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Foliar application of nutrients escalates efficient use of nutrients along with quick response. An experiment was undertaken to study the effect of foliar application of mineral nutrients viz., boron (B), magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe) sprayed at different growth stages viz., at fruit set and one month after first spray at the experimental orchard of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana during year 2020–21 and 2021–2022. The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Block Design with 21 treatments and 3 replications with a spacing of 6 × 6 m. Foliar sprays with boron, magnesium and iron significantly affected the physio-chemical properties of the fruits. Total soluble solids, TSS acidity ratio, ascorbic acid, total sugar, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar and pectin content were found to be maximum under the treatment T21 [FeSO4 (0.5%) + H3BO3 (0.5%) + MgSO4 (0.5%)] while in case of titratable acidity was found significantly lowest under the treatment T21 [FeSO4 (0.5%) + H3BO3 (0.5%) + MgSO4 (0.5%)]. Treatments also affected the leaf chlorophyll content and leaf nutrient status significantly. It can be concluded from this study that foliar sprays of boron, magnesium and iron are beneficial for improving fruit quality, leaf chlorophyll content and leaf nutrient status of guava cv. Hisar Surkha. Further, 0.5 per cent each of FeSO4, H3BO3 and MgSO4 foliar sprays two times at one month's interval can obtain the best results in terms of quality of fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration is important to counteract anthropogenic climate change at the global level. Studying the effect of conservation agriculture (CA) on SOC dynamics in the presence of two distinctively different hydro-thermal regimes across the year in rice-wheat (RW) systems in eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains (E-IGP) is of topical interest. The stabilization mechanism of soil organic matter (SOM), and its effect on C mineralization kinetics in these conditions is not well understood. We collected soil samples from six combinations of CA and conventional farming in an ongoing experiment at CIMMYT-Borlaug Institute for South Asia, Bihar, India. CA enhanced SOC, specifically labile C, while decreasing mineral N, as a result of encapsulation/assimilation in aggregates/microbial biomass. Humic acids registered characteristic Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) peaks at 3200-3600 cm-1, 2920-2930 cm-1, 1645-1655 cm-1 and 1220-1240 cm-1, and displayed lesser degree of humification, aromaticity and redox status under CA. SOC and N mineralization were studied in two different hydro-thermal regimes pertaining to rice (submergence, 35°C; SM35) and wheat (field capacity, 25°C; FC25) growing periods of E-IGP. SM35 displayed temperature-mediated higher decay of SOC. Decay constants of C mineralization were lesser under CA compared with CT. CA promoted higher SOM stability, evidenced by lower decay rates of SOC and N, attributed to (1) better protection of SOM in well-aggregated soil structure and (2) an excess supply of fresh crop residues ensuring higher rate of SOM formation than its decay. Practising CA in E-IGP is imperative towards C-neutral agriculture, especially in the impending global warming scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in agriculture production to meet the food demand of growing human population from a limited availability of arable land with low environmental footprints and preserving natural resources (soil, water and air) simultaneously are major challenges in South Asia. The situation is further complicated by the climate change, which will further lower the food production, compounding the challenge of meeting food demand. Conservation Agriculture (CA) is solution to several challenges being faced in farming such as soil health, climate change, water scarcity, agricultural pollution, farm profitability, human health, etc. This exhaustive review examines the published literature from South Asia to assess the impact of CA on soil organic carbon (SOC) and the subsequent impacts on soil health (physical, chemical and biological properties), C sequestration and greenhouse gases emissions in major cropping systems. The results from several studies demonstrated that CA increased SOC and improved soil health parameters, mainly in the surface soil layer. The effects of CA on the changes in soil pH and electrical conductivity are small. The CA showed a remarkable positive impact on the nutrient availability in the soil. The CA system helped in both climate change mitigation and adaptation for sustainable crop production. The present gaps in our knowledge in soil health assessment and research agenda to fill the gaps are also included in this chapter. We hope this review of past accomplishments, current activities, and future opportunities will stimulate additional soil health research throughout the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]