Asian Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
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A thorough Analysis of Crop Stubble Burning Mitigation Using Pusa Decomposer: A Comprehensive Review
No full textAgricultural residue burning, particularly stubble burning in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, has emerged as a critical environmental crisis affecting air quality, soil health, and human welfare across South Asia. This comprehensive review examines the Pusa Decomposer technology developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) as a sustainable alternative to traditional stubble burning practices. The technology employs a consortium of four fungal species (Trichoderma asperellum, T. harzianum, T. viride, and T. longibrachiatum) that accelerate crop residue decomposition through enzymatic breakdown of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin components. Field trials across multiple agro-climatic zones demonstrate that Pusa Decomposer achieves 70-80% decomposition rates within 20-25 days, significantly reducing the 116 million tonnes of crop residues burned annually in northern India. The technology delivers substantial environmental benefits, including 80% reduction in major air pollutants, improved soil organic carbon content (5-15% increase), and enhanced carbon sequestration. Economic analysis reveals net benefits of INR 4,000-6,000 per hectare, with implementation costs of only INR 500-800 per hectare. The technology\u27s scalability potential is enhanced by its low infrastructure requirements and compatibility with existing farming practices. However, adoption challenges include limited farmer awareness and inadequate technical support. This review concludes that Pusa Decomposer represents a transformative solution for sustainable crop residue management, requiring coordinated policy interventions
Optimisation of Nutrient Sources for Improving Growth, Yield, and Quality of Yardlong Bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesuipedalis L.)
No full textIn India, vegetable production is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the growing population, and the extent of cultivated land is also limited. Therefore, the potential of vegetable production must be fully exploited through the intensification of improved agronomic practices. Among the different vegetables cultivated in India, vegetable cowpea or yard long bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis L.) holds an important place due to its high nutritional value and wide consumer preference, making yield and quality significant factors. The paper aims to optimise nutrient sources for improving growth, yield, and quality of yardlong bean. A field experiment was conducted during June 2024 at the Olericulture Block of Sri Krishnadevaraya College of Horticultural Sciences, Ananthapuramu, to evaluate the effects of organic manures, inorganic fertilizers, biochar and bioinoculants on the growth and yield of yard long bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. Sesquipedalis L.) under semi-arid conditions. The trial was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) with 18 treatments replicated thrice. The treatments included control, rhizobium inoculation, different levels of NPK, farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, biochar and their various combinations. Significant variation was observed among treatments for vegetative, reproductive and yield traits. The treatment T₁₈ (35:70:35 NPK kg ha-1 + 4 t ha-1 biochar) recorded the maximum vine length (532.87 cm), leaf area index (3.42), dry matter production (2632.17 g plant-1), minimum days to flowering (32.96 days) and the highest number of leaves (219.76) and pods (66.3) per plant. It also produced the longest pods (54.76 cm), greatest pod girth (3.28 cm), maximum pod weight (15.32 g), highest number of seeds per pod (12.82) and the maximum yield (3812.37 kg ha-1). In contrast, the control (T₁) consistently recorded the lowest values across parameters. The findings clearly demonstrate that the integrated application of 35:70:35 NPK kg ha-1 with 4 t ha-1 biochar is highly effective in enhancing growth and yield performance of yard long bean under semi-arid conditions. From the present study, it can be concluded that the application of organic manures or inorganic fertilizers alone did not produce significant improvements in the growth and yield parameters of yard long bean. Treatments involving organic fertilizers showed better performance than the control, while increasing fertilizer dosage further enhanced growth and yield attributes
Response of Orange Seedlings to Soil Addition of Some Organic Wastes, Vermicomposting Extract and Foliar Nutrient Amino-F24
No full textAn experiment was carried out in a shaded private nursery located in Awfi, Babylon Province, from October 1, 2023, to June 1, 2024, to investigate the one-year growth response of orange seedlings. The experiment was based on three experimental factors. The first factor included soil application of organic fertilizers at three levels; the control, poultry manure at 500 g L⁻¹ and cow manure at 500 g L⁻¹and. The second factor was the application of vermicompost extract at two levels via soil and control, 10 ml L⁻¹. The third factor consisted of foliar spraying of AMINO F24 at three levels; the control, 5 ml L⁻¹, and 10 ml L⁻¹. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The data were analyzed using Genstat 2010 software, and the Least Significant Difference at a 5% level was used for mean comparison. It was done to detect the interaction or main effect of factors. The control or untreated plants exhibited the lowest values. On the other hand, control plants showed the lowest values in most studied parameters
Soil Health: Exploring Components, Indicators and Sustainable Management Strategies for Ensured Food and Nutritional Security
No full textSoil and water are the two critical natural resource components that support healthy agricultural systems. In a period marked by a growing global population, the link between soil health and food security becomes crucial for sustainable development and building resilient agricultural systems. Soil, a vital natural resource, is pivotal in supporting plant growth by supplying essential nutrients and offering mechanical support. It encompasses the physical, chemical, and biological attributes that collectively dictate the effective and efficient functioning of the soil. Within agroecosystems, soil undergoes manipulation through processes like input addition, nutrient extraction, alterations in water balance, and microbial activity, influencing various properties. However, in recent decades, severe deterioration in soil health has been reported across global agricultural production systems. The adoption of high-input responsive high-yielding crop varieties coupled with subsidized chemical inputs to meet growing global food security challenges has resulted in the misuse and abuse of these inputs thereby damaging physical, chemical, and biological soil health. As per the surveys conducted across India, most of the soils are reported to be deficient in essential micronutrients. Recognizing the global implications of soil health on food security underscores the necessity for international collaboration, informed policies, research, and technology investments. This articlecovers the components, indicators, and sustainable soil health management strategies. The objective is to enhance soil health, ultimately contributing to sustainable global food security by ensuring the productivity and resilience of agricultural systems. The comprehensive exploration of these aspects underscores the need for a holistic approach to address the challenges associated with soil health on a global scale.
