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Maize, being a nutritious and multipurpose crop requires proper nutrition (N, P, and K) and standardization of sowing time to enhance productivity and profitability under changing climate scenario. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted during monsoon season of 2021 and 2022 at agricultural farm, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, in split plot design with four fertilizer levels (125, 100, 75, and 50% recommended dose of fertilizers; RDF) in main plots and four sowing dates (15 and 30 of June and July) in subplots, replicated thrice. Maize sown on 30 June and fertilized with 125% RDF ensured higher growth attributes throughout crop growth. Besides, comparatively greater yield attributes as well as grain yield (8.22 t ha−1), stover yield (11.86 t ha−1), and harvest index (40.9%) were observed from that treatment combination, and it also recorded higher quality protein and nutrient uptakes but less residual soil fertility. Maize grown on 30 July under application of 50% RDF was the poorest yielder. Further, production economics and energy analysis showed similar trend and indicated that maize grown on 30 June under application of 125% RDF recorded maximum gross return (₹168275 ha−1), net return (₹109565 ha−1), and benefit-cost ratio (2.87) as well as energy output (269084 MJ ha−1) and net energy gain (250750.3 MJ ha−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis article investigated the economic impact of adopting organic soil fertility measures (OSFM) on millet farming outcomes in rainfed regions of rural India. Using survey data from 900 millet farmers, the analysis applied an endogenous switching regression model to correct for selection bias arising from both observable and unobservable factors. The results indicated that factors such as soil type, use of farmyard manure, crop diversification, gender of the household head, access to agricultural resources, proximity to residence and markets and education levels significantly influenced farmers’ adoption of OSFM. Notably, the adoption of OSFM had a positive and statistically significant impact on farm profits, with OSFM adopters gaining ₹5998 more than nonadopters. The average treatment effect on the treated for OSFM was 9.80% higher than for non-OSFM farmers. These findings reinforcing the importance of promoting OSFM practices in similar rainfed farming regions of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was carried out in the farmer's fields of the Bhagalpur District of Bihar during the rabi seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18 to ascertain the impact of high fertility levels and plant geometry on the productivity and profitability of rabi maize. There were total five treatments consisting of different plant geometry and fertilizer rate. The five treatments viz.,T1- 60 × 20 cm spacing with 120:75:50 kg/ha (Farmers practice), T2- 50 × 20 cm spacing with 150:93.75:62.5 kg/ha, T3- 40 × 20 cm spacing with 150:93.75:62.5 kg/ha, T4- 50 × 20 cm spacing with 180:112.5:75 kg/ha and T5- 40 × 20 cm spacing with 180:112.5:75 kg/ha N, P2O5 and K2O, respectively were arranged in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with five replications. Polled data of two consecutive years revealed that all the higher fertility levels with reduced plant geometry produced higher yield attributes and yield of rabi maize and also sustained soil fertility as compare to the farmer's practice. Significantly, highest cob length (19.49 cm), cob girth (12.83 cm), 1000-grain wt (305.5 g), grain yield (115.94 q/ha) and net returns of INR 101434/ha were recorded with 180 : 112.5 : 75 kg/ha N, P2O5 and K2O with the plant spacing of 50×20 cm (T4). Application of 150:93.75:62.5 kg/ha N, P2O5 and K2O at plant spacing 50 × 20 cm (T2) being at par with 180:112.5:75 kg/ha N, P2O5 and K2O with the plant spacing of 50 × 20 cm (T4) and 180:112.5:75 kg/ha N, P2O5 and K2O at plant spacing 40 × 20 cm (T5). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice based cropping systems are the most predominantly grown systems in India contributing a major share to India's food grain production. However, systems i.e., rice-rice and rice-wheat brought us second generation sustainability issues over long run. Cowpea being a multi-role legume crop can be considered for the intensification of rice-based system with limited resources and its residue having lower C:N ratio can easily decompose in soil and enhance soil fertility. Following experiment was conducted at Institutional Research Farm, ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Odisha during kharif, rabi and summer season during 2017-18 and 2018-19. The treatments were laid out in split plot design and consisted of three replications. The main plot consisted of two rice-based cropping systems i.e., rice-maize-cowpea (R-M-C) and rice-groundnut-cowpea (R-G-C), sub-plots consisted of five nutrient and residue management practices i.e., C-C-C, R-R-R, RI+R75-R-R, RI+R75-SM+R-R and RI+R75-SM+R-R50. The pooled value for the season 2017-18 and 2018-19 revealed that, RI+R75-SM+R-R and RI+R75-SM+R-R50 resulted higher yield i.e., pod yield, seed yield, stover yield, HI, nutrient content, nutrient uptake, economic return i.e., gross return, net return and B:C ratio, higher CH4 flux and lower N2O flux than R-R-R. Between two cropping systems, R-M-C cropping system recorded highest yield and is more feasible to take over R-G-C. Among nutrient management, RI+R75-SM+R-R recorded higher growth and yield but due to consistent residue retention and incorporation, even if using 50% of recommended dose of fertilizer in cowpea i.e., RI+R75-SM+R-R50 recorded similar growth, yield, economic return, and even higher B:C ratio than RI+R75-SM+R-R and recommended. Cowpea residue incorporation and 25% reduced dose of chemical fertilizer application in rice crop, rice straw mulch in rabi maize and 50% reduction in chemical fertilizer application in summer cowpea (RI+R75-SM+R-R50) received highest cowpea yield, and economic return and this system-based nutrient management should be recommended in R-M-C cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the transition from conventional farming practices to natural farming in India as a sustainable solution to the environmental and health challenges posed by intensive chemical-based agriculture. Conventional farming, reliant on synthetic inputs like chemical fertilizers and pesticides, has led to significant soil degradation, water pollution, and health concerns. In response, natural farming has gained prominence, drawing upon traditional agricultural practices and indigenous knowledge systems. Emphasizing principles such as ecological balance, diversity, and selfsufficiency, natural farming advocates for practices like minimal soil disturbance, enhancing soil fertility, promoting biodiversity, and integrated pest management. The adoption of chemical-free natural farming practices, including the application of Jivamreet, Bijamreet, and Aachhchhadan, offers benefits including soil conservation, biodiversity preservation, and safer food production. Moreover, it empowers local communities and aligns with India's agricultural heritage. By investing in natural farming, India can foster resilient, environmentally sustainable, and socially inclusive food systems for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice residue burning poses a significant challenge in the rice-wheat cropping system of India, leading to environmental pollution, health issues, and substantial nutrient loss. To combat this menace, a three-year study (2020-21 to 2022-23) was conducted, investigating the effects of rice residue retention (RRR) and rice residue incorporation (RRI) at graded N levels (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg/ha) alongside farmers' practices. The primary objective was to enhance wheat productivity, profitability, and soil fertility within this system. Pooled analysis revealed that RRR outperformed RRI at lower nitrogen doses, while RRI excelled with 7.5%, 7.4%, and 10.0% higher biological yields at higher nitrogen doses (100, 150, and 200 kg/ha). The success of RRR and RRI was attributed to 10.5% and 5.0% higher effective tiller/m2, respectively, compared to farmers' practices at 150 kg N/ha. Notably, RRR exhibited superior NDVI values at the flag leaf stage (0.76) over farmers' practices (0.73). At the 150 kg N/ha, RRR displayed a 9.6% lower cost of cultivation compared to farmers' practices, with 19.6% higher net returns at lower N levels (50 kg/ha), suggesting its greater benefits under low-input conditions. Furthermore, RRR showed the highest benefit-cost ratio (2.75) at 150 kg N/ha, followed by RRI (2.59) and farmers' practices (2.55). Over the three-year period, RRR significantly increased organic carbon content (0.49–0.54%) compared to the initial value (0.38%), affirming its long-term benefits. Consequently, the adoption of RRR by farmers is a preferable eco-friendly option over RRI and present practices for enhancing wheat productivity within the rice-wheat system. Due to 60–65% saving of fuel with the practice of zero tillage along with rice residue retention, it can reduce CO2 emission by 120 kg/ha, therefore, its implementation can reduce CO2 release by 1.62 MT in South Asia per year. Ultimately, it can meet the target of Paris Agreement of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and reaching net-zero CO2 emissions globally by 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil quality plays an important role in the enhancement of agricultural Production. Therefore, the