Long-Term Impact of Different Straw Management Practices on Carbon Fractions and Biological Properties under Rice–Wheat System

Rajeev Kumar Gupta (), Hitesh Hans, Anu Kalia, Jasjit Singh Kang, Jagroop Kaur, Paramjit Kaur Sraw, Anmol Singh, Abed Alataway, Ahmed Z. Dewidar and Mohamed A. Mattar ()
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Rajeev Kumar Gupta: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
Hitesh Hans: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
Anu Kalia: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
Jasjit Singh Kang: Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
Jagroop Kaur: Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
Paramjit Kaur Sraw: Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
Anmol Singh: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
Abed Alataway: Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water Chair, Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water and Desert Research, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Ahmed Z. Dewidar: Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water Chair, Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water and Desert Research, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed A. Mattar: Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water Chair, Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water and Desert Research, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-16

Abstract: Intensive agriculture has led to generation of a vast volume of agri-residue, prompting a reliance on conservation tillage techniques for prudent management. However, to ascertain the long-term impacts of these practices, the interrelation with the carbon fractions and the biological properties of the soil must be identified. Therefore, in a long-term experiment, five different treatments involving the incorporation of paddy straw as mulch or through disc harrow and farmer practice, including the partial burning of rice straw, were evaluated. After the harvesting of the wheat crop, soil samples collected from 3 different depths (0–15, 15–30 and 30–45 cm) were analyzed for various attributes critical to assessing soil health. Crop residue retention in both seasons (T4) improved carbon fractions, soil microflora viable cell counts and enzyme activities. The principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a positive interaction among the organic carbon, bacterial counts and soil enzyme activities. Thus, a positive impact of conservation tillage techniques involving a minimal disturbance was recorded as improvement in the soil properties, build-up of organic carbon, and wheat productivity in rice–wheat cropping systems.

Keywords: carbon pools; no-till; crop residue; microflora community; enzymes activities; Happy Seeder (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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