pinewood biochar was applied at the rate of 50 t h−1, and maize was selected as a tested crop. Biochar application did not significantly impact the chemical soil properties and fertility of tested soil. However, biochar improved soil physical properties and water retention, reducing plant water stress during hot dry summers, and thus resulting in better maize growth and higher yields. Limited influence of the low-temperature biochar on soil properties suggests the crucial importance of biochar-production technology and biochar properties on the effectiveness and validity of its application in agriculture.


ael ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 180006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tunsisa T. Hurisso ◽  
Dan J. Moebius‐Clune ◽  
Steve W. Culman ◽  
Bianca N. Moebius‐Clune ◽  
Janice E. Thies ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 1651-1659 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Díaz-Zorita ◽  
J. H. Grove ◽  
L. Murdock ◽  
J. Herbeck ◽  
E. Perfect

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 34-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashim Kumar Saha ◽  
Apu Biswas ◽  
Abdul Qayyum Khan ◽  
Md. Mohashin Farazi ◽  
Md. Habibur Rahman

Long-term tea cultivation has led to degradation of the soil. Old tea soils require rehabilitation for restoring soil health. Soil rehabilitation by growing different green crops can break the chain of monoculture of tea. An experiment was conducted at The Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) Farm during 2008-2011 to find out the efficiency of different green crops on the improvement of soil properties. Four green crops such as Guatemala, Citronella, Mimosa and Calopogonium were grown to develop the nutritional value of the degraded tea soil. Soil samples were collected and analyzed before and at the end of experiment. Soil pH was increased in all four green crops treated plots with the highest increase in Citronella treated plots (from 4.1 to 4.5). Highest content of organic carbon (1.19%) and total nitrogen (0.119%) were found in Mimosa and Calopogonium treated plots, respectively. Concentration of available phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in all green crops treated plots were above the critical values, while available potassium content was above the critical value in Guatemala, Citronella and Mimosa treated plots. Changes in soil pH and available potassium were significant, while changes in organic carbon content, total nitrogen and available calcium were insignificant. Changes in available phosphorus and magnesium were significant. The Agriculturists 2014; 12(2) 34-38


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kabal S. Gill ◽  
Sukhdev S. Malhi ◽  
Newton Z. Lupwayi

<p>Wood ash may be used to mitigate soil acidity and improve crop production. We compared effects of wood ash and recommended fertilizers on soil properties of a Gray Luivsol, crop yields and contribution margins in southeast Peace, Alberta, Canada. The CHK (no fertilizer, inoculation or wood ash), FRT (recommended fertilizers or inoculation), ASH (wood ash rate to supply amounts of phosphorus equivalent to the FRT treatment); and ASH+N (same as ASH + N fertilizer or inoculation) treatments were applied in 2006 and 2007. Their effects were studied from 2006 to 2014. Wood ash had all the essential plant nutrients, except nitrogen. Soil samples collected in 2007, 2008 and 2013 had or tended to have higher pH, P, K, Ca, Ca:Mg ratio, S, Cu, Zn and B levels for the ASH and ASH+N treatments than the CHK and FRT treatments. In the 2006 and 2007, the seed yields were ASH+N &gt; FRT &gt; ASH &gt; CHK. The seed yields in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 were greater from both the wood ash treatments than other treatments. Extra contribution margin from the ASH+N over the FRT treatment was $751/ha, i.e. $97 Mg<sup>-1</sup> of applied wood ash. Overall, wood ash reduced fertilizer expenditure and improved seed yield, contribution margin and soil properties, with residual effects observed up to seven years and likely for few more years.</p>


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