Assessing soil-quality indices for subtropical rice-based cropping systems in India

Soil Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nirmalendu Basak ◽  
Ashim Datta ◽  
Tarik Mitran ◽  
Satadeep Singha Roy ◽  
Bholanath Saha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Soil Attributes ◽  
Labile C ◽  
Chemical Attributes ◽  
Minimum Dataset

Rice-based cropping systems are the foundation of food security in countries of Southeast Asia, but productivity of such systems has declined with deterioration in soil quality. These systems are different from other arable systems because rice is grown under submergence, and this may require a different set of key soil attributes for maintenances of quality and productivity. A minimum dataset was screened for assessing quality of soils belonging to three Soil Orders (Inceptisols, Entisols and Alfisols) by using statistical and mathematical models and 27 physical, chemical and biological attributes. Surface soils were collected from farmers’ fields under long-term cultivation of rice–potato–sesame cropping systems. Most of the attributes varied significantly among the Soil Orders used. Four or five key attributes were screened for each Soil Order through principal component and discriminate analysis, and these explained nearly 80% and 90% of the total variation in each Soil Order dataset. The attributes were dehydrogenase activity (DHA), available K, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and pHCa for Inceptisols; organic C, pHCa, bulk density, nitrogen mineralisation (Nmin) and β-glucosidase for Entisols; and DHA, very labile C, Nmin and microbial biomass C for Alfisols. Representation of the screened attributes was validated against the equivalent rice yield of the studied system. Among the selected key soil attributes, DHA and CEC for Inceptisols, organic C for Entisols, and Nmin and very labile C for Alfisols were most strongly correlated with system yield (R2 = 0.45, 0.77 and 0.78). Results also showed that biological and chemical attributes were most sensitive for indicating the differences in soil quality and have a strong influence on system yield, whereas soil physical attributes largely varied but did not predict system yield.

scholarly journals Soil attributes under agroecosystems and forest vegetation in the coastal tablelands of northestern Brazil

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 649-664 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Bosco Vasconcellos Gomes ◽  
Marcelo Ferreira Fernandes ◽  
Antonio Carlos Barreto ◽  
José Coelho de Araújo Filho ◽  
Nilton Curi
Keyword(s):  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Multivariate Techniques ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Soil Attributes ◽  
Chemical Attributes ◽  
Physical And Chemical

This study evaluated the changes occurred in a set of soil attributes, particularly those related to the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC), as a function of the replacement of native forest for agricultural ecosystems of regional importance in the coastal tablelands of Northeastern Brazil (orange, coconut, eucalyptus and sugarcane). Six commercial sites under these agroecosystems were compared to neighboring areas of native forest in five areas along this region (Coruripe, Umbaúba, Acajutiba, Cruz das Almas and Nova Viçosa). Soil samples were taken from 0-5 and 5-20 cm depth and analyzed for particle size distribution, bulk density, organic C (OC), particulate organic matter, C in soil solution, microbial biomass C, total cation exchange capacity and water stable aggregates. Linear correlation and multivariate techniques were used for data analysis. The values of base saturation and Al saturation for the 0-20 cm depth layer were also calculated. In all the studied areas, soils under native forest presented better status of physical and chemical attributes than their agroecosystem counterparts, especially in the 0-5 cm layer. For both layers, OC content was the attribute most strongly correlated with the overall changes in all attributes. Unexpectedly, the OC content showed no significant correlation with the sum of silt and clay contents. The set of variables investigated in this study is sensitive to differentiate the quality of soils under perennial and semi-perennial land uses from their counterparts under natural vegetation in the landscapes of the coastal tablelands of Northeastern Brazil.

Long-term effects of fertilisers and organic sources on soil organic carbon fractions under a rice–wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of north-west India

Soil Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 296 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Das ◽  
B. S. Dwivedi ◽  
V. K. Singh ◽  
S. P. Datta ◽  
M. C. Meena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Farmyard Manure ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Gangetic Plain ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Labile C ◽  
Labile C Fractions

