ABSTRACT
The land use systems selected for study were rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS), legume based cropping system (LBCS), and vegetable based cropping system (VBCS). Plantation land (mango, aonla and bael orchard), forest land (shisham, teak and eucalyptus) and barren land (NSP-6 farm). Soil samples were taken with GPS system from four depths viz. 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60cm in order to analyze microbial population (bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes). The bacterial population (cfu × 105 g-1) under all the four land use viz. crop land, plantation land, forest land and barren land was decreased with increasing soil depth, which ranged from 2.76 to 4.95 cfu × 105 g-1 soil. The average bacterial population values were higher in forest land followed by plantation land, crop land and barren land. The fungi population (cfu × 103 g-1) under all the four land use viz. crop land, plantation land, forest land and barren land was, also, decreased with increasing soil depth at all land use system and ranged from 0.85 to 1.77 cfu × 103 g-1 soil. The average fungi population values were higher in forest land followed by crop land, plantation land and barren land. The actinomycetes population (cfu × 104 g-1) under all the four land use viz. crop land, plantation land, forest land and barren land was decreased with increasing soil depth at all land use system. The population varied from 0.57 to 1.02 cfu × 104 g-1 soil. The average actinomycetes population values were higher in forest land followed by plantation land, crop land and barren land.
ABSTRACT
Climate change is a major issue facing humanity, and the most common method for growing rice is manual puddled transplanted rice (PTR). Direct-seeded rice (DSR) is becoming increasingly popular due to its reduced methane emissions and reduced labour costs. However, there are drawbacks to this transition, such as an increase in weeds, herbicide resistance, nitrous oxide emissions, nutritional disorders, and soil-borne diseases. To reduce these issues, appropriate weed, water, and fertilizer management practices should be applied. Chemical and biotechnological methods, such as herbicide-resistant and more competitive allelopathic variants, will be required for sustainable rice production. The development of site- and soil-specific integrated packages will increase the adoption of DSR and decrease the negative effects of PTR on the environment.
ABSTRACT
To manage this issue, understanding the mineralization process of crop leftovers is helpful. C and N mineralization kinetics in surface-applied and soil-integrated rice and wheat residues were investigated. Rice and wheat residues bind nitrogen in the soil. The use of the residue increased soil organic carbon by 18% and aggregate stability by 55% compared to the control. This study concludes that instead of simply leaving agricultural wastes on the surface, it is best to work them into the soil, where they will decompose more quickly, the mineral N will be released more quickly, more organic matter will be produced, and the soil structure will be improved. Compost amendment was more effective in decreasing macro-aggregate and silt+clay fraction-specific activities than fertilizer NPK. Tillage and residue levels had a significant impact on soil organic carbon accumulation between 0 and 15 centimeters, but not between 15 and 30 centimeters. The SOC content of plots that used raised beds permanently and retained residue was 19.44 g kg-1, but the SOC content of plots that used zero-tilling was only 18.53 g kg-1. SOC levels in puddled rice grafts and conventionally tilled wheat were both 15.86 g kg-1. When compared to plots where the residue was removed, those where it was left but not tilled sequestered 0.91 g kg-1yr-1 SOC. After receiving NT treatments, the concentration of DOC in three different soil depths (bulk, >0.25 mm aggregate, and 0-5 cm soil) increased by 15.5%, 29.5%, and 14.1%, respectively. Increases in MBC ranged from 11.2% to 11.5% to 20%. The 0-50 cm depth SOC stock increased from 49.89 Mg ha-1 to 53.03 Mg ha-1 when the residue was removed. SOC stock was grown by 50 centimeters by rotational farming, but by just 5.35 percent through no-till farming. Bulk soil SOC was 12.9% higher in S treatments compared to NS treatments that removed crop residue, as were >0.25 mm aggregate (11.3%) and 0.25 mm aggregate (14.1%). While NT treatments increased DOC by 15.5%, 29.5%, and 14.1% in bulk soil, >0.25 mm aggregate, and 0.25 mm aggregate in the 0-5 cm soil layer, respectively, CT treatments increased MBC by 11.2%, 11.2%, and 20%. The 0-5 cm soil layer, bulk soil, and >0.25 mm aggregate all saw increases in DOC content of 23.2%, 25.0%, and 37.5% after receiving S treatments compared to NS treatments, while MBC increased by 29.8%, 30.2%, and 24.1%.
ABSTRACT
Nutritional deficits in humans and animals constitute a hidden epidemic in many impoverished areas across the world. The staple foods of developing South Asian and African nations, such as rice, wheat, and maize, are poor in micronutrients. In recent past, a lack of food diversification i.e., cereal-based crops low in minerals, is another danger to nutritional quality and security. Because of the inherently low-level accumulation of nutrients in cereal crops, they are the primary target for bio-fortification among all crops. Among different micronutrients, zinc (Zn) is an important micronutrient that plays a vital role in a variety of physiological functions, and its scarcity will result in lower crop yields and productivity. Agronomic practices like application of fertilizers in soil, nutri-priming, foliar spray etc. enhance the availability and uptake of Zn in crops. As a result, the growth and development, quality parameters and yield attributes of crop enhanced significantly. Therefore, agronomic biofortification of Zn in cereal crop is utmost important to achieve nutritional quality and food security. Furthermore, biofortification boosted the crop productivity to alleviate hidden hunger, in addition to quality aspects, proving to be a sustainable and cost-effective strategy. With soil and foliar fertiliser applications, including amendments, the agronomic interventions boost the Zn concentration in cereal crops. In this review the importance of agronomic Zn biofortification as a procedure to improve cereal yield and as an agricultural solution to solve nutritional quality and food security challenges is discussed.