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Manganese (Mn) is an essential micronutrient needed for plant growth and development, but it can be toxic to plants in excess amounts. Long-term fertilizer experiment and intensive cropping alter the soil properties and also affect its plant-available Mn contents. To understand the dynamics of Mn under long-term fertilizer experiment the present study was initiated during 1972 at the experimental farm of College of Agriculture, CSK HPKV, Palampur (32° 6′ N latitude and 76° 3′ E longitude) in a randomized block design with 11 treatments replicated three times with a maize-wheat cropping sequence. The soils of the experimental area in the beginning of the experiment were acidic in reaction and taxonomically classified as Typic Hapludalfs. Surface (0.0–20 cm) and subsurface (20–40 cm) soil samples taken after the harvest of maize (kharif, 2008) were analyzed for pools of Mn and chemical indices of soil quality using standard analytical methods. Besides, the pools of Mn were also determined in the com...

Different forms of sulphur (S) in both surface and profile soil samples under cereal, vegetable, and oilseed cropping systems were determined to assess their sulfur status. Results emanating from this study revealed that available, water-soluble, heat-soluble, organic, and total sulfur contents were greatest in cereal followed by vegetable- and oilseed-based cropping systems. Sulfur fractions decreased with increasing soil depth. High magnitude of sulfur deficiency observed in oilseed followed by cereal and vegetable cropping systems showed that oilseeds are sulfur-exhaustive crops leading to sulfur mining and there is urgent need to include this element in fertility-management programs. Correlation studies revealed the equilibrium among the fractions in both profile and surface soil samples.

A study was undertaken to identify suitable indicators of soil quality from a long-term fertilizer experiment conducted since 1972, which was laid out in a randomized block design with eleven treatments replicated three times. Surface (0–0.15 m) soil samples were collected after harvest of wheat crop during 2010–11 and were analyzed for physical, chemical, and biological properties. Sustainable yield index (SYI) was calculated based on long-term yield data. Highest and lowest overall SYI values were found in balanced fertilization along with manures and urea-only treatments, respectively. Saturated hydraulic conductivity, pH, labile carbon, available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), pentetate zinc trisodium (DTPA Zn), and nitrogen mineralization were most important minimum dataset (MDS) indicators. The greatest soil quality index (SQI) value was found in balanced fertilization along with manures followed by balanced fertilization along with lime; and the urea-only treatment was the lowest. Balanced ferti...

Long-term effects of chemical fertilizers and amendments on sulfur (S) sorption under a maize–wheat system were investigated in a randomized block design with 11 treatments replicated three times, during winter (2007–2008) and summer (2008) seasons, in an ongoing long-term fertilizer experiment at the farm of College of Agriculture, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, India. Soils of the experimental site were acidic and classified taxonomically as Typic Hapludalfs. Soil samples taken from the surface (0–0.15m) after harvest of wheat (winter 2007–2008) and were analyzed for sorption behavior of S. Maximum sulfate adsorption was in 100% nitrogen (N)–phosphorus (P)–potassium (K) without S treatment and was attributed to continuous cropping without S application, leading to a deterioration of soil S fertility. Increases in the rate of long-term S fertilization caused a considerable reduction in the sulfate adsorption. Application of farmyard manure (FYM) as an amendment also reduced sulfa...