present study was carried out to study the quality of paddy soil. To fulfil the objectives of the present study, 15 sites were selected in Pomburna tehsil of Chandrapur District (M.S.), India. The systematic grid sampling plan was followed in the study and sample were selected grid wise on the basis of utilization of rice cultivated by the population cluster. Soil quality parameters such as, water holding capacity (WHC), pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), Nitrogen, Zinc, Copper, Iron, and organic carbon (OC) were analyzed during the study period. The results of the present study revealed that the value of physicochemical parameters of the soil was in the suitable range. Salinity in most of the samples (78%) was observed in high range. OC values (more than 0.80%) indicate higher fertility of the soil. The nature of the soil was found from acidic to alkaline in nature. The values of Nitrogen, Zinc, Copper, and Iron also indicate the suitability of soil for paddy crops. After the harvesting of paddy crop, the values of most of the physicochemical parameters and micronutrients decreased except copper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil quality is crucial for the fulfilment of food requirement of huge population of developing countries like India. The goal of the current investigation was to assess the impact of crop harvesting on soil with special reference to paddy crop. To meet the study's goals, fifteen locations were chosen from Mul tehsil in Chandrapur District (M.S.), India. The study used a systematic sampling and samples were chosen grid-wise based on how the population cluster used the rice that was grown. During the study, numerous markers connected with soil quality were inspected, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, water holding (WH), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron, and natural carbon (OC). The results obtained indicate that the soil of the study area was saline at more than 75% of the sampling sites. Greater soil fertility is found at more than 81% of the sites as indicated by OC values. The soil was observed from acidic to alkaline in nature. The soil's suitability for paddy crops is also indicated by the levels of iron, zinc, copper, and nitrogen. Most of the physical characteristics and micronutrient content dropped after the harvesting of rice crop except copper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jack bean is an under-exploited legume species, a source of food, medicine and cover crop. By virtue of its adaptive nature to low fertility soils, it is one of the few pulses that grow well on highly leached, nutrient depleted, lowland tropical soils. But, in India, crop improvement work is very little done. Stability of yield is a major criterion for farmer's acceptability of any variety and there are several methods to estimate the stability and G × E interaction effects of a genotype across seasons. Among these, AMMI analysis is the most recent and widely exploited in different crops for the identification of stable genotypes. In this context, yield stability of 10 accessions of jack bean is studied to identify the stable genotypes. Methods: The experiment was conducted with 10 Jack bean genotypes in RCBD with two replications under rain fed conditions during 2017-2020 in Kharif for four seasons. The data was subjected to analysis of variance and then taken for AMMI and GGE analysis for identification of stable genotypes. Result: The combined analysis of variance revealed that there was highly significant variation (p<0.01) in grain yield and environments and genotype interaction among the genotypes. The average bean yield of the genotypes was 533.1 grams per plant. The highest and the lowest mean yield was recorded in PSR-12202 and CHMJB-02 respectively which was corroborated by the AMMI bi-plot as well. Similar to the AMMI bi-plot, the GGE bi-plot also confirmed that PSR-12202 was the stable genotype across the environments, whereas, G1, G2, G3, G4, G6, G7 and G8 were the other genotypes with low yields in some or all the environments. Kharif, 2018 and Kharif, 2020 are discriminating environments and are declared as the most representative than Kharif, 2017 and Kharif, 2019. Generally, PSR-12202 was the ideal genotype with higher mean yield and relatively good stability; G5 was the moderately good yielding genotype and the most unstable genotype; Whereas, G1, G2, G3, G4, G6, G7 and G8 were the poorly yielding and unstable genotypes. Both AMMI and GGE bi-plot are able to establish the genotypic stability and these models can be exploited for judging the genotypes for their GEI in other crops as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to study the integrated nutrient management on growth and yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) during Rabi season of (September to December) 2019 and 2020 at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, India with the test crop of groundnut variety TMV (Gn) 13. The 10 treatments consisted of 2 levels of soil test crop response (STCR) recommended fertilizers (STCR i.e. 38:64:94 NPK kg ha-1 (75 and 100%), 3 organic manures (Poultry manure @ 3 t ha-1, Humic acid @ 20 kg ha-1 and Rhizobium @ 3 kg ha-1) along with absolute control receiving no organic or fertilizers. The result revealed that application of 75% STCR + Rhizobium @ 3 kg ha-1 + Humic acid @ 20 kg ha-1 + Poultry manure @ 3 t ha-1 (T8) increased growth and yield attributes that led to significantly higher productivity (2964 and 8975 kg ha-1 of mean pod and haulm yield) and nutrient uptake of groundnut besides enriching soil available nutrients after harvest of groundnut. Due to the cheap cost of manuring, that treatment also recorded the highest mean net returns (Indian Rupee (INR) as (72,706 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.47). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years biochar (BC) has gained importance for its huge carbon (C) sequestration potential and positive effects on various soil functions. However, there is a paucity of information on the long-term impact of BC on the priming effect and nutrient availability in soil with different properties. This study investigates the effects of BC prepared from rice husk (RBC4, RBC6), sugarcane bagasse (SBC4, SBC6) and mustard stalk (MBC4, MBC6) at 400 and 600 °C on soil C priming and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) availability in an Alfisol, Inceptisol, and Mollisol. BC properties were analyzed, and its decomposition in three soil orders was studied for 290 days in an incubation experiment. Post-incubation, available N, P, and K in soil were estimated. CO2 evolution from BC and soil alone was also studied to determine the direction of priming effect on native soil C. Increasing pyrolysis temperature enhanced pH and EC of most of the BC. The pyrolysis temperature did not show clear trend with respect to priming effect and nutrient availability across feedstock and soil type. MBC6 increased C mineralization in all the soil orders while RBC6 in Alfisol and SBC6 in both Inceptisol and Mollisol demonstrated high negative priming, making them potential amendments for preserving native soil C. Most of the BC showed negative priming of native SOC in long run (290 days) but all these BC enhanced the available N, P, and K in soil. SBC4 enhanced N availability in Alfisol and Inceptisol, RBC4 improved N and P availability in Mollisol and P in Alfisol and MBC6 increased K availability in all the soils. Thus, based on management goals, tailored BC or blending different BC can efficiently improve C sequestration and boost soil fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imbalanced and excessive use of chemical fertilizers has brought many soil fertility problems. Soil test crop response (STCR) approach aims to estimate precise fertilizer requirement for target yield under varying soil test values and gaining prominence for site-specific nutrient management. A field experiment to estimate STCR based fertilizer requirement for targeted yield of mungbean was conducted during 2019–2020 at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India. Three fertility gradient plots of varying soil fertility levels were created by applying graded dose of N, P2O5 and K2O and growing wheat as an exhaust crop. Each of three soil fertility gradient plot was divided into 24 subplots (21 plots with different combinations of varying levels of N, P2O5, K2O and FYM, remaining 3 plots as controls) and mungbean was grown as main crop. Results revealed the requirement of 6.72, 0.883, and 3.52 kg of N, P and K, respectively for producing one quintal of mungbean grain. Soil, FYM, fertilizer and fertilizer along with FYM contributed 28.06%, 5.94%, 113.22%, and 135.01% for N; 24.73%, 3.18%, 15.1%, and 18.85% for P; 13.19%, 7.21%, 39.52%, and 55.84% for K, respectively. This information is used to develop STCR based fertilizer prescription equations along with ready reckoners of fertilizer doses at different soil fertility levels and yield targets of mungbean for providing balanced fertilization. The maximum response of mungbean in terms of grain and protein yield was obtained with the application of 20:50:30 kg ha−1 N: P2O5: K2O, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the heart of India's livelihood lies agriculture, a foundational and ever-evolving sector. The realm of agriculture faces modern challenges, encompassing unpredictable climate fluctuations, insufficient irrigation infrastructure, and erratic weather conditions. Amidst these challenges, machine learning has emerged as a valuable tool for evaluating