Decline in soil organic carbon (SOC) content is considered a key constraint for sustenance of rice–wheat system (RWS) productivity in the Indo-Gangetic Plain region. We, therefore, studied the effects of fertilisers and manures on SOC pools, and their relationships with crop yields after 18 years of continuous RWS. Total organic C increased significantly with the integrated use of fertilisers and organic sources (from 13 to 16.03gkg–1) compared with unfertilised control (11.5gkg–1) or sole fertiliser (NPKZn; 12.17gkg–1) treatment at 0–7.5cm soil depth. Averaged across soil depths, labile fractions like microbial biomass C (MBC) and permanganate-oxidisable C (PmOC) were generally higher in treatments that received farmyard manure (FYM), sulfitation pressmud (SPM) or green gram residue (GR) along with NPK fertiliser, ranging from 192 to 276mgkg–1 and from 0.60 to 0.75gkg–1 respectively compared with NPKZn and NPK+cereal residue (CR) treatments, in which MBC and PmOC ranged from 118 to 170mgkg–1 and from 0.43 to 0.57gkg–1 respectively. Oxidisable organic C fractions revealed that very labile C and labile C fractions were much larger in the NPK+FYM or NPK+GR+FYM treatments, whereas the less-labile C and non-labile C fractions were larger under control and NPK+CR treatments. On average, Walkley–Black C, PmOC and MBC contributed 29–46%, 4.7–6.6% and 1.16–2.40% towards TOC respectively. Integrated plant nutrient supply options, except NPK+CR, also produced sustainable high yields of RWS.

scholarly journals Magnetic susceptibility for characterizing areas with different potentials for sugarcane production

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 1349-1358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Silva Siqueira ◽  
José Marques Júnior ◽  
Daniel De Bortoli Teixeira ◽  
Sammy Sidney Rocha Matias ◽  
Livia Arantes Camargo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Susceptibility ◽  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Soil Attributes ◽  
Sugarcane Production ◽  
Sugarcane Yield ◽  
Chemical Attributes ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Variability Model

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of magnetic susceptibility for characterizing the spatial variability of soil attributes and identifying areas with different potentials for sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) production. Samples were collected at 110 points (1 per 7 ha) in the layers of 0.00-0.20 and 0.20-0.40 m, to determine the magnetic susceptibility and physical and chemical attributes of the soil. Fiber content, sucrose polarization (POL), and sugarcane yield were determined in 33 points. The spatial variability model for magnetic susceptibility was 63 and 22% more accurate in delimiting soil potential for sugarcane production than soil physical and chemical attributes at the 0.0-0.2 and 0.2-0.4-m layers, respectively. The spatial variability map for magnetic susceptibility was strongly correlated with clay (0.83 and 0.89, respectively, for the layers) and sand contents (-0.84 and -0.88); moderately correlated with organic matter (-0.25 and -0.35), sum of bases (-0.46 and 0.37), cation exchange capacity (0.22 and 0.47), pH (-0.52 and 0.13), and POL (0.43 and 0.53); and weakly correlated with sugarcane yield (0.26 and 0.23). Magnetic susceptibility can be used to characterize the spatial variability of soil attributes and to identify areas with different potentials for sugarcane production.

scholarly journals CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES UNDER DIFFERENT SOIL COVER

CERNE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Novak ◽  
Laércio Alves Carvalho ◽  
Etenaldo Felipe Santiago ◽  
Irzo Isaac Rosa Portilho
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Private Property ◽  
Microbial Biomass Carbon ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Basal Respiration ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Environmental Recovery ◽  
Short Period

ABSTRACT A challenge for the environmental recovery of degraded areas is the search for soil data. In this process, the microbiological parameters and soil chemicals are potential indicators of soil quality. This study aimed to evaluate soil quality based on microbiological and chemical soil attributes in different areas involving environmental recovery, sugarcane cultivation and remnants of native vegetation located in a rural private property farm in State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, in Hapludox Eutrophic soil. The microbiological (microbial biomass carbon, basal respiration, microbial quotient and metabolic quotient) and chemical parameters (organic matter, carbon, pH, cationic exchange capacity, sum of bases, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, saturation base and potential acidity) were assessed. Data were assessed by variance and multivariate analysis (Principal Component Analysis and cluster analysis). Overall, the results showed highest alteration in the chemical and microbiological characteristics of the soil in sugarcane cultivation area in comparison with other areas. Considering the studied recovery areas, REC1, REC5 and REC7 show chemical and microbiological conditions with most similarity to native vegetation. Despite the short period of the resilience enhancement of environmental recovery areas, the development of vegetation cover and establishment of the microbial community were determined to be important factors for improving soil quality and environmental recovery in several of the areas studied.

scholarly journals Spatial and multivariate analysis of soybean productivity and soil physical-chemical attributes

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 446-453
Author(s):  
Ricardo N. Buss ◽  
Raimunda A. Silva ◽  
Glécio M. Siqueira ◽  
Jairo O. R. Leiva ◽  
Osmann C. C. Oliveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Covariance Structure ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Spherical Model ◽  
Soybean Yield ◽  
Soil Attributes ◽  
Physical Attributes ◽  
Chemical Attributes

