Impact of organic‐manure combinations on the productivity and soil quality in different cropping systems in central India

Abstract

In a field experiment, the effect of combination of different organic manures on the productivity of crops and soil quality were evaluated in deep vertisols of central India. Combinations of cattle dung manure (CDM), poultry manure (PM), and vermicompost (VC) vis‐à‐vis mineral fertilizers were tested in four cropping systems involving soybean (Glycine max L.), durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.), mustard (Brassica juncea L.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), and isabgol (Plantago ovata Forsk). The organic manures were applied based on the N‐equivalent basis and nutrient requirement of individual crop. The grain yields of durum wheat and isabgol were higher in the treatment that received a combination of CDM + VC + PM whereas in mustard, CDM + PM and in chickpea, CDM + VC recorded the higher yields. The yield levels in these organic‐manure combinations were similar to the yields obtained with mineral fertilizers. Among the cropping systems, soybean–durum wheat and among the nutrient sources, the combination of CDM + VC + PM recorded the highest total productivity. At the end of the 3‐year cropping cycle, application of organic manures improved the soil‐quality parameters viz., soil organic carbon (SOC), soil available nutrients (N, P, and K), soil enzymes (dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase), and microbial biomass C in the top 0–15 cm soil. Bulk density and mean weight diameter of the soil were not affected by the treatments. Among the cropping systems, soybean–durum wheat recorded the highest SOC and accumulated higher soil available N, P, and K. In conclusion, the study clearly demonstrated that the manures applied in different combinations improved the soil quality and produced the grain yields which are at par with mineral fertilizers.

Organic and inorganic fertilizer application enhances the effect of Bradyrhizobium on nodulation and yield of peanut (Arachis hypogea L.) in nutrient depleted and sandy soils of Ethiopia

“…However, the results showed that DAP and organic inputs increased the available P in both soils. The increase in P due to organic fertilizer application could be organic acids production as a result of microbial decomposition of organic matter, which can solubilize the native unavailable inorganic P beside serve as source of inorganic P (Ramesh et al 2009). …”

Productivity, Nutrient Balance, Soil Quality, and Sustainability of Rice (Oryza sativaL.) under Organic and Conventional Production Systems

“…A further reason for the SOC increase may be the slow decomposition of applied and native soil organic matter due to prevailing anoxic conditions and formation of difficult-to-decompose SOC under a rice-rice system (Ponnamperuma 1984). Reductions in bulk density with the application of organic manures were reported by Prakash, Bhadoria, and Rakshit (2002) and Ramesh et al (2009). Superior soil fertility status on organic farms compared to soils fertilized with chemical fertilizers was reported by Sharma and Singh (2004), Kharub andChander (2008), andKumari et al (2010).…”

“…The recession in the crop yields during initial phase of transition from conventional to organic agriculture and recovery in yields after 2-3 years was reported by Sharma and Mohan Singh (2004) and Ramesh et al (2009). Yield losses of organically grown rice of 24% are reported (Mader et al 2002), though organic farming system showed efficient resource utilization.…”

“…Significant improvements in soil physical, fertility, and biological properties have been reported in several organic farming experiments (Carpenter-Boggs, Kennedy, and Reganold 2000;Ramesh et al 2009). Although grain yield under organic farming is often less than under conventional farming due to so-called organic transition effect, it is feasible to have increased rice yields under the former (Saini and Pandey 2009).…”

Organic matter sources in the composition of pelletized organomineral fertilizers used in sorghum crops

“…Therefore, there is a great efficiency in the use of organomineral fertilizer due to the slow release of nutrients during the plant growth (Ramesh at al., 2009;Hazra, 2016). Thus, even with the application of small amounts of organomineral fertilizer, there is a great advantage for the plant due to the nutrient slow release.…”