CONTINUOUS APPLICATION OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ENHANCES SOIL HEALTH, PRODUCE QUALITY AND SYSTEM PRODUCTIVITY OF VEGETABLE-BASED CROPPING SYSTEMS IN SUBTROPICAL EASTERN HIMALAYAS

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. P. PATEL ◽  
ANUP DAS ◽  
MANOJ KUMAR ◽  
G. C. MUNDA ◽  
S. V. NGACHAN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Organic Amendment ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
French Bean ◽  
Total System ◽  
Subtropical Climate ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Continuous Application

SUMMARYThe hill ecosystem of Northeastern Himalayas is suitable for organic farming due to negligible use of fertilizer (<12 kg ha−1) and agrochemicals, abundance of organic manure, especially plant biomass, and favourable climatic conditions for diverse crops. For successful organic farming, efficient cropping systems and organic amendments are to be identified to sustain soil health on one hand and productivity and enhanced income on the other. The efficacy of three organic amendments, namely, farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost (VC) and integrated nutrient source (INS; 50% recommended dose of nitrogen (N) through FYM + 50% N through VC) on performance of three-vegetable-based cropping systems, namely, maize + soybean (2:2 intercropping)–tomato, maize + soybean–potato and maize + soybean–French bean was evaluated for five consecutive years (2005–06 to 2009–10) under subtropical climate at Umiam, Meghalaya, India (950 m above sea level). All the organic amendments were applied on N equivalent basis and phosphorus (P) requirement was compensated through rock phosphate. The results revealed that the yield of vegetables, except root vegetables, was maximum with FYM as soil amendment. Total system productivity in terms of maize equivalent yield (MEY) was significantly higher under FYM followed by INS. Pooled analysis revealed that MEY was enhanced by 200 and 191% with continuous application of FYM and INS, respectively, over control (no manure). Maize + soybean–tomato system recorded the highest MEY (28.78 Mg ha−1; Mg – megagram) followed by maize + soybean–French bean (24.37 Mg ha−1). INS as organic amendment resulted in maximum improvement in soil organic carbon (SOC), available P and potassium (K), soil microbial biomass carbon and water holding capacity and was similar to those under FYM. The SOC concentration under INS (23.6 g kg−1), FYM (23.3 g kg−1) and VC (22.3 g kg−1) after five years of organic farming were 31.0, 29.4 and 23.8% higher than the initial and 26.2, 24.6 and 19.3% higher than those under control, respectively. The quality traits of tomato such as total soluble solids (5%), ascorbic acid (28.6 mg 100 g−1) and lycopene content (19.35 mg 100 g−1) were higher under FYM application than other amendments. The study indicated that FYM and INS are equally good as organic amendment and their continuous application not only improves soil health but also crop productivity. FYM application was also found to be cost effective as it resulted in a higher benefit: cost ratio (4.4:1) compared to other amendments irrespective of cropping sequences during transition to organic farming.

scholarly journals Improvement of Soil Health and System Productivity through Crop Diversification and Residue Incorporation under Jute-Based Different Cropping Systems

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1622
Author(s):  
Mukesh Kumar ◽  
Sabyasachi Mitra ◽  
Sonali Paul Mazumdar ◽  
Bijan Majumdar ◽  
Amit Ranjan Saha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Soil Parameters ◽  
Data Set ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Sustainability Index ◽  
Residue Incorporation ◽  
The Impact