soil fertility and Crop assessment in agriculture. Ensemble machine learning methodologies have garnered attention for their potential to enhance predictive capabilities. These techniques involve constructing meta-classifiers that collectively contribute to improved predictive accuracy. This paper centers on the analysis of soil data acquired from testing laboratories, to predict fertility based on a comprehensive dataset. The study employs prominent ensemble machine learning algorithms, specifically focusing on boosting techniques, to elevate predictive accuracy and ensure heightened consistency. The assessment of soil fertility categories involved the examination of 12 carefully chosen attributes. Diverse soil parameters were measured to facilitate the prediction of soil fertility levels. The outcomes of the experimentation revealed that the application of the boosting technique using the Xgboost algorithm yielded superior accuracy compared to alternative ensemble classifiers, achieving a remarkable 96% accuracy rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming, threats to humankind as driven by the emissions of different greenhouse gases (GHGs) including carbon dioxide (CO2), is becoming a great concern to deal with the vagaries of climate. Plantation ecotypes with greater carbon(C) sink capability are leading among the potential abatement strategies for sequestration of terrestrial C. The present investigation emphasizes on total C stock and litter C status under 13 years old Swietenia macrophylla (Mahogany) pure plantation in Terai belt of West Bengal, India. Stratified tree technique was adopted to estimate the above ground biomass through non-destructive method whereas quadrate method of sampling was followed for estimating leaf litter. The present investigation showed that the total above ground biomass (AGB) of the plantation was 179.73 Mg ha−1 including 95.02 Mg ha−1 (52.83%) shared by stem and in other hand the branch contributed 55.37 Mg ha−1 (30.81%) and the remaining 29.34 Mg ha−1 (16.32%) by leaves. The below ground (root) biomass (BGB) was assessed to be 53.91 Mg ha−1. The biosphere part recorded C was 109.81 Mg ha−1, comprising the total C of AGB and BGB of 84.47 Mg ha−1 and 25.34 Mg ha−1, respectively. Soil C stock (at 0–60 cm) of 40.36 Mg ha−1 comprised 25.30 Mg ha−1 at 0–20 cm followed by 10.46 Mg ha−1 at 20–40 cm and 4.60 Mg ha−1 at 40–60 cm depth, respectively. The total litter production was 6.92 Mg ha−1 yr−1 in 2016–17 and 8.39 Mg ha−1 yr−1 in 2017–18, respectively. The amount of total C storage of plantation was observed to be 150.17 Mg ha−1, comprising 109.81 Mg ha−1 in biosphere and 40.36 Mg ha−1 in soil. The litter C stock of 3.48 Mg ha−1, was excluded from the ecosystem carbon budgeting (ECB), because it acts as a transitional between lithosphere and biosphere. Conclusively, the mahogany-based plantation is not only remunerative to the farmers but also provisions significant improvement in soil fertility along with C sequestration which deploys a crucial part in the sustainable maintenance of the ecosystem in addition to providing a guideline for ECB of the plantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bell pepper is an important cash crop of small farmers of Himachal Pradesh state of India. The present study was carried out in two consecutive years comprising seven treatments, as T1 being 100% recommended dose of nutrients alone and T2 to T7 included 90, 80, 70, 60, 50 and 40% RDN respectively; along with PGPR and fermented folk liquid formulations (panchagavya, jeevamrut and amritpani) which were replicated thrice in randomized block design. The recommended doses were given by vermicompost and poultry manure on nitrogen equivalence basis. Results of the study concluded that the application of PGPR with 90% RDN along with fermented folk liquid formulations significantly influenced bell pepper growth, quality, and yield parameters as well as soil organic carbon and available nutrient status including soil microbiological properties over the T1. The 90% RDN with PGPR and fermented folk liquid formulation also resulted in higher benefit cost ratio in comparison to T1 with 100% RDN, alone. Hence, it may be recommended to use conjoint application of PGPR, bulky manures and fermented folk liquid formulations to boost sustainable bell pepper production, higher economic returns and maintaining soil fertility status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land degradation has emerged as one of the pivotal concerns for Indian agriculture in the 21st century. With rapid modernization and intensification of agricultural operations, land degradation has also increased simultaneously. This study estimates the losses accruing to agriculture from land degradation. On an average, land degradation results in losses in agriculture productivity amounting to INR 3654 per hectare annually (at 2011–12 prices). Further, a reduction in land degradation by 10% would reduce direct economic losses accruing from land degradation to INR 3145 per hectare to INR 3654 per hectare. Examination of state‐level cross section reveals that annual losses accruing from land degradation vary considerably across states. A vulnerability matrix is formulated using four parameters to place the states (sub‐national agricultural units) in the order of vulnerability to land degradation. Further, we estimate that an increase in land degradation by 1% could lead to loss of agricultural productivity by INR 104 per hectare on average (2004–05 prices). The findings of the study indicate that the adoption of land and water conservation measures stands to increase the gross value added to agriculture by reducing economic losses accruing from land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital maps of soil parameters are traditionally generated by dragging and dropping the desired tool of Geographical Information System (GIS) under the project of the Soil Health Card (SHC), India, and require knowledge in GIS, time, cost, and human resources to complete at the country level. Thus, there is need for a model, to generate soil parameter-wise maps quickly and efficiently. A model was proposed based on the Model Builder in ArcMap of ArcGIS for the automatic creation of files: interpolation, reclassification, color, raster to polygon, union, projection, and legend information for the generation of soil fertility maps. The model was validated using data (n = 161) from the SHC, Chitrasari (village), Bihar (state), India. Model results show that a map of one soil parameter can be produced in less time, at a lower cost, and with minimum human intervention as compared to traditional manner. The coefficient of variation (CV) of soil parameters varied from 6 to 112.9%. Micronutrients are positively correlated. The soil pH had a significantly negative correlation with Fe, Cu, and Mn. Soil B, Fe, K, Mn, N, OC, P, S, and Zn deficiencies were found in 16.59, 15.73, 7.64, 17.21, 1.0, 1.46, 0.61, 26.03, and 74.41% of the study area, respectively. The proposed model was implemented to create maps for 500 SHC model villages. Therefore, this model could be an effective tool for planners and decision-makers to identify issues at the village level and take timely action to save earth, soil health, environment, and site-specific fertilizer management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intercropping maize with legumes can enhance diversity, stability, complementary sharing of resources, maintain soil fertility, productivity and livelihood of the farmers. The current study was aimed to develop the scientific knowledge of maize and pulse intercropping and their combinations in different planting structures. Methods: The field experiment consisted of seven treatments viz. sole maize, sole soybean, sole green gram and two intercropping ratios of soybean and green gram with maize at 1:1 and 1:2 row ratios and laid out in randomized block design in four replications during 2018-19 at Imphal. The intercropping, economic and competitive efficiency indices were calculated accordingly. Result: Intercropping of maize either with soybean or green gram in 1:2 ratio gave the best combination based on intercropping and economic efficiencies. Maize + soybean at 1:2 row produced the highest maize equivalent yield (82.65 q ha-1), system productivity (22.60 kg ha-1 day-1) and production efficiency (55.84 kg ha-1 day-1). Maize + green gram at 1:2 ratio had significantly higher land equivalent ratio (1.7) and land equivalent co-efficient (0.54) whereas maize + soybean at 1:2 ratio produced the highest area time equivalent ratio (1.27). Competition between the crops was higher under maize + green gram at 1:1 ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of saline-sodic irrigation water degrades soil health and reduced mustard yield, particularly in India's low-rainfall regions. This research was conducted to assess the effect of sodic water and nitrogen sources on soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass, soil enzymatic activities, and interaction effects on mustard seed yield. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design comprising four levels of sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of water (6, 10, 20, and 30) and six nitrogen sources [(control, 125% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through urea, 75% RDN+50% RDN through farm yard manure (FYM), 75% RDN through urea+50% RDN through vermicompost (VC), 50% RDN through urea+75% RDN through FYM, 50% RDN through urea+75% RDN through VC]. The use of high SAR irrigation water caused a significant reduction in soil fertility and microbial parameters. The combined use of chemical fertilizers, FYM, and vermicompost significantly increased microbial activities (64.9% SMB-C), SOC (23.5%), soil enzyme activity (dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphates), and mustard seed yield (49%). The use of 50% RDN via urea+75% RDN via VC was suggested as a better technology for minimizing the adverse effect of high SAR water on crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A proper understanding of soil parameters under different production systems of the world is necessary for efficient soil management. We, therefore, carried out the present study to assess the status of some selected soil properties (soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC)), phyto-available nutrients (available nitrogen (AN), available potassium (AK), exchangeable calcium (Ex. Ca), exchangeable magnesium (Ex. Mg), available sulfur (AS), and soil organic carbon (SOC) pools (SOC, total organic carbon (TOC), very labile C, labile C, less labile C, and non-labile C) and to establish relationships among the measured soil parameters at different depths of Vertisols of India under various land uses. A total of 150 composite soil samples (from 25 plots including nine from agricultural land, nine from horticultural land, three from forest land, and four from grassland) were collected from 6 soil depths viz, 0–10, 10–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80, and 80–100 cm under agriculture, horticulture, forest, and grassland land uses present in Central India and analyzed. The values of soil pH, EC, AN, AK, Ex. Ca, Ex. Mg, and AS in various soil depths under different land uses varied widely. The values of SOC (0.19 to 1.00%), TOC (0.58 to 2.42%), very labile C (0.14 to 0.83%), labile C (0.05 to 0.25%), less labile C (0.05 to 0.26%) and non-labile C (0.23 to 1.42%) in various soil depths under different land uses also varied significantly. Forest and grassland land uses had higher levels of SOC, TOC, very labile, and non-labile C content in all the soil depths in comparison to SOC, TOC, very labile, and non-labile C content in different soil depths under agriculture and horticulture land use. The levels of SOC, TOC, very labile, and non-labile C content under all the land uses decreased with increasing soil depths. SOC was positively and significantly correlated with AN, AK, AS, and estimated SOC pools in surface soil layers. Principal component analysis (PCA) of soil parameters in different soil depths resulted in 5 principal components (PCs) with > 1 eigenvalue and accounting for > 75% variability. This information could be used for managing SOC status and phyto-available nutrients in Vertisols under different land uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study led to setting up a grid-based soil fertility map along with the best fit model in the coastal regions based on soil physical (coarse, sand, silt, clay, bulk density), chemical (CEC, pH, and soil organic carbon), topographic (elevation), and nutrient elements (P2O5, K2O, Na, Zn, B) in the active Ganga deltaic region of Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, India. Soil samples have been collected from 30 soil grids, and 0–15 cm soil depth was preferred for fertility analysis because most essential soil chemical and nutrient elements affecting soil fertility are concentrated in this depth range. We have used the fuzzy-AHP-Delphi (FAHP) and fuzzy logic-Delphi (FL) methods to determine the soil fertility zone. The rules are generated on the MATLAB interface in the text form; the words "IF," "THEN," "IS," "AND," etc., are used to complete the mode-building process. The weights and the desirable limits for each criterion were set based on the expert opinions and existing literature. The kriging interpolation method and natural break classification were used to represent the soil fertility maps into five classes, namely very high fertility (0.80–1.0), high fertility (0.60–0.80), moderate fertility (0.40–0.60), low fertility (0.20–0.40), and very low fertility (0.00–0.20) respectively. Both the models show that soil fertility is respectively higher near the Hooghly River bank. In many cases, the results obtained from FAHP and FL are quite similar but huge dissimilarity has been noticed in grid numbers G2, G3, G4, F1, and F2. Since the FAHP method has been used for the weight of each criterion, therefore, it only prefers those more important parameters over others. The overall accuracy of the soil fertility map was 82.16% for the fuzzy logic model, and 79.62% for the FAHP model and the kappa coefficient value was determined as 0.82 for the fuzzy logic model and 0.79 for the FAHP model. The soil fertility map was validated using the success rate curve under the ROC technique, and the area under curve (AUC) was calculated as 84.02% for the fuzzy logic model and 81.60% for the FAHP model. Since the standard limits for each criterion were known, therefore, fuzzy logic was found to best fit the model for analyzing soil fertility for each grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present compendium is based on the findings of a research work on the survey of nematodes belonging to the family Aphelenchoidea in the northeastern states of India and the literature available on this particular species, mainly from Manipur. During the study, a total of 12 Aphelenchoides spp. were found, among which six species were reported for the first time from Manipur. A new species, Aphelenchoides oryzae is also described in the present article. The present study will help in making us understand the biodiversity status of Aphelenchoides nematodes in the region. Diagnosis of the species and illustrations along with dichotomous keys are provided in the manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coriander, fenugreek, nigella etc. are collectively known as seed spices. They are "High value and low volume crops" and considered cash crops for the growers of arid and semi-arid regions of India. Coriander, fenugreek and nigella are grown during the rabi season and take hardly 130–140 days to attain full maturity. In this context, farmers are not able to develop income from available arable land round the year, even though they have sufficient resources as well as manpower. Therefore, coriander, fenugreek and nigella-based cropping systems, four of each (total 12) were evaluated during 3 consecutive years (2019–20 to 2021–22) for their productivity, resource-use efficiency, economics and soil fertility. The results showed that among the seed spices-based cropping systems, maximum system productivity (5193 kg ha-1), production efficiency (18.81 kg ha-1 day-1), water-use efficiency (2.31 kg ha-1 mm-1), economic efficiency (11.85 US $ ha-1 day-1), net return (3270 US $ ha-1), benefit:cost ratio (3.27) and available N (165.6 kg ha-1) were observed under nigella-green coriander-mungbean cropping system. Hence, seed spices growers are recommended to adopt nigella-green coriander-mungbean cropping system in order to realize better productivity, resource-use efficiency, soil fertility and profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, 80 per cent of the farmers are small and marginal farmers. They primarily depend on agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood security. The rice-rice cropping system reduces farm income, declined soil fertility and other soil degradation problems. The farming system approach is a holistic tool to address the problems of mono-cropping through diversification that enhances farm income, production and employment. A field study was conducted during 2011–2018 to study the impact of the rice-based integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS) for profitability, carbon emission and sustainability. Recycling of resources and residues led to higher productivity (58.9 %) and net profit (48.5 %) over the initial year by adopting rice-based ICLS. This system had a net profit of $ 3097/year and generated 776 man T days/ha/year employments. In ICLS, the recyclable farm waste material of 28.98 tons is converted into organic manures of 16.03 tons and saves the fertilizer’s cost of $ 504 per year. It can be a sustainable model with a sustainable yield index (0.11) of for wet situations with less carbon-emitting and profitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different Ailanthus excelsa-based agroforestry systems (Bund/boundary, scattered trees in the existing farming systems) are practiced by the farmers in dry parts of north-west India. However, improved A. excelsa-based agroforestry systems are not popular among the farmers. Therefore, in this study, improved A. excelsa-based agroforestry systems (in association with pearl millet-mustard and cluster bean-wheat) were introduced with different tree densities (50, 100, 150 and 200 trees ha−1) to identify its effect on crop yield and soil attributes (fertility and productivity). In the present study, yields of agricultural crops were not influenced by A. excesla, irrespective of crop or tree density; however, higher yields were recorded under sole cropping in both the cropping systems. Among different tree densities, higher crop yields were recorded with 50 trees ha−1. Soil fertility status in terms of organic matter (OM), available P and K improved under agroforestry systems as compared to sole cropping. Growth of A. excelsa under tree densities and in association with crops was at par, maximum girth (47.10 cm) at breast height was recorded under density of 200 trees ha−1 with cluster bean-wheat cropping sequence. Two years experimentation showed maximum benefits under