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Salinity affects phosphorus (P) fractionation and its availability in soil and thereby crop growth as well as yields. Therefore understanding of P transformation and availability in soil with use of different sources of P is crucial to adopt appropriate P management practices for improving productivity of saline soils. A field experiment comprising of four treatments replicated thrice was conducted for three consecutive years during 2012–15. Treatments consisted of control (Ct), recommended dose of N-P-K fertilizers at 60-30-30 kg ha − 1 (RDF-100%), municipal solid waste compost at 16 Mg ha − 1 (MSWC-16) and MSWC at 8 Mg ha − 1 + RDF-50% (MSWC-8 + RDF-50%) laid out in randomized complete block design. Among different phosphorous fractions across the years; saloid-P (S-P), iron-P (Fe-P), calcium-P (Ca-P) and occluded-P (Occ-P) increased markedly after 2012–13 with continuous increase in subsequent years in all treatments compared to Ct. However, MSWC-8 + RDF-50% produced significant increase in all P fractions, including Olsen-P, total-P (Pt) and inorganic-P (Pi), except S-P as compared to RDF-100%. Whereas, all P fractions progressively declined in Ct from 2012–13 to 2015, indicating continuous removal by mustard ( Brassica juncea ) and pearl millet ( Pennisetumglaucum ). MSWC-8 + RDF-50% also recorded 16 and 22% higher organic-P (Po) and alkaline phosphatase activity (ALPA), respectively during 2015 over 2012–13 in corresponding treatment. Soil organic carbon (SOC) increased with RDF-100% over Ct across the years as well as within year; however, the highest SOC (5.7 g kg − 1 ) was observed with MSWC-8 + RDF-50%. Mean soil salinity (electrical conductivity; EC) decreased by 38 and 25% with MSWC-8 + RDF-50% and MSWC-16, respectively relative to Ct (4.8 dSm − 1 ). Relatively better P availability and lower soil EC with MSWC-8 + RDF-50% and resulted significantly higher mean (of three year) grain yield of mustard (2.38 Mg ha − 1 ) and pearl millet (2.44 Mg ha − 1 ) over RDF-100%. Nevertheless, RDF-100% produced 11 and 15% higher mean grain yield of mustard and pearl millet, respectively than Ct. MSWC-8 + RDF-50% also resulted in higher P uptake by grain of both crops as compared to RDF-100%. Our results highlighted that integrated use of organic amendment (MSWC-8) and mineral fertilizers (RDF-50%) is beneficial option for improving P availability and crop yields under saline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive tillage-based conventional cotton-wheat system (CWS) entails high production costs and has low crop and water productivity thereby threatening its sustainability in the north-western India. Conservation agriculture (CA) based management practices such as conservation tillage, permanent raised beds and relay planting have the potential to improve sustainability, profitability, and water use efficiency in CWS. A two-year (2013–2015) field experiment was conducted to evaluate CA based management practices such as zero tillage (ZT), permanent beds, relay seeding (RS) of wheat, seeding configuration, and integration of mungbean (MB) in terms of crop productivity, input use efficiency (water and energy) and profitability in the CWS system. Treatments included; permanent narrow (67.5 cm, PNB) and broad (102 cm, PBB) raised beds with cotton planted in the centre of beds, ZT narrow flats (67.5 cm, ZTNF) and broad flats (102 cm, ZTBF), and PBB with cotton planted on one side of bed and intercropped with MB (PBBc + MB) or no MB (PBBc). In the above treatments, wheat was relay seeded in standing cotton after second picking. In addition, conventional till (CT) CWS on flats was included as control treatment. PBBc + MB produced 37% and 10% higher system productivity (2 yrs’ mean) over CT and PBB, respectively. Relay seeded wheat on PBB produced 50% higher yield and required 40% less irrigation water compared to CT wheat in both the years. Mean system irrigation water productivity (WP I ) was 131% higher with PBBc + MB compared with CT. The energy input was 61% higher in CT compared to PBB but energy output was 21% higher with PBB than with CT. PBB and PBBc + MB recorded 52–54% higher energy productivity and 64–69% higher net returns compared to CT. In conclusion, PBB and PBBc + MB were the best options for sustainable CWS under similar soil and climatic conditions in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, India imposed a national lockdown at the end of March 2020, a decision that resulted in a massive reverse migration as many workers across economic sectors returned to their home regions. Migrants provide the foundations of the agricultural workforce in the 'breadbasket' states of Punjab and Haryana in Northwest India.There are mounting concerns that near and potentially longer-term reductions in labor availability may jeopardize agricultural production and consequently national food security. The timing of rice transplanting at the beginning of the summer monsoon season has a cascading influence on productivity of the entire rice-wheat cropping system. To assess the potential for COVID-related reductions in the agriculture workforce to disrupt production of the dominant rice-wheat cropping pattern in these states, we use a spatial ex ante modelling framework to evaluate four scenarios representing a range of plausible labor constraints on the timing of rice transplanting. Averaged over both states, results suggest that rice productivity losses under all delay scenarios would be low as compare to those for wheat, with total system productivity loss estimates ranging from 9%, to 21%, equivalent to economic losses of USD $674 m to $1.48 billion. Late rice transplanting and harvesting can also aggravate winter air pollution with concomitant health risks. Technological options such as direct seeded rice, staggered nursery transplanting, and crop diversification away from rice can help address these challenges but require new approaches to policy and incentives for change. Unlabelled Image • An ex-ante analysis was done using geospatial tools on potential effect of labour shortage on rice-wheat system. • Food grain production loss due to labor shortage can be 23% from current levels of production. • Residue burning will exacerbate air pollution in winter and could coincide with an anticipated COVID resurgence in the fall. • India needs new strategies to use available technological and management innovations to address emerging constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]