Influence of Tillage and Nutrient Sources on Yield Sustainability and Soil Quality under Sorghum-Mung Bean System in Rainfed Semi-arid Tropics

• Published in: Communications in soil science and plant analysis 2009-01, Vol.40 (15-16), p.2579-2602
• Main Authors: Sharma, K.L, Grace, J. Kusuma, Srinivas, K, Venkateswarlu, B, Korwar, G.R, Sankar, G. Maruthi, Mandal, Uttam Kumar, Ramesh, V, Bindu, V. Hima, Madhavi, M, Gajbhiye, Pravin N
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alfisols; application rate; composts; conventional and reduced tillage; crop yield sustainability; cropping systems; dry environmental conditions; dryland farming; farm-based organics; fertilizers; field crops; grain yield; reduced tillage; semiarid soils; soil fertility; soil microorganisms; soil organic carbon; soil properties; soil quality; soil-quality indicators; Sorghum bicolor; sustainable agriculture; tropical soils; Vigna radiata var. radiata
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416
• DOI: 10.1080/00103620903113299

The crop production in rainfed semi-arid tropical (SAT) Alfisols is constrained by low soil organic matter, poor soil fertility, soil structural infirmities, and scarce moisture availability. To offset some of these constraints, a long-term study of tillage [conventional (CT) and reduced (RT)] and conjunctive nutrient-use treatments was conducted in SAT Alfisol at Hyderabad, India, under sorghum-mung bean system. The order of performance of the treatments in increasing the sorghum yield was 2 Mg gliricidia loppings + 20 kg nitrogen (N) through urea (T4) (93.2%) > 4 Mg compost + 20 kg N through urea (T3) (88.7%) > 40 kg N through urea (T2) (88.5%) > 4 Mg compost + 2 Mg gliricidia loppings (T5) (82.2%). In the case of mung bean, where half as much N was applied as was to the sorghum, the order of performance of the treatments in increasing the grain yields was T3 (63.6%) >T5 (60.3%) >T4 (58.0%) >T2 (49.6%). Tillage significantly influenced the hydraulic conductivity only, whereas the conjunctive nutrient-use treatments significantly influenced the predominant physical, chemical, and biological soil-quality parameters. Among the conjunctive nutrient-use treatments, T5 was found to be superior in influencing the majority of the soil-quality parameters and increased the organic carbon by 21.6%, available N by 24.5%, dehydrogenase activity by 56.1%, microbial biomass carbon by 38.8%, labile carbon by 20.3%, and microbial biomass nitrogen by 38.8% over the unamended control and proved superior most in improving soil quality.