agroforestry with 200 trees ha−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monarda citriodora is an important annual aromatic plant well known for its essential oil and herbal value. Considering its economic importance, an experiment was carried out during year 2022 and 2023 at CSIR-IIIM Jammu to determine the influence of inorganic fertilizers and poultry manure on its vegetative growth, productivity, and essential oil composition. Eight different combinations of poultry manure with inorganic fertilizers laid in RBD were compared with control. The essential oil was extracted and its composition was determined using GC-MS and GC-FID by comparing with standard compounds. Results revealed that among treated plants the combination of poultry manure with chemical fertilizers behaved at par with plants treated with chemical fertilizers only. Maximum plant height at earlier stages was reported for plants treated with chemical fertilizers, but at later stages, plants receiving poultry manure attained maximum height (69.73 cm). Similar trend was followed for number of branches where plants receiving poultry manure and chemical fertilizers grow maximum number of branches (18.33). Maximum plant biomass (136.33g/per plant) was reported for plants receiving poultry manure in combination with chemical fertilizers. The treatment having poultry manure resulted in the highest organic carbon in soils 0.66%. Maximum essential oil recovery (2.11 ml/200g) was observed in T7 (MOP +Urea). The major constituents reported in essential oil were thymol (47.8-78.02%), γ-terpinene (6.30-19.16%) and p-cymene (4.54-17.04%). The study reveals, for increasing crop productivity and quality along with maintaining soil fertility, the mixed application of organic and inorganic fertilizers should be followed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Indian economy and population have been largely influenced by the green revolution which has caused a big change in India. Yet farmers are not able to make full-blown usage of technology to improve crop cultivation. As Indian economy and per capita income, in trade terms, CAPEX (Capital Expenses); is based on agro products, to rejuvenate the demand-supply chain of the food sector, farmers are using fertilizers to increase yield. Due to the excessive use of these puissance fertilizers, soil fertility is adversely impacted. It is hazardous for direct consumption by people. The current study was aimed to optimize the use of fertilizer as per crop requirement using Newton backward difference (NBD) method. Methods: The experiment was conducted for the last three years (2017-2020) in the Agrotech farm of MIT Academy of Engineering, Pune. The tomato crop was used for taking the readings. Using the NBD, we compared the values between standard, conventional and actual which gives the optimized value and saves the wastage of fertilizer and farmers' burden economically. These NBD can lead to a reduction in the number of sensor nodes in the farm field. The reduction in sensor nodes saves the overall working cost. Result: The implemented system saves the quantity of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) only by providing the required amount of fertilizer to the crop in comparison with a conventional approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the foothills of the North-West Himalayan region of India, agriculture is the main occupation of the residents. The soil and water resources are becoming the major constraints in agricultural production in the erosion-prone fragile ecosystem of the region. However, due to intensive rains and sloping lands of the region, erosion of the topsoil becoming the major problem for practicing sustainable agriculture in the region, which further dissects the lands, reduces the fertility potentials and land productivities of the region. The root cause of this huge erosion in the region is the intensive rains within a short interval of time on the bare sloping hillsides and handling this problem in both ways could reduce their erosion damage. Socio-economically the farmers are illiterate, poor, and hesitate to adopt innovative techniques of both land and water conservation. All this makes the challenge of reducing erosion losses quite difficult. Farmers in the region do have the skills to manage the problem of soil erosion which they learned from their forefathers and have faith in them. These technologies put together are termed as "Indigenous Technical Knowledge" (ITKs) and these ITKs have helped them a lot for sustainable agriculture in the region. Among different ITKs bunding of field, plowing before monsoon, filter strips, earthing-up in maize, mulching, compression of soil in sugarcane are the important ones for restoring the fertility of soils, reducing erosion losses, improving land productivity, and ultimately livelihoods in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum toxicity, nutrient imbalance, and reduced microbial activity are the most limiting factors for optimum agronomic productivity in acid soils. A field study was conducted to investigate the impact of micronutrient and liming on soil properties and productivity of groundnut‐rapeseed system in an acidic Inceptisol. The impact of six micronutrient (control or no micronutrient, Zn at 5 kg ha−1, B at 1 kg ha−1, Mo at 0.5 kg ha−1, Zn + Mo, and Zn + B + Mo) and two soil amendment (furrow liming at 500 kg ha−1 and no lime addition) treatments were first tested in groundnut and theirs residual effects were assessed on soil properties of succeeding rapeseed crop. Results indicated that liming significantly improved soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), available N, P and K, and diethylene triamine penta acetate (DTPA)‐extractable micronutrients, soil microbial biomass C and dehydrogenase activity as compared to no‐lime. After harvesting groundnut, Mo + Zn + B treated plots maintained the highest SOC content, whereas sole B and Mo treatment had the highest SOC content after harvesting rapeseed. Further, Mo + Zn + B treated plots showed higher contents of soil DTPA‐extractable micronutrients as compared to others. The highest groundnut equivalent yield (GEY) of the cropping system (pooled data of 2 years) was obtained with Mo + Zn + B (2.12 Mg ha−1) but remained at par with Zn + Mo (2.02 Mg ha−1). Multivariate principal component analysis indicated that available P was the most prominent soil nutrient with a strong effect on GEY. The results indicated that integrated application of Zn + B + Mo along with liming improves soil properties and agronomic productivity of groundnut‐rapeseed cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the biggest challenges to be addressed in world agriculture is low nitrogen (N) use efficiency (<40%). To address this issue, researchers have repeatedly underlined the need for greater emphasis on the development and promotion of energy efficient, and environmentally sound novel fertilizers, in addition to improved agronomic management to augment nutrient use efficiency for restoring soil fertility and increasing farm profit. Hence, a fixed plot field experiment was conducted to assess the economic and environmental competency of conventional fertilizers with and without nano-urea (novel fertilizer) in two predominant cropping systems viz., maize-wheat and pearl millet-mustard under semi-arid regions of India. Result indicates that the supply of 75% recommended N with conventional fertilizer along with nano-urea spray (N75PK+nano-urea) reduced the energy requirement by ~8–11% and increased energy use efficiency by ~6–9% over 100% nitrogen through prilled urea fertilizer (business as usual). Furthermore, the application of N75PK+ nano-urea exhibited ~14% higher economic yields in all the crops compared with N50PK+ nano-urea. Application of N75PK+nano-urea registered comparable soil N and dehydrogenase activities (35.8 μg TPF g-1 24 hrs-1 across all crops) over the conventional fertilization (N100PK). This indicates that application of foliar spray of nano-urea with 75% N is a soil supportive production approach. More interestingly, two foliar sprays of nano-urea curtailed nitrogen load by 25% without any yield penalty, besides reducing the greenhouse gases (GHG) emission from 164.2 to 416.5 kg CO2-eq ha-1 under different crops. Therefore, the application of nano-urea along with 75% N through prilled urea is an energy efficient, environmentally robust and economically feasible nutrient management approach for sustainable crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most developing countries and underdeveloped countries suffer from crop shortages due to low yields. One of the main reasons for this potential threat is soil erosion, which is one of the biggest problems in the world today. When sheet erosion removes the top layer, soil fertility deteriorates. In this study, Unit Stream Power based Soil Erosion and Deposition model has been used to determine soil erosion in the Kodar Basin in Chhatisgarh, India. Map of various factors affecting soil erosion were studied and the soil loss due to sheet and rill erosions were evaluated respectively, and it was found that the erosion was mainly caused by rill erosion. For rill erosion high deposition estimated as 3812 ha which is 12.39% of the total area, 2388 ha which is 7.76 % comes under moderate deposition, 6806 ha which is 22.12 % comes under stable, 3585 ha which is 11.65% comes under moderate erosion, 2728 ha which is 8.87 comes under high erosion risk. Various conservative measures were suggested in the watershed for the reduction of soil erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil fertility and plant nutrition, both are governed by criteria of essentiality (Arnon and Stout in 1939 and further modified by Arnon in 1954). Earlier there were 16 essential elements and now it is 17. Researchers, policymakers and farmers mostly concerned themselves for the primary nutrients i.e. NPK to manage the crops and it further aggravate the deficiency of micronutrients which is now major concern for all because it is affecting human and animal nutrition along with plants. This deficiency is concerns not only the plant nutrition but has far reaching implication in form of nutritional insecurity among the livestock and marginal section of population. Thus it is important to study the importance of the micronutrients to take care these challenges and the management of micronutrients in crop production is based on their spatial distribution. Therefore, an attempt has been made to summarize importance of micronutrients for crop production according to their spatial distribution in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying sustainable crop production systems that improve yield from existing farmland while improving resource use efficiency is critical to meet the growing demands of the increasing human population and diminishing natural resources. Considering the increasing cost associated with inorganic fertilizer, integrated nutrient management using both organic and inorganic sources is important. Therefore, optimizing nutrient management practices that increase yield, improve soil quality, build up soil organic carbon storage, and maintain energy balance can help achieve sustainability in farming systems. In this regard, different nutrient management practices under the rice–rice (Oryza sativa L.) cropping system were evaluated using five different criterions, namely, (i) crop yield response, (ii) soil quality, (iii) soil carbon stock, (iv) energy efficiency, and (v) profitability under lowland situations in the Goa state situated in the western coast of India. We tested six nutrient management treatments, namely, inorganic fertilizers, organic (farmyard manure), rice straw, and their combinations over three years from 2016 to 2019. The results revealed that integrated nutrient management improved soil carbon stock, microbial biomass carbon, and soil fertility more than the other treatments. The integrated use of farmyard manure and chemical fertilizer showed significantly higher crop yield (9.86 v/s 9.41 Mg ha−1), microbial biomass carbon (354 v/s 233.7 mg kg−1 soil), soil carbon stock (36.65 v/s 25.5 Mg C ha−1), energy efficiency (23.8 v/s 22.3), and net return (1776 v/s 1508 USD) than those associated with chemical fertilizer alone. We conclude that the application of chemical fertilizers/organic sources alone may not be sustainable for the rice–rice cropping system in the Goa state of India; the focus should be on integrated nutrient management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a nutrient-exhausting crop, sustainable productivity of rice based cropping system can be achieved through appropriate nutrient management and crop diversification through incorporation of pulse into this system. Considering the above facts, a field experiment on rice-arhar system was conducted for two consecutive years (2018 and 2019) during kharif seasons at the Agronomy research Farm of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar having sub-humid climate with two date of planting, three nutrient management and three row spacing. Soil physico-chemical properties like N, soil organic carbon (SOC) was found higher with earlier planting, soil-test-based fertilizer Recommendation (STBFR) + Farmyard Manure (FYM) in rice and 30 cm row spacing in arhar. The system nutrient uptake of 219.76 kg N ha−1, 38.25 kg P ha−1 and 197.29 kg K ha−1 and microbial activities in terms of dehydrogenase activity (DHA) (241.9 mg TPF g−1 soil 24 hr−1), alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) (376.7 mg p-nitrophenol kg−1 soil 1 h−1), microbial biomass Carbon (MBC) (260.3 μg g−1 of dry soil), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) (93.7 μg N g−1 soil) was registered with earlier planting, STBFR + FYM in rice and 30 cm row spacing in arhar. Higher positive N and K balance over initial (actual balance) in rice-arhar cropping system was observed in the treatment fertilized with both organic and inorganic sources of nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil fertility (SF) assessment is an important strategy for identifying agriculturally productive lands, particularly in areas that are vulnerable to climate change. This research focuses on detecting SF zones in Firozabad district, Uttar Pradesh, India, for agricultural purposes, so that they can be prioritized for future management using the fuzzy technique in the Arc GIS model-builder. The model computing technique was also deployed to determine the different fertility zones, considering 17 soil parameters. The derived fuzzy technique outperformed the traditional method of dividing the sampling sites into clusters to correlate soil fertility classes with the studied soil samples. The prioritization of the soil factors and a spatial analysis of the fertility areas were carried out using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and GIS tools, respectively. The AHP analysis outcome indicated that hydraulic properties had the highest weighted value, followed by physical and chemical properties, regarding their influence on SF. The spatial distribution map of physico-chemical properties also clearly depicts the standard classification. A fuzzy priority map was implemented based on all the classes parameters to identify the five fertility classes of the soil, namely very high (0.05%); high (16.59%); medium (60.94%); low (22.34%); and very low (0.07% of total area). This study will be of significant value to planners and policymakers in the future planning and development of activities and schemes that aim to solve similar problems across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field trial was conducted during rainy, winter and late winter seasons of 2015–16 and 2016–17 at the research farm of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh to study the influence of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] based cropping systems on nutrient uptake and soil fertility balance in Vertisols of Central India. In this study, 16 cropping sequences was sequenced with soybean and feasible winter viz. wheat (Triticum aestivum and Triticum durum L.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), garlic (Allium sativum L.), onion (Allium cepa L.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), and garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) with inclusion of garlic (Allium sativum L.), onion (Allium cepa L.) in late winter and tested in randomized block design with four replications. Soybean yield equivalent (SEY) of cropping system as a whole were recorded significantly maximum in T15—soybean (JS 93-05)–potato (Kufri jyoti)–onion (AFLR) cropping sequence (17.7 t/ha) and nitrogen use efficiency (126) as compared to existing cropping sequences (soybean–wheat and soybean–chick pea). The minimum productivity of the cropping sequence based on SEYs was registered in soybean (JS 95-60)–chickpea (JG-130) desi i.e. 4.28 t/ha however, nitrogen use efficiency (35.0) was recorded minimum in T1—soybean (JS 95-60)–wheat (HI-1544) aestivum. The uptake of nitrogen (457 kg/ha) was observed higher under T16—soybean (JS 93-05)–garden pea (Arkel)–garlic (G-282) while highest phosphorus (65.8 kg/ha) and potassium (562 kg/ha) uptake was recorded in T15—soybean (JS 93-05)–potato (Kufri jyoti)–onion (AFLR) system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restoring soil fertility in farming systems is essential to sustain a crop and its productivity. Thus, the present study was conducted to assess the residual effects of the combined application of fertilizers and manures on yield, concentration and uptake of nutrients in wheat under basmati rice-wheat cropping system. The treatments applied in the present study involve T1: control, T2: farmyard manure (15 t ha−1), T3: poultry manure (6 t ha−1), T4: press mud (15 t ha−1), T5: rice straw compost (6 t ha−1), T6: farmyard manure (15 t ha−1) + 50% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN), T7: poultry manure (6 t ha−1) + 50% RDN, T8: press mud (15 t ha−1) + 50% RDN, T9: rice straw compost (6 t ha−1) + 50% RDN, T10: 75% RDN, T11: farmyard manure (15 t ha1) + 75% RDN, T12: poultry manure (6 t ha−1) + 75% RDN, T13: press mud (15 t ha−1) + 75% RDN, T14: rice straw compost (6 t ha−1) + 75% RDN, T15: 100% RDN. The residual effects of organic manures significantly improved the growth parameters and yield attributes. Among different residual treatments, the use of farmyard manure + 75% NPK showed maximum plant height (125.2 cm), number of tillers (68.0 m−1), chlorophyll content (45.0) and yield (50.84 q ha−1 for grain and 80.43 q ha−1 for straw, respectively). Additionally, the incorporation of farmyard manure + 75% RDN demonstrated the highest uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in grain (7.37, 3.31 and 4.93 g ha−1, respectively) and straw (1.72, 1.05 and 12.63 g ha−1, respectively). The maximum zinc, copper, iron and manganese concentrations were observed to be 32.0, 3.1, 52.1 and 17.6 mg kg−1 in grain and 8.2, 2.1, 374.6 and 20.5 mg kg−1 in straw, respectively. Similarly, the highest uptakes were observed to be 67.6, 15.5, 263.8 and 89.6 g ha−1 in grain and 173.3, 16.8, 3026.9 and 170.6 g ha−1 in straw, respectively. Thus, the integrated application of farmyard manure with 75% RDN could be used to sustain wheat productivity and maintain soil fertility which otherwise deteriorates due to the sole application of inorganic fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various faulty farming practices and low-performance cultivars selection are reducing crop yields, factor productivity, and soil fertility. Therefore, there is an urgent need to achieve better nutrient dynamics and sustainable production by selecting more nutrient-responsive cultivars using efficient nutrient management. The present experiment aimed to enhance crop productivity, seed quality, nutrient efficiency, and soil nutrient dynamics through efficient nutrient management under different lentil cultivars. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design, assigning three cultivars (viz. Sapna, Garima, and HM-1) in the main plots and ten nutrient management practices in the sub-plots, replicating them thrice. Results revealed that cultivar HM-1 recorded significantly higher seed yield (1.59–1.61 Mg ha-1) and the uptake of N (67.2–67.6 kg ha-1), P (6.8–7.0 kg ha-1), K (13.8–13.9 kg ha-1), Zn (60.4–61.1 g ha-1), and Fe (162.5–165.2 g ha-1) in seed compared to Sapna and Garima. Also, the cultivar HM-1 was more efficient in terms of partial factor productivity for NPK (PFP; 24.27–24.59 kg kg-1), partial nutrient balance (PNB; 2.09–2.13 kg kg-1) and internal utilisation efficiency (IUE; 11.64–11.85 kg kg-1). The study showed that the lentil cultivar HM-1 could be successfully grown by substituting 50% RDN with organic manures, i.e., vermicompost, without compromising crop productivity and soil fertility, thereby sustaining soil-human-environment health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigations were conducted at Sardar Vallabhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India during March 2019 to January 2020 for isolation and characterization and identification of phosphate solubilizing microbes (PSM) in soils of northern region of India. Soil samples (0-30 cm) were collected from four locations i.e. KVK, Lohaghat, SVPUAT, Meerut, College of Agriculture field, SVPUAT, Meerut and KVK, Bulandshahar covering Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand states of India and kept in refrigerator for analysis. The isolation of two rhizobial bacteria isolates (S1 and S2) in conjunction with the two-phosphate solubilizing efficient fungal isolates (F1 and F2) was carried out by the serial dilution method. The study of their morphological and microscopic characters, together with Solubilization Efficiency (SE), and Solubilization Index (SI) were also assessed. Finally, the biochemical tests were run according to their nature that was gram-negative rod by using KB002 TM HI Assorted Biochemical Test Kit (for Gram-negative rods). Between the two bacterial isolates was S1 was showing more solubilization on Pikovskaya agar (PVK) compared to S4 on the 5th day of observation, while S4 gave better results on the 8th-day solubilization observation. The biochemical tests on bacterial isolates were showing disagreement between the two, proving them as completely different isolates. In the case of fungi, the F2 isolate was showing better SE and SI values compared to the F1 isolate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a bulk feeder of nutrients. In this study, we aimed at devising strategies for efficient nutrient management in the oil palm plantations of the Krishna River basin located in Andhra Pradesh, India by assessing soil fertility status, establishing optimal leaf nutrient concentrations and identifying yield restrictive nutrients. In total, 67 oil palm plantations were surveyed from this area in 2020, soil samples were collected and analysed for different soil properties, including pH, EC, SOC, available P, K, S, exchangeable Ca and Mg, and hot water-soluble boron (HWB) in surface (from 0–20 cm depth), subsurface (from 20–40 cm depth) and deep (from 40–60 cm depth) soil layers. As per DRIS (Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System) indices estimated in this study, the order of requirement of nutrients is Nitrogen (N) > B > K > P > Mg for this area. Optimum leaf nutrient concentrations ranged between 2.07–4.29%, 0.13–0.27%, 0.52–0.94%, 0.44–0.76% and 44.97–102.70 mg/kg for N, P, K, Mg and B, respectively. In surveyed plantations, about 15, 6, 16, 9 and 12 percent of leaf samples had less than optimum concentration of N, P, K, Mg and B respectively. Nitrogen and Boron are the major yield limiting factors in this region. Leaf nutrient concentrations need to be maintained at the optimum ranges as estimated above for higher productivity in the Krishna basin area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centella asiatica L. urban is one of the highly traded medicinal crops in the global market and it is collected mainly from wild sources/forests. The scope for commercial cultivation of elite genotypes of C. asiatica at different nutrient levels was assessed based on resource use and economic indicators in open-field and 50% shade in India during 2016–2019. The cumulative productivity in terms of fresh biomass was significantly influenced by genotypes and nutrient levels both in open-field and 50% shade. The genotype Arka Divya genotype was superior in terms of cumulative productivity per ha (38.5 t in open-field and 33.9 t in 50% shade). Application of farmyard manure (FYM) 5 t + 125 kg nitrogen (N) through FYM registered higher cumulative yield in open (32.2 t ha−1) and 50% shade (33.1 t ha−1). The production systems in open and 50% shade maintained optimum to above optimum soil fertility and plant nutrient profile. The net return per rupee investment was higher in Arka Divya genotype at different nutrient levels in open-field (2.61–3.69) as well as 50% shade conditions (1.38–1.96). Integrated application of recommended dose of major nutrients and FYM registered higher net return per rupee investment both in open-field (3.69) and 50% shade (1.96). The elite genotypes of C. asiatica can be grown profitably in open-field or 50% shade with provision of optimum nutrition. Alternatively it can be grown as intercrop in perennial fruit or plantation crops with provision of irrigation to reduce production cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harnessing the potential yields of evergreen perennial crops like tea (Camellia sinensis L.) essentially requires the application of optimum doses of nutrients based on the soil test reports. In the present study, the soil pH, organic carbon (OC), available potassium as K2O (AK), and available sulphur (AS) of 7300 soil samples from 115 tea estates spread over the Dooars ranging from 88°52’E to 89°86’E longitude and 26°45’N to 27°00’N latitude of West Bengal, India have been documented. About 54% of soil samples were found within the optimum range of soil pH (4.50-5.50) for tea cultivation. The overall range of OC was found from 0.28% to 6.00% of which, 94% of the analyzed samples were within the range of satisfactory to excellent level of OC i.e. (>0.80% to 6.00%). Around 36.3% of soil samples were found to have high AK (>100 mg kg-1) but 37.1% of soils were found to have high AS content (>40 mg kg-1). The nutrient index status of soil pH was low in Dam Dim, Chulsa, Nagrakata, Binnaguri, and Jainti sub-districts. Soils from five sub-districts had a high nutrient index (2.47 to 2.83) for soil organic carbon. However, it existed in the medium index (1.69 and 2.22) for Dalgaon and Kalchini sub-districts. Only Nagrakata sub-district soil samples were in the high nutrient index (2.65) for AK. All analyzed samples showed a medium nutrient index (1.97 to 2.27) for AS. The result indicated that soil pH was significantly negatively correlated with soil OC (-0.336) and AK (-0.174). However, the soil OC was significantly positive correlated with AK (0.258) and AS (0.100). It could be concluded that a balanced fertilizer application would be needed as a part of the soil improvement program through soil chemical tests for sustainable tea cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To feed the burgeoning population, the cultivation of rice is exploited on low fertility soils, which are otherwise not fit for its cultivation. To enhance the fertility status of such soils, the nutrient-enriched bio-compost play vital role in maintaining the soil productivity and yield sustainability. Field experiments were conducted on sandy loam soil for two years (2016–2017 and 2017–2018) to evaluate the impact of different combinations of N (nitrogen)-, P (phosphorus)-, and K (potassium)-enriched bio-compost with inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (NPK) on crop productivity, nutrient uptake, and soil fertility by rice under rice-wheat system. The results reported that growth parameters, yield attributing characters, grain and straw yield of rice improved significantly by different NPK-enriched bio-compost treatments. Rice grain yield increased significantly, that is, 4350 kg ha−1 with the application of 150% NPK over recommended fertilizer (3360 kg ha−1). Also, plant growth parameters and yield attributing characters improved with application of bio-compost applied @ 4 t ha−1. The NPK content in grains and their buildup in soil were significantly higher in treatments where 25% NPK were substituted through NPK-enriched bio-compost and 75% NPK through inorganic fertilizers. Overall, it is concluded that integrated use of 25% nutrients through NPK-enriched bio-compost and 75% nutrients through NPK inorganic fertilizers is the best option for the maintenance of soil health and