 
Effects of NPK Fertilizer and Super Absorbent Polymer on Soil Moisture, Water Use Efficiency, Growth and Yield of Amaranthus (Amaranthus dubius) in Kilifi County
No full textAmaranth is an important leafy vegetable crop that provides nutrition inform of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and other health benefits to humans. It does well in a variety of climatic conditions so long as the soils are of fertile, free draining and of good moisture availability. However, its production in Kilifi and much of the Coastal Kenya is constrained mainly by factors such as soil moisture stress and unbalanced nutrition. Therefore, to inform on conditions necessary for its sustainable production in the region, a study was set to evaluate the use of climate smart technologies, namely Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP), and NPK fertilizer. The study sought to determine the effects of NPK fertilizer and (SAP) rates on soil moisture, water-use efficiency, growth and yields of Amaranths in Kilifi county. Thus, a3 by 3 factorial experiment laid in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications was set at Pwani University Crop Science Research Farm between October and December 2022 and from January and March 2023. Two factors were involved namely; SAP at 3 levels ((S0= 0 gm(0kg/ha), S1 = 2.5 gm (250 kg/ha) and S2 = 5 gm (500 kg/ha)) and NPK fertilizer at 3 levels: ((N0= 0 gm (kg/ha), N1 = 10 gm (200 kg/ ha) and N2 = 20 gm (400 kg/ha)). Data was collected on soil moisture content, water-use efficiency, plant height, leaf area, leaf chlorophyll content, stem diameter, number of leaves per plant, branch number, harvestable yield, fresh weight and dry matter. Soil analysis was conducted for pH, macro and micro nutrients before planting and after harvesting. The collected data for each variable was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS software 14th edition and the means obtained subjected to Tukey’s Honestly Significant Difference Test for comparison at 5% level of significance. The results indicated that use of SAP and NPK enhanced soil moisture, WUE, growth and yield of Amaranths. However, significant interaction effects were notable when SAP and NPK fertilizer were combined; followed by NPK fertilizer without SAP; followed by SAP alone and lastly control
Impact of Different Organic Amendments on the Physicochemical Properties of Contaminated Soil under Bundelkhand Region
No full textThis study investigates the impact of different organic amendments on the physicochemical properties of contaminated soil of Bundelkhand region of Bachaoli Bujurg. Contaminated soils often exhibit acidic pH, nutrient deficiencies, and reduced microbial activity, which limit soil functionality and plant growth. Application of organic amendments—FYM, kitchen waste compost, and vermicompost—ameliorates soil acidity through cation release and organic acid buffering, enhancing nutrient availability, stimulating microbial activity, and immobilizing toxic metals, thereby improving soil fertility and promoting sustainable plant growth.
Treatments included farmyard manure (FYM), kitchen waste compost (KWC), vermicompost (VC), and their combinations, applied at two levels (5 t ha⁻¹ and 10 t ha⁻¹). Soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and organic carbon (OC) were measured before and after amendment application. Results demonstrated that organic amendments improved soil quality, with notable changes in pH, EC, and OC, suggesting their potential for soil remediation. Baseline analyses indicated that contaminated soils were strongly acidic (pH < 5.0), low in organic carbon (0.51–0.76%), and exhibited variable electrical conductivity (EC, 0.39–0.69 dS/m).
The highest Organic carbon (OC%) increment was observed in T11 (FYM + Kitchen Waste Compost + Vermicompost, 1.19%), while treatments T9 (Contaminated soil + FYM 5 t + Vermicompost 5 t ha⁻¹) and T10 (Contaminated soil + Kitchen Waste Compost 5 t + Vermicompost 5 t ha⁻¹) also demonstrated marked improvements in pH and OC. In contrast, the unamended contaminated control showed further acidification, decreased organic carbon, and suboptimal Electrical conductivity
Impact of Combined Application of Irrigation, Fertilization along with Mulching on Soil and Leaf Nutrient Dynamics, Fruit Yield and Quality of Mango cv. Banganpalli
No full textSoil moisture and nutrients are critical for agricultural productivity, especially in arid and semiarid regions where they limit crop growth. This study examines the combined use of irrigation, mulching, and fertigation in southern Telangana, India, to enhance water and nutrient availability, assessing soil and leaf nutrