Temporal changes in soil microbial properties and nutrient dynamics under climate smart agriculture practices

Area of Science:

• Soil Science
• Agronomy
• Sustainable Agriculture

Background:

• Conventional rice-wheat systems contribute to natural resource degradation in South Asia.
• Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) offers a sustainable alternative to mitigate these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of CSA practices on soil microbial biomass, enzyme activities, and nutrient dynamics in a wheat crop.
• To compare the effects of different CSA scenarios against a conventional tillage system.

Main Methods:

• A two-year study compared four scenarios: conventional tillage (CT) and three CSA systems (rice-wheat-mungbean and maize-wheat-mungbean).
• Soil samples were analyzed for chemical and biological properties (microbial biomass, enzyme activities, nutrient content) at various wheat growth stages.
• Carbon mineralization was assessed through an incubation experiment.

Main Results:

• CSA practices significantly increased microbial biomass carbon (42%) and nitrogen (79%) in surface soil.
• Enzyme activities (alkaline phosphatase, dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase) were notably higher under CSA.
• CSA scenarios showed enhanced nutrient uptake (N, P, K by 15%, 48%, 17% respectively), higher dry matter (7%), and increased wheat grain yield (∼10%) compared to CT.

Conclusions:

• CSA practices demonstrably improve soil biological properties, nutrient availability, and uptake.
• These improvements translate to higher crop yields, making CSA a viable and beneficial system for farmers.
• Promoting CSA adoption is crucial for sustainable agriculture and resource management in the region.