Effect of Long-term Crop-Residue Management on Soil Properties in Rice-Wheat Cropping System
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Date
2018
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Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur)
Abstract
A study was conducted in an ongoing field experiment under AICRP on “Micro-and Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soils and Plants” in a calcareous soil in north-west alluvial plains of Bihar at Research Farm of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa. The experimental design was split-plot with four crop-residue (0, 25, 50 & 100%) levels in main plots and four levels of Zn application (0, 2.5, 5.0 & 10 kg ha-1) in sub-plots.
Post-harvest surface soil samples after 23rdwheat crop were analyzed for physical and chemical properties, viz., bulk density, water-stable macroaggregates (WSMA), water holding capacity (WHC), volumetric water content, pH, EC, organic carbon (OC), total organic carbon, oxidisable organic carbon fractions, and aggregate-associated carbon, phosphorus and zinc.
Recycling of increasing levels of crop-residue enhanced significantly the properties of soil like WHC, soil aggregation, organic carbon, and aggregate-associated carbon, whereas suppressing effect of crop-residue on pH and bulk density of soil was observed. Organic carbon content increased by 7.18, 20.22, 34.21% in treatments receiving 25, 50 and 100% crop residue, respectively as compared to that receiving no crop-residue treatment. Water-stable macroaggregates (>0.25 mm) increased significantly by 49% in the treatment receiving 100% crop-residue in comparison with that with no residue. Carbon content in both macro-(>0.25mm) and micro-aggregates (<0.25mm) increased with increase in crop-residue levels. Oxidizable organic carbon fractions in surface soil were found to be in the order: non-labile (46.6%) > very labile (31.0%) > labile (17.3%) > less labile (5.1%).
The concentration of available phosphorus and zinc within water-stable aggregate showed an inverse relationship with aggregate size. WSMA, WHC, OC, oxidisable organic carbon fractions and macro- and micro- aggregate-associated carbon were significantly and positively correlated with yield of rice and wheat, whereas bulk density was negatively correlated.
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