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial variability of soybean yield, carbon stock, and soil physical attributes using multivariate and geostatistical techniques. The attributes were determined in Oxisols samples with clayey and cohesive textures collected from the municipality of Mata Roma, Maranhão state, Brazil. In the study area, 70 sampling points were demarcated, and soybean yield and soil attributes were evaluated at soil depths of 0-0.20 and 0.20-0.40 m. Data were analysed using multivariate analyses (principal component analysis, PCA) and geostatistical tools. The mean soybean yield was 3,370 kg ha-1. The semivariogram of productivity, organic carbon (OC), and carbon stock (Cst) at the 0-0.20 m layer were adjusted to the spherical model. The PCA explained 73.21% of the variance and covariance structure between productivity and soil attributes at the 0-0.20 m layer [(PCA 1 (26.89%), PCA 2 (24.10%), and PCA 3 (22.22%)] and 68.64% at the 0.20-0.40 m layer [PCA 1 (31.95%), PCA 2 (22.83%), and PCA 3 (13.85%)]. The spatial variability maps of the PCA eigenvalue scores showed that it is possible to determine management zones using PCA 1 in the two studied depths; however, with different management strategies for each of the layers in this study.

Relationships between labile soil organic matter and nematode communities in a California oak woodland

Nematology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 1231-1245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Margenot ◽  
Amanda K. Hodson
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Soil Nematode ◽  
Drift Spectroscopy ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Nematode Communities ◽  
Labile C ◽  
Labile C Fractions ◽  
Labile Soil Organic Matter

Labile soil organic matter (SOM) is an important energy source for below-ground ecosystems but the association of labile SOM and nematode communities is poorly characterised. In this study, soil nematode communities and nematode-derived indices of ecosystem function were characterised and related to SOM lability in an undisturbed riparian woodland (California, USA). SOM lability was assessed by microbial biomass C (MBC), permanganate-oxidisable C (POXC), extractable organic C (EOC), and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy. The channel index, which measures the ratio of bacterial-feeding to fungal-feeding nematodes in cp groups 1 and 2, respectively, decreased with labile C fractions and aliphatic C-H enrichment (infrared absorbance at 2920 cm−1) but increased with aromatic C=C enrichment (1620 cm−1) and index of decomposition (2930:1620 cm−1), as did the nematode structure index. These results indicate that nematode communities respond to variation in labile C fractions and SOM composition across a heterogeneous natural landscape, which may reflect observed differences in SOM lability among woody plant species.

scholarly journals Effects of pumice mining on soil quality

Solid Earth ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Cruz-Ruíz ◽  
E. Cruz-Ruíz ◽  
R. Vaca ◽  
P. Del Aguila ◽  
J. Lugo
Keyword(s):  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Total Nitrogen ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Microbial Biomass Carbon ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Total N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Study Sites

Abstract. Mexico is the world's fourth most important maize producer; hence, there is a need to maintain soil quality for sustainable production in the upcoming years. Pumice mining is a superficial operation that modifies large areas in central Mexico. The main aim was to assess the present state of agricultural soils differing in elapsed time since pumice mining (0–15 years) in a representative area of the Calimaya region in the State of Mexico. The study sites in 0, 1, 4, 10, and 15 year old reclaimed soils were compared with an adjacent undisturbed site. Our results indicate that gravimetric moisture content, water hold capacity, bulk density, available phosphorus, total nitrogen, soil organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon and phosphatase and urease activity were greatly impacted by disturbance. A general trend of recovery towards the undisturbed condition with reclamation age was found after disturbance, the recovery of soil total N being faster than soil organic C. The soil quality indicators were selected using principal component analysis (PCA), correlations and multiple linear regressions. The first three components gathered explain 76.4 % of the total variability. The obtained results revealed that the most appropriate indicators to diagnose the quality of the soils were urease, available phosphorus and bulk density and minor total nitrogen. According to linear score analysis and the additive index, the soils showed a recuperation starting from 4 years of pumice extraction.

