Impact of integrated farming system on residue recycling, nutrient budgeting and soil health

Abstract

In this study, the effects of integrated farming system on residue recycling and soil quality in rice-based integrated farming systems have been examined. The effective nutrient budget for nitrogen was found higher with rice-fishpoultry- cowpea and the negative values were obtained for rice-chili and rice-baby corn systems. However, the effective budgets for phosphorus and potassium were negative in all these cropping systems. The results indicated that, about ten tonnes of organic matter was recycled, and the major share was from the dairy unit (~52%) in the form of dung and cow urine. Total internal nutrient supply due to recycling was estimated at 55 kg of nitrogen, 17 kg phosphorus and 76 kg of potassium, which is equivalent to 118 kg urea, 106 kg single super phosphate and 126 kg muriate of potash, thus reduction in cost of inputs. In the rice+fish+poultry-cowpea system, the indices of soil quality showed higher values, which indicated the improvement in soil fertility due to availability of poultry manure, plankton production, and the continuous fish activity. The current study confirmed that available N, DHA, Zn, B and Fe as the key indicators of soil quality under humid tropics of west coast India, which greatly influence the soil functions and soil productivity. The study conclusively reveals that integration of dairy, fishery, poultry components with diversified cropping systems in coastal lowland ecosystem is essential to improve the nutrient use efficiency and for enrichment of soil fertility.

The integrated farming system is an environmentally friendly and cost‐effective approach to the sustainability of agri‐food systems in the modern era of the changing climate: A comprehensive review

“…Bieluczyk et al (2020) found that shifting from extensive low-grazing pasture to integrated crop-livestock increased soil organic carbon while introducing eucalyptus rows led to a decrease and subsequent intensification (from integrated croplivestock to integrated crop-livestock-fish) resulted in reduced soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks indicating the positive effects of integrating the agricultural components for better soil health. However, the degree to which the various processes and nutrient fluxes in the soil are affected is dependent on the type of crops added to the cropping system, nutrient management, and animal components (Paramesh et al, 2021). Integrating livestock and fisheries with crops enhances nutrient use efficiency, nutrient recycling, and soil microbial activity, and reduces external fertilizer dependence, highlighting the positive influence of the IFS farm role in sustainable nutrient management to improve soil health (Sujatha & Bhat, 2015).…”

“…The integration of components establishes an ecological balance and harmonious relationship between agriculture and natural ecosystems, leading to significant contributions to biodiversity conservation. IFS farms integrate polycultures (annual, perennial crops, vegetables, flowers, and spices), livestock or fish with crops, cover cropping, fodder production, and rotational grazing at a single farm, resulting in heterogeneous landscapes that support overall agrobiodiversity (Paramesh et al, 2021). Duru et al (2015) stated that the intensification of ecological interactions between biophysical system components within the farm plays a vital role in conserving the microbial biodiversity in the soil as it promotes fertility, productivity, and resilience to external inputs.…”

“…), feed fodder, fiber, and fuel ensuring both food and nutritional security but these farming systems should be carefully planned, designed, implemented, and should be location specific to ensure high productivity with food and nutritional security and uplifting security livelihood (Kumar et al, 2018). The different components in IFS farms provide milk, egg, and meat from the livestock and poultry component to the small and marginal farmers which not only meets their protein requirement but also assists in achieving food and nutritional security by better use of available resources (Paramesh et al, 2021). The inclusion of different legumes, oilseed crops, vegetable crops, and fruit crops also ensures in providing quality nutrition for the family (Wezel et al, 2014).…”

“…organic fertilizer, consequently reducing chemical inputs and overall improving soil health (Babu et al, 2019;Fatima et al, 2023;Hu et al, 2012;Paramesh et al, 2019). However, the degree to which the various processes and nutrient fluxes in the soil are affected is dependent on the type of crops added to the cropping system, nutrient management, and animal components (Paramesh et al, 2021). Bieluczyk et al (2020) found that shifting from extensive low-grazing pasture to integrated crop-livestock increased soil organic carbon while introducing eucalyptus rows led to a decrease and subsequent intensification (from integrated croplivestock to integrated crop-livestock-fish) resulted in reduced soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks indicating the positive effects of integrating the agricultural components for better soil health.…”

“…The growing apprehensions regarding the negative impacts of intensive and industrialized agriculture have prompted a demand for ecologically driven sustainable practices (McKenzie et al, 2016). Therefore, to comprehensively tackle the challenges and problems emerging in agriculture, there is a need to adopt an eco-friendly holistic approach such as the integrated farming system (IFS) which serves as a multifaceted solution that not only addresses the pressing concerns related to food and nutritional security of the farmers' livelihood but also extends its benefits toward environmental conservation (Fatima et al, 2023;Paramesh et al, 2021). Mahapatra (1994) defined IFS as accessible production factors such as land, labor, capital, and management by farmers or stakeholders that are distributed to the optimum levels of qualities and quantities to the various interlinked components having complex interaction among each other.…”