Crop diversity through residue incorporation is the most important method for sustaining soil health. A field study was conducted over five consecutive years (2012–2017) to see the impact of residue incorporartions in Inceptisol of eastern India. The main plot treatments had five cropping systems (CS), namely, fallow−rice−rice (FRR), jute−rice−wheat (JRW), jute−rice−baby corn (JRBc), jute−rice−vegetable pea (JRGp), jute−rice−mustard−mungbean/green gram (JRMMu), which cinsisted of four sub-plots with varied nutrient and crop residue management (NCRM) levels, namely crops with no residue +75% of the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (F1R0), crops with the residue of the previous crops +75% RDF (F1R1), crops with no resiude +100% RDF (F2R0), and crops with residue +100% RDF (F2R1). The highest system productivity was obtained for JRBc (15.3 Mg·ha−1), followed by JRGp (8.81 Mg·ha−1) and JRMMu (7.61 Mg·ha−1); however, the highest sustainability index was found with the JRGp cropping system (0.88), followed by JRMMu (0.82). Among the NCRMs, the highest productivity (8.78 Mg·ha−1) and sustainability index (0.83) were recorded in F2R1. Five soil parameters, namely, bulk density, available K, urease activity, dehydrogenase activity, and soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), were used in the minimum data-set (MDS) for the calculation of the soil quality index (SQI). The best attainment of SQI was found in the JRGp system (0.63), closely followed by the JRMMu (0.61) cropping system.

scholarly journals Carbon Balance under Organic Amendments in the Wheat-Maize Cropping Systems of Sloppy Upland Soil

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2747
Author(s):  
Hamidou Bah ◽  
Minghua Zhou ◽  
Simon Kizito ◽  
Ren Xiao ◽  
Syed Turab Raza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Crop Residues ◽  
Organic Amendment ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Organic Manure ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Pig Slurry ◽  
Upland Soil ◽  
Study Results

With an increasing interest in closing the nutrient loop in agroecosystems, organic amendments are highly recommended as a reliable resource for soil nutrient recycling. However, from a carbon sequestration perspective, not much has been reported on the contribution of different organic amendments to soil organic carbon (SOC), crop carbon (C) uptake, and soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in wheat-maize cropping systems of sloppy upland soil. To fill the knowledge gap, a two-year lysimeter-field plots experiment was conducted in a sloppy upland purplish soil under wheat-maize cropping systems. The experiments were arranged in a complete random block design with five treatment plots, namely; fresh pig slurry as organic manure (OM), crop residues (CR), conventional mineral fertilizers (NPK) as the control, organic manure plus mineral fertilizers (OMNPK), and crop residues plus mineral fertilizers (CRNPK). Our results showed the leaf photosynthesis rate was not significantly increased by organic amendment application treatments compared to NPK treatment, and was within a range of 4.8 to 45.3 µmol m−2 s−1 for the wheat season and −20.1 to 40.4 µmol m−2 s−1 for the maize season across the five treatments and the measured growth stages. The soil CO2 emissions for the maize season (in the range of 203 to 362 g C m−2) were higher than for the wheat season (in the range of 118 to 252 g C m−2) on average across the different experimental treatments over the two-year experiment. The organic amendment application increased annual cumulative CO2 emissions from 30% to 51% compared to NPK treatment. Over the two years, the average crop C uptake ranged from 174 to 378 g C m−2 and from 287 to 488 g C m−2 for the wheat and maize seasons, respectively, and the organic amendment application increased the crop C uptake by 4% to 23% compared to NPK treatment. In the organic amendment treatments, the C balance ranged from −160 to 460 g C m−2 and from −301 to 334 g C m−2 for the wheat and the maize seasons, respectively, which were greater than those in the NPK treatment. Overall, the present study results suggest incorporation of organic amendments could be an effective strategy for increasing C sequestration and sustaining crop productivity in sloppy upland soil.

Carbon sequestration potential and sustainable yield index for groundnut- and fallow-based cropping systems

2006 ◽  
Vol 144 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. K. GHOSH ◽  
M. C. MANNA ◽  
D. DAYAL ◽  
R. H. WANJARI
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Carbon Storage ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Sustainable Yield ◽  
Total System ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Sustainable Yield Index ◽  
Organic Carbon Storage