Attributes of Tasmanian ferrosols under different agricultural management

Soil Research ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 603 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Sparrow ◽  
W. E. Cotching ◽  
J. Cooper ◽  
W. Rowley
Keyword(s):  
Good Condition ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Liquid Limit ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Continuous Cropping ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Laboratory Techniques ◽  
Subsurface Soil ◽  
Intensive Cropping ◽  
Water Contents

Attributes of 25 Tasmanian ferrosols under 5 forms of management (low-input pasture, high-input pasture, intermittent cropping, continuous cropping, and pyrethrum production) were assessed using field and laboratory techniques, to see how these attributes changed as the intensity of land management increased. Among the most notable changes were soil organic carbon (C) in the top 150 mm, which was about 30% less in cropping and pyrethrum paddocks than pasture paddocks, and microbial biomass C, which was about 60% less. Earthworm numbers showed even greater differences, with virtually no earthworms under pyrethrum. Pasture soils had higher shear strength and water contents at the liquid limit in the top 150 mm, and more water-stable aggregates in the subsurface soil. Despite these differences, the absolute values of most attributes in cropping paddocks were of a magnitude, which suggests that Tasmanian ferrosols even under continuous cropping are still in good condition. This agreed with the views of the farmers, obtained by individual survey. The decrease in organic C in the cropped soils has not decreased the effective cation exchange capacity, probably because their higher pH due to liming has compensated. Because ferrosols with organic C contents of 1−2% elsewhere in Australia have been shown to have serious management limitations, we need to know by how much the organic C contents in Tasmanian ferrosols will continue to decrease under intensive cropping to predict whether they might suffer in a similar way.

scholarly journals Integrated Crop-Livestock Management Effects on Soil Quality Dynamics in a Semiarid Region: A Typology of Soil Change Over Time

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ryschawy ◽  
M. A. Liebig ◽  
S. L. Kronberg ◽  
D. W. Archer ◽  
J. R. Hendrickson
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Semiarid Region ◽  
Soil Quality Index ◽  
Total N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Over Time

Integrated crop-livestock systems can have subtle effects on soil quality over time, particularly in semiarid regions where soil responses to management occur slowly. We tested if analyzing temporal trajectories of soils could detect trends in soil quality data which were not detected using traditional statistical and index approaches. Principal component and cluster analyses were used to assess the evolution in ten soil properties at three sampling times within two production systems (annually cropped, perennial grass). Principal component 1 explained 33% of the total variance of the complete dataset and corresponded to gradients in extractable N, available P, and C : N ratio. Principal component 2 explained 25.4% of the variability and corresponded to gradients of soil pH, soil organic C, and total N. While previous analyses found no differences in Soil Quality Index (SQI) scores between production systems, annually cropped treatments and perennial grasslands were clearly distinguished by cluster analysis. Cluster analysis also identified greater dispersion between plots over time, suggesting an evolution in soil condition in response to management. Accordingly, multivariate statistical techniques serve as a valuable tool for analyzing data where responses to management are subtle or anticipated to occur slowly.

Soil microbial biomass, labile and total carbon levels of grazed sown and native pastures in northern New South Wales

2006 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 837 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Lodge ◽  
K. L. King
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Soil Microbial Biomass ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Labile C ◽  
Microbial Quotient ◽  
Total Organic C

Studies were conducted at 3 pasture sites in northern New South Wales to examine the effects of grazing treatments over 4 years (spring 1997 to spring 2001) on soil microbial biomass carbon (C), labile C, total C, and total nitrogen (N). These data were collected (0–0.05 m soil depth) at 9 sampling times in 2 replicates of 5 (native pastures) or 4 (a sown pasture) grazing treatments and examined for differences over time using cubic spline analyses. For each site, differences among grazing treatments were also examined in spring 2001 for herbage, litter, and root mass (kg DM/ha), ground cover (%), and perennial grass basal cover (%). Indices were also calculated for the C pool index (CPI), lability index (LI), a carbon management index (CMI), and the microbial quotient. Relationships among microbial biomass C, labile C, total organic C, CPI, LI, CMI, microbial quotient, herbage mass, litter mass, and ground cover were examined by linear regression and correlation analyses. For each of the sites, treatment differences in the linear trend over time for soil microbial biomass C, labile C, total organic C, or total N were not significantly different (P > 0.05). In spring 2001, (4 years after treatments commenced) there were also no significant effects of treatments within sites on soil total organic C and none of the indices (lability of C, CPI, LI, CMI, or the microbial quotient) indicated any distinct trends among treatments. However, in spring 2001, there were significant (P < 0.05) treatment effects at both native pasture sites for herbage mass, litter mass, and ground cover. Similarly, in autumn 2001, herbage mass, root mass, and perennial grass basal cover were lowest (P < 0.05) in the continuously grazed high-stocking rate treatment at the sown pasture site. For all data, microbial biomass C was 10.35% of labile C and labile C was 21.60% of total C. From autumn 1998 to spring 2001, labile C was positively correlated (P < 0.05) with total C (r = 0.72) and in spring 2001, these 2 variables were also highly correlated (r = 0.98).

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