Author(s):

RK Naresh, RK Gupta, SS Dhaliwal, Kanti Tyagi, Saurabh Tyagi, KS Krishna Prasad, Lali Jat and Prachi Tyagi

Abstract: Soil tillage can affect the stability and formation of soil aggregates by disrupting soil structure. Frequent tillage deteriorates clay-humus stability of soil organic matter and microbial biomass causing them to be susceptible to decay. Different types of tillage systems affect soil physical properties and organic matter content, in turn influencing the formation of aggregates. The objective of this review paper was to evaluate the effect of conventional tillage on clay-humus stability of soil organic matter and microbial biomass, soil aggregates and aggregate associated carbon in an inceptisol of western Uttar Pradesh, India under rice-wheat cropping system and to identify the optimal conservation tillage and residue management practices in this system. Moreover, irrespective of tillage practices, residue retention resulted in 22.56% and 25.61% higher WSC as compared to the non-residue treatments in surface and sub-surface soil, respectively. Residue incorporation increased the SOC stock by 3.1Mgha–1 or 6.8%. Average annual SOC sequestration was 78 kg ha–1 year–1. The average difference in C input due to residue incorporation was 2.3Mgha–1 year–1. The MBC contents in both surface and sub-surface soil were significantly higher in plots receiving 100% RDN as CF+ VC @ 5tha-1 and 75% RDN as CF+ VC @ 5tha-1 treated plots compared to 100% RDN as CF fertilizer and unfertilized control plots. The values of LFC in surface soil (0-15 cm) were 81.3, 95.7, 107.8, 128.8, 155.2, 177.8 and 52.7 mgkg−1 in ZT and FIRB without residue retention, ZT and FIRB with 4 and 6 tha-1 residue retention and CT treatments.

Pages: 3020-3043  |  1373 Views  607 Downloads

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