Soil organic carbon storage encompasses both soil productivity and environmental capabilities. The influence of fertilizer (nitrogen and phosphorus) levels (0 NP, 0·5 NP, 1·0 NP (recommended standard) or 1·5 NP) on total system productivity, sustainable yield index and soil organic carbon storage in Vertisols (Typic Haplustert) under groundnut and fallow-based cropping systems were examined in a field experiment over 6 years. The aim was to identify a system that provided an acceptable balance between total system productivity and soil organic carbon restoration. The experiment comprised two rainy season crops (groundnut or fallow) and five post-rainy season crops (wheat, mustard, chickpea, sunflower or summer groundnut), each post-rainy season crop with four levels of NP fertilizer. The total system productivity was 130% higher in the groundnut-based than in the fallow-based system and was in the order: groundnut–groundnut>groundnut–chickpea>groundnut–wheat>groundnut–mustard>groundnut–sunflower. The sustainable yield index was highest in the groundnut–groundnut system. The gross C input was relatively higher in the groundnut-based system but the C loss rate was greater. The amount of residue needed per ha per year to compensate for loss of soil organic carbon was estimated to be 4·3 t in the fallow-based and 7·6 t in the groundnut–based cropping system. Though the total system productivity was greater in groundnut–groundnut and groundnut–chickpea systems, soil organic carbon declined. The groundnut–wheat system contributed more C, particularly root biomass C, than other systems, improved the restoration of soil organic carbon and maintained total system productivity. It was concluded that current fertilizer recommendations are adequate for maintaining yields in groundnut-based systems but the addition of crop residues at regular intervals along with fertilizer is necessary to maintain restoration of soil organic carbon.

scholarly journals Microbiota Management for Effective Disease Suppression: A Systematic Comparison between Soil and Mammals Gut

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7608
Author(s):  
Giuliano Bonanomi ◽  
Mohamed Idbella ◽  
Ahmed M. Abd-ElGawad
Keyword(s):  
Diet Composition ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Organic Amendment ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Disease Suppression ◽  
Functional Link ◽  
Harmful Organisms ◽  
Ecological Mechanisms

Both soil and the human gut support vast microbial biodiversity, in which the microbiota plays critical roles in regulating harmful organisms. However, the functional link between microbiota taxonomic compositions and disease suppression has not been explained yet. Here, we provide an overview of pathogen regulation in soil and mammals gut, highlighting the differences and the similarities between the two systems. First, we provide a review of the ecological mechanisms underlying the regulation of soil and pathogens, as well as the link between disease suppression and soil health. Particular emphasis is thus given to clarifying how soil and the gut microbiota are associated with organic amendment and the human diet, respectively. Moreover, we provide several insights into the importance of organic amendment and diet composition in shaping beneficial microbiota as an efficient way to support crop productivity and human health. This review also discusses novel ways to functionally characterize organic amendments and the proper operational combining of such materials with beneficial microbes for stirring suppressive microbiota against pathogens. Furthermore, specific examples are given to describe how agricultural management practices, including the use of antibiotics and fumigants, hinder disease suppression by disrupting microbiota structure, and the potentiality of entire microbiome transplant. We conclude by discussing general strategies to promote soil microbiota biodiversity, the connection with plant yield and health, and their possible integration through a “One Health” framework.

scholarly journals Effects of Seven Diversified Crop Rotations on Selected Soil Health Indicators and Wheat Productivity

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Wang ◽  
Yingxing Zhao ◽  
Mahdi Al-Kaisi ◽  
Jia Yang ◽  
Yuanquan Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Sweet Potato ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Summer Maize ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Double Cropping

Diversified cropping systems can enhance soil condition and increase system productivity worldwide. To reduce the negative effects that accompany the continuous winter wheat–summer maize (WM) double-cropping in the North China Plain (NCP), diversified crop rotation (DCR) needs to be considered. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of DCR on soil health and wheat productivity as compared to a continuous WM double-cropping. A field experiment (37°41′ N, 116°37′ E) was established in the NCP including a traditional WM double-cropping as a baseline. During 2016/2017–2017/2018, the control is winter wheat–summer maize→winter wheat–summer maize (WM→WM) and seven DCRs as follow: fallow→winter wheat–summer maize (F→WM); spring maize→winter wheat–summer maize (Ms→WM); winter wheat→winter wheat–summer maize (W→WM); sweet potato→winter wheat–summer maize (Psw→WM); spring peanut→winter wheat–summer maize (Pns→WM); winter wheat–summer peanut→winter wheat–summer maize (WPn→WM) and potato–silage maize→winter wheat–summer maize (PMl→WM). Our results indicated that DCRs significantly changed certain soil health indicators in 2016/2017 compared with the control, where F→WM rotation significantly decreased soil pH by 2.7%. The DCRs, especial Psw→WM and Pns→WM rotations showed a potential positive effect on soil health indicators at the end of the second year (2017/2018) compared with the control, where sweet potato increased soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), urease activity (UA) and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) in 2017/2018 by 5.1%, 5.3%, 13.8%, 9.4%, and 13.5%, respectively. With the spring peanut, TN, AP, and soil APA were increased by 2.1%, 13.2%, and 7.7%, respectively. Although fertilizer and irrigation input of DCRs were lower than the control, no significant decrease was observed on actual wheat yield as compared to the control (7.79 Mg/ha). The finding of this study highlights the value of DCRs, especially, Psw→WM and Pns→WM rotations over WM double-cropping in the NCP.