sustainable rice yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern agricultural farming techniques employ the usage of chemical supplements to improve crop yield in terms of quantity and quality. This practice has brought down the fertility of the soil and has led to secondary impacts and necessitates a significant financial investment. Awareness of the side effects of artificially enriched food has made people move towards organically grown food, and the consumption has also increased significantly. One of the ancient organic fertilizers used in India is panchagavya. As the name implies, pancha means five and gavya means cow. The five products of the cow are combined as per the compositions and procedure described in the literature, to provide economical and meaningful value to organic farming. The objective of this work is to design, develop, and implement an automated system to manufacture panchagavya with reduced operator assistance. The system implements an ATmega 328 microcontroller to automate the entire process by interfacing sensors such as pH, moisture, temperature, and pressure. The system is also provided with a SIM900A GSM modem to provide information to the user regarding the status of the process. The developed pilot scale design discussed in this work has several advantages in the world of farming technologies in terms of enriching the soil, thereby improving the crop yield. This technology will benefit the farmers as this natural fertilizer can be mass-produced and turn them into entrepreneurs, which benefits society at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines India's response to the global soil health crisis. A longstanding centre of agricultural production and innovation, India has recently launched an ambitious soil health programme. The country's Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme intervenes in farm-scale decisions about efficient fertiliser use, envisioning farmers as managers and soil as a substrate for production. India is also home to one of the world's largest alternative agriculture movements: natural farming. This puts farmer expertise at the centre of soil fertility and attends to the wider ecological health of soils. Despite emerging as a mode of resistance to dominant agricultural systems, natural farming is now being delivered in increasingly bureaucratic ways by India's state governments. This article offers Himachal Pradesh as a case study in how the soil is governed, drawing on 38 semi-structured interviews with scientists, agricultural officers, non-governmental organisation leaders, and activists. Rather than assess approaches to soil health according to their ecological bottom line, we examine the differing forms of knowledge, expertise and 'truth' in the SHC and Natural Farming approaches. Our analysis reveals discontinuities in how farmers are imagined, as well as continuities in how quasi-spiritual language combines in a bionationalist project, positing assumptions about the correct arrangement of life in nationalist terms. We point to a shift toward hybrid and pick-and-mix approaches to soil health, as farmers and their organisers are increasingly invested with the capacities to combine multiple options. We see a fracturing of expertise and the opening up of epistemic pluralism in responses to the soil fertility crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal soils are characterized by unpredictable and often abysmal pattern of nutrient release and availability. In order to have an impeccable outlook of this unpredictability and in the dearth of appropriate literatures, the current study has been formulated in some eastern Indian coastal Entisols and Inceptisols. Greenhouse potassium (K)-exhaustion experiments in pots were conducted using four coastal soils to assess the depletion of available and non-exchangeable K through intensive cropping with two years of rotation (paddy–greengram–sunflower) under no-fertilizer (control) and varying fertilization (NP, K, and NPK). The initial water-soluble, available, non-exchangeable, and total K content of soils varied from 10.2–43.1, 68.8–257.5, 534–982, and 11,800–23,000 mg kg−1, respectively. Results showed that crop K uptake followed NPK>K> NP>control, which emphasizes the need for integrated NPK application. The depletion of soil-available and non-exchangeable K to crop uptake was 8.1–21.3%, 8.2–19.3%, 37.5–48.2%, and 33.8–43.1% and 78.7–91.9%, 80.7–91.8%, 51.8–62.5%, and 56.9–66.2% in control, NP, K, and NPK treatment, respectively. The mining of soil K to crop nutrition was higher in Inceptisol with lower amounts of available and non-exchangeable K reserves than in newer Entisols enriched with soil K reserves. The results further exemplify that overdependence on reserve K for crop uptake can be detrimental, and thus for sustaining intensive cultivation, particularly in high-rainfall areas, the unpredictable K release should rather be nullified by integrated NPK application. Therefore, precise K-management strategy for sustainable crop yield, regular monitoring, and soil test-based K fertilization must be ensured against the downward spiraling of K fertility of coastal soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light, nutrients and moisture are limiting factors altering wheat crop performance in poplar based agroforestry systems. Among these, light along with nutrients are principal limiting resources resulting in systematic yield and quality reduction of understorey crops. To address this issue, a field experiment was conducted to assess the role of P and K nutrition to enhance yield and quality of wheat crop under poplar based agroforestry system. Experiment comprised of two factors (1) sole wheat and wheat intercropped with 2, 3, 5 and 6 year old poplar plantations (2) P2O5:K2O as 0:0, 60:0, 60:30, 60:60, 90:0, 90:30 and 90:60 kg ha1 with a uniform dose of N (120 kg ha−1) applied to wheat. Growth, yield and nutrient uptake of wheat was related negatively while nutrient content and soil fertility status was related positively to advancing age of poplar. Fertilization of wheat with 90:60 kg P2O5:K2O ha−1 resulted in highest increase in yield (49.6%), N, P and K uptake by grains (58.2, 134.7 and 78.1%, respectively), quality (protein content-5.6%) and soil fertility status (organic carbon 18.6%, available N 7.8%, P 50% and K 13.5%) over control. Therefore, fertilization with 90:60 kg P2O5:K2O ha−1 proved to be the most effective treatment to improve wheat growth, yield and quality under canopies of poplar trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop residue burning (CRB) poses a serious threat to the climate, soil fertility, human health and wellbeing, and air quality, which increases mortality rates and slumps agricultural productivity. This study conducts a pan-India analysis of CRB burning based on the spatial characteristic of crop residue management practices and analyzes the linkage among health, agriculture value addition, and regional finance using the simultaneous equation to find the causality and panel quantile regression for direct effect and intergroup difference. We discuss some of the alternative crop residue management practices and policy interventions. Along with in situ management, this paper discusses ex situ crop residue management (CRM) solutions. The ex situ effort to manage crop residue failed due to the scarcity of the supply chain ecosystem. Force of habit and time constrain coupled with risk aversion have made farmers reluctant to adopt these solutions. Our results show that financial viability and crop residue have bidirectional causality; therefore, both the central and state governments must provide a financial solution to lure farmers into adopting residue management practices. Our analysis shows that framers are likely to adopt the management solution (farmers have some economic benefits) and are reluctant to adopt the scientific solution because the scientific solution, such as "pusa decomposer", is constrained by the weather, temperature, and humidity, and these parameters vary throughout India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formulating optimum quantity of nitrogen fertilization is highly necessary to attain higher yields in maize. As per soil fertility, the right dosage has to be formulated for each region with consciousness on the soil and environmental health. A field experiment was conducted during 2018-19 under mild tropical plain agroclimatic conditions of Arunachal Pradesh, India to investigate the effect of different nitrogen doses on growth and yield of maize. The experiment was laid out under randomized block design with five replicated plots for each treatment. The nitrogen through urea was supplied with different doses of 0, 100, 120, 150 and 180 kg/ha. The crop was evaluated for plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, number of kernels per cob, number of rows per cob, and total grain yield. The results revealed that the variables such as plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, number of kernels per cob, number of rows per cob and total grain yield were significantly (P<0.05) affected by the different levels of nitrogen doses. Number of leaves, leaf length and crop yield were highest in 180 kg/ha (nitrogen dose), while lowest in control which significantly increased with higher nitrogen doses. This result showed that nitrogen with higher doses was more effective than low doses for maize crop. Nitrogen fertilization at 180 kg/ha exerted a significantly higher and positive effect on maize growth and can be recommended for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]