Conservation agriculture practices impact on biological and microbial diversity in earthworm cast under maize-wheat system.

Autor: Angmo P; Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 141001, India., Sharma S; Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 141001, India., Sidhu HS; Borlaug Institute for South Asia, Ladhowal, Ludhiana, Punjab, India, 141001., Saini KS; Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana, 141001, India.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Current research in microbial sciences [Curr Res Microb Sci] 2024 Sep 01; Vol. 7, pp. 100273. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Sep 01 (Print Publication: 2024).
DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100273
Abstrakt: Soil degradation is a major global concern due to its negative impact on soil quality and the sustainability of agricultural resources. The conservation agriculture (CA) approach, which includes three key principles such as zero tillage, retention of crop residue and crop rotation has gained widespread adoption to help mitigate the climate change effects on agricultural soils and meet the growing demand for increased production. Earthworm communities, along with microbial activity and diversity, are highly sensitive to tillage practices. Additionally, microbial activity and diversity quickly respond to different cropping systems, making them effective indicators for detecting short-term changes in soil functioning. We therefore, assess the effects of CA innovative approached after 6-years on biological and microbial diversity within earthworm cast in maize-wheat system (MWS). The treatments consist of PBM-RN 0 /ZTW-RN 0 (permanent beds No-N control-both residues removed and wheat with zero tillage); PBM+RN 0 /ZTW+RN 0 (permanent beds No-N control-both residues retained)-50% of maize stover and 25% of wheat residue retained; PBM-RN 120 /ZTW- RN 120 (permanent beds with 120 kg N ha -1 both residues removed wheat with zero tillage); PBM+RN 120 /ZTW+RN 120 (permanent beds with 120 kg N ha -1 both residues retained and wheat with zero tillage) and FBM-RN 120 /CTW-RN 120 (fresh beds in maize/CT in wheat with 120 kg N ha -1 both residues removed). The result of present study showed that activities of carbon (C) cycle-related enzymes in the cast soils viz ., dehydrogenase (DHA), β-glucosidase (β-glu), cellulase, and xylanase were significantly higher under PBM+RN 120 / ZTW+RN 120 than under PBM-RN 0 /ZTW-RN 0 . Specifically, the activities of these enzymes were 21.5, 26.8, and 76.5% higher under the PBM+RN 120 /ZTW+RN 120 treatment, respectively. Moreover, the Alk-P activity was found to be 1.3 times higher in the PBM+RN 120 /ZTW+RN 120 treatment than in the PBM-RN 0 /ZTW-RN 0 treatment. The bacterial, fungal, and actinomycete counts in the cast soil ranged from 6.87 to 7.47 CFU (colony forming units) x 10 6 g -1 soil, 3.87-3.30 CFU x 10 4 g -1 soil, and 5.09-5.67 CFU x 10 4 g -1 soil, respectively. Total organic carbon (TOC) showed significant increases of 34.6% under PBM+RN 120 /ZTW+RN 120 as compared to PBM-RN 0 /ZTW-RN 0 . The less labile C (Frac. 3), total carbohydrate carbon (TCHO), phenol oxidase (PHE) and peroxidase (PER) were observed as the sensitive indicators under different tillage, rate of nitrogen and residue management practices. This study suggests that permanent beds with crop residue retention with balance fertilization practices can be recommended and popularized to the overall improvement of soil biological pools within earthworm casts in MWS.
Competing Interests: None.
(© 2024 The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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