scholarly journals Response of Conservation Agriculture on System Productivity and Carbon Sequestration in Rice-Based Cropping Systems

2020 ◽  
pp. 24-34
Author(s):  
T. Pandiaraj ◽  
Sumit Chaturvedi ◽  
A. K. Bhardwaj
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Resource Conservation ◽  
Reduced Tillage ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Sequestration Rate ◽  
Carbon Sequestration Rate

Low crop yields due to constant monocropping systems and deteriorating soil health in a smallholder farmers’ field of Indo-Gangetic plains of India have led to a quest for sustainable production practices with greater resource use efficiencies. The aim of the study was to elucidate the short term effects of conservation agricultural systems on productivity, soil health and carbon sequestration rate of soils in three different diversified cropping systems. The treatments consisted of two different tillage systems (conventional and reduced tillage), two mulch levels (no and straw mulch) and two levels of fertility (100 and 75% RDF) were compared in three rice-based cropping systems (rice-wheat; rice-vegetable pea-greengram; and rice-potato-maize sequences) for two years on an experimental field (clay loam) located at Norman E Borlaug Crop Research Center, Pantnagar, India. The resource conservation technologies (RCT) i.e. reduced tillage, mulch, and 100% RDF had recorded 2.5 and 3.0% higher system productivity and relative production efficiency in rice-vegetablepea-greengram and rice-potato-maize sequences, respectively in two consecutive years. Conservation tillage had sequestered three times higher carbon than conventional tillage while mulching acted four times higher than non-mulched condition in agricultural soils. Even though cropping system not significant significantly influenced on carbon sequestration, rice-vegetablepea-greengram sequence had recorded higher carbon sequestration rate and higher soil organic carbon stock noted in surface plough sole layer than any other cropping systems. Therefore, our results suggested that Indo-Gangetic farmers should consider adopting resource conservation practices together in indogangetic area because of benefits to soil health, carbon sequestration and system productivity.

scholarly journals System Productivity and Resource Use Efficiency of Alternative Cropping Systems for Sugarcane in Karnataka

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 170-178
Author(s):  
S. N. O. Sadashivanagowda ◽  
◽  
S. C. Alagundagi ◽  
B. T. Nadagouda ◽  
B. I. Bidari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Pigeon Pea ◽  
Green Gram ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Bt Cotton ◽  
Total System ◽  
Resource Use Efficiency ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Use Efficiency

The field experiments were conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Hukkeri, Belagavi, Karnataka, India during 2018–19 and 2019–20 to study the system productivity and resource use efficiency of alternative cropping systems for sugarcane. There were 11 treatments involving different cropping systems viz., soybean–sorghum–ridge gourd, pigeon pea±green gram (1:1)–beans, pigeon pea±soybean (1:1)–cowpea, soybean–wheat–groundnut, groundnut–sorghum–sesame, maize–cabbage–fallow, soybean–wheat–green gram, maize–wheat–sesame, Bt cotton–groundnut, sugarcane±onion (1:2) and sugarcane (sole) replicated thrice and laid out in randomized complete block design. Among the cropping systems, maize-cabbage-fallow system recorded significantly higher total system productivity (58,234 kg ha-1), water use efficiency (199.67 kg ha-1-mm) and energy use efficiency (129.91 MJ ha-1) compared to rest of the cropping systems. However, sugarcane (sole) recorded (1,11,008 kg ha-1, 68.64 kg ha-1-mm and 16.58 MJ ha-1, respectively). Based on alternative cropping systems involving only field crops, maize-wheat-sesame (9633 kg ha-1, 30.65 kg ha-1-mm and 132.20 MJ ha-1, respectively), soybean-wheat-groundnut (7602 kg ha-1, 27.40 kg ha-1-mm and 32.35 MJ ha-1,, respectively), soybean-wheat-green gram (6424 kg ha-1, 23.05 kg ha-1-mm and 31.91 MJ ha-1, respectively) and Bt cotton-groundnut (4503 kg ha-1, 17.97 kg ha-1-mm and 16.95 MJ ha-1, respectively) were significantly higher. By adopting the alternative cropping systems, there was water saving of approximately 45% compared to sugarcane monocropping and sugarcane±onion (1:2) intercropping.

scholarly journals Intensifying cropping systems through doubled-up legumes in Eastern Zambia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mulundu Mwila ◽  
Blessing Mhlanga ◽  
Christian Thierfelder
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Total System ◽  
Smallholder Farming ◽  
Maize Crop ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Entry Points ◽  
Negative Impacts

AbstractDeclining soil fertility and negative impacts of climate effects threaten the food security of millions in Africa. Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a promising strategy to address these challenges. However, lack of viable economic entry points and short-term benefits for smallholders limit its adoption. Legume intensification can possibly increase the output per unit area, thus making the system more attractive. Rotations of maize with intensified legume systems were tested for three consecutive years under ridge and furrow (RF) tillage and CA to investigate: (a) increases in productivity of legumes and the subsequent maize crop; (b) changes in land equivalent ratios (LERs) and; (c) improved total system productivity. Results showed an increase in legume yields when growing two legumes simultaneously, leading to greater LERs (ranging between 1.13 and 1.29). However, there was only a significant season and not a main treatment effect as CA did not outperform RF in both phases of the rotation. Full populations of companion legumes improved overall system productivity, yielding 76.8 GJ ha−1 in a more conducive season while sole cropping of pigeonpea yielded only 4.4 GJ ha−1. We conclude that the doubled-up legumes systems have great potential to improve household food security when integrated into current smallholder farming.

scholarly journals Tillage and Residue Management Effects on Productivity, Profitability and Soil Properties of a Rice-Maize-Mungbean System in Bangladesh

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.H. Rashid ◽  
Jagadish Timsina ◽  
N. Islam ◽  
Saiful Islam
Keyword(s):  
Soil Health ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Total System ◽  
Gangetic Plain ◽  
Total N ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Residue Removal ◽  
Strip Tillage ◽  
Residue Retention

Farmers&rsquo; conventional tillage (CT) and residue removal practices in rice-maize systems in South Asia&rsquo;s Eastern Gangetic Plain (EGP) are input-intensive, costly and soil degradative. We conducted a rice-maize-mungbean (R-M-MB) system experiment with six tillage and three residue management treatments in Bangladesh representing the EGP. Maize yields were significantly (p&le;0.05) higher under permanent (PB) or fresh (FB) beds and strip tillage (ST) than CT but no differences in mungbean yields. Rice yields under PB, FB and CT were similar, but significantly higher than under zero or minimum tillage and ST. Yields of all crops increased significantly (p&le;0.05) with residue retention compared to no retention. Total system productivity was highest under PB followed by FB and ST. Compared with CT, gross margins in PB, FB and ST increased by 18, 13 and 11%, and soil organic matter (SOM) and total N contents across tillage treatments increased by 11-16% and 12-24%, respectively. After three years, SOM and total N and available P and S contents increased significantly (p&le;0.05) by residue retention. Results demonstrate the potential of PB, FB and ST with residue retention, for improving the productivity, profitability and soil health under R-M-MB systems in Bangladesh and similar soils in the EGP.

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