Adequate nitrogen availability to plants for growth is one of the most important reasons for fertilizer application. Though organic alternatives are recommended, there is uncertainty of their nutrient release characteristics, especially during critical growth stages of a crop. In a 10-year-long experiment on nutrient management for rice-wheat cropping, ion exchange resin (IER) membrane strips were used as plant root simulators to determine daily NH 4 +-N and NO 3 −-N availability in soil solution during the rice growing season. The management included inorganic fertilizers at 100% recommended rate (F), compared to reduced rate (55%) of inorganic fertilizers supplemented with organic inputs via green manuring with Sesbania (GM), biomass incorporation of an opportunity legume crop-green gram (Vigna radiata) (LE), 1/3rd wheat stubble retention and soil incorporation (WS), 1/3rd rice stubble retention and soil incorporation (RS), and farmyard manure application (FYM). The total amount of available N (NH 4 + + NO 3 −) recorded for the full season was in the order GM (221 μg cm −2) > F (184 μg cm −2) > RS (181 μg cm −2) > FYM (176 μg cm −2) > WS (176 μg cm −2) > LE (175 μg cm −2). Both grain and straw yield related directly and significantly to the N mineralization in soil at 30-60 days after transplanting (DAT), indicating that fertilizer N application before 30 DAT and after 60 DAT could mostly be a loss in transplanted rice crop. Green manured (GM) soils maintained steadily high N mineralization rates throughout the rice growing period. The best alternative to cut down inorganic fertilizer use in rice cropping would be the biomass incorporation from leguminous green manuring crops. Integration of organics afforded almost 50% reduction in recommended inorganic fertilizer use while maintaining better N mineralization status at the critical growth stages of rice.

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Improving the farming system to attain the household level self‐sufficiency, land utilization efficiency and sustainable livelihood security depends on better socio‐economic and ecological aspects of the systems practiced by the small farmers in the semiarid regions of India. The higher sustainable livelihood security index (SLSI) in the integrated crops‐livestock system helps to restore economic and ecological sustainability. The aim of this study was to analyze how various modules of farming in different combinations have interacted with the diversification of existing systems. We used the ecological security index (ESI), economic efficiency index (EEI), and social equity index (SEI) to produce a SLSI of improved integrated farming system (IFS) compared with benchmark farming in semiarid regions. In this study, different existing IFS comprising of seven modules (field crops, dairy, goats, poultry, horticulture, fishery, and apiary) in different combinations were examined. Results revealed that 72.5% farmers preferred to integrate two modules, where as 95% of farmers adopted field crops + dairy (FC + D) in preference to other modules. The sustainability indicators: ESI (+43.3%), EEI (+16.0%), SEI (+11.6%), and SLSI (+6.0%) were improved in the FC + D farming system to a greater degree than other IFS module combinations. Similarly, improved IFS interventions also increased sustainability indicators over benchmark farming. Based on large scale household studies over 5 years, our findings suggest that the improved IFS succeeded in providing a wider array of livelihood security than existing practices. Hence, the paradigm shift from component approach to an IFS‐based resilient system, which is economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and socially acceptable, is needed for development of semiarid regions.