Summary
Worldwide, conservation agriculture practices involving minimal soil disturbances and retention of crop residue (>30%) have been practised increasingly and recognized to enhance soil health by optimizing key soil attributes. However, little information is available on the short‐term effects of conservation agriculture practices on soil properties under rainfed Vertisols of Central India. Thus, our aim was to study the short‐term effects of contrasting tillage treatments and cropping systems on soil aggregation, aggregate‐associated carbon (C), carbon pools and crop productivity. This study comprised three tillage systems (TS), reduced tillage (RT), no tillage (NT) with retention of crop residue and conventional tillage (CT), together with four cropping systems (CS), namely soya bean (Glycine max L.) + pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) (2:1), soya bean–wheat (Titricum durum L.), maize (Zea mays L.) + pigeon pea (1:1), and maize–chickpea Cicer arietinum L.). The experiment was laid out in a split‐plot design with three replicates. Soil samples were collected at four depths: 0–5, 5–15, 15–30 and 30–45 cm from the experimental field after completion of four crop cycles. Results indicated that at depths 0–5 and 5–15 cm, tillage and cropping system had a significant effect on aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD). The MWDs of 0.97 and 0.94 mm were larger for NT than CT (0.77 and 0.83 mm) at 0–5‐ and 5–15‐cm depths, respectively. Water‐stable aggregates (WSAs) were also larger for NT (70.74%) and RT (70.09%) than CT (59.50%) at 0–5 cm. Tillage practice, cropping system and their interaction had a greater effect (P < 0.05) on the content of aggregate‐associated C for large macroaggregates (LM). There was more aggregate‐associated C for NT and RT at 0–5‐cm depth than for CT. Cropping system also had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on aggregate‐associated C at 0–5‐cm depth. Soil organic C (%) fractions were in the order of non‐labile >very labile >less labile >labile for 0–5‐ and 5–15‐cm depths after four crop cycles. Less labile and non‐labile C fractions contributed >50% of TOC, indicating a more recalcitrant form of carbon present in the soil. Tillage had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on crop yields after four crop cycles. Conservation agriculture can have a positive effect on aggregate stability, aggregate‐associated C and different carbon pools in a Vertisol.
Highlights
Does conservation agriculture affect soil aggregation, aggregate stability and carbon pools more than conventional tillage?
The SOC concentration increases with aggregate size and provides physical protection and stabilization of carbon (C).
Aggregate‐associated C content was significantly affected by tillage practices and cropping system.
Less labile and non‐labile C fractions contribute >50% TOC in the rainfed Vertisols of central India.
Litterfall and fine root production is a major pathway for carbon and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. We investigated leaf litterfall, fineroot mass, production and turnover rate in the upper soil (0-30 cm) under four major tree species (Leucaena leucocephala, Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta indica, Prosopis juliflora) of the semi-arid region of India. All the four tree species showed an unimodal peak of leaf litterfall with distinct seasonality. Leucaena leucocephala and Acacia nilotica had maximum leaf litterfall between September and December while Azadirachta indica and Prosopis juliflora shed most of their leaves between February and May. Annual leaf litterfall of the four species ranged from 3.3 Mg ha −1 (Leucaena leucocephala) to 8.1 Mg ha −1 (Prosopis juliflora). Marked seasonal variations in amount of fine root biomass were observed in all the four tree species. Fine root production was maximum in Prosopis juliflora (171 g m −2 y −1 ) followed by Azadirachta indica (169 g m −2 y −1 ), Acacia nilotica (106 g m −2 y −1 ) and Leucaena leucocephala (79 g m −2 y −1 ). Fine root biomass showed a seasonal peak after the rainy season but fell to its lowest value during the winter and dry summer season. Fine root turnover rate ranged from 0.56 to 0.97 y −1 and followed the order Azadirachta indica > Leucaena leucocephala > Prosopis juliflora > Acacia nilotica. The results of this study demonstrated that Prosopis juliflora and Azadirachta indica had greater capability for maintaining site productivity as evidenced from greater leaf litterfall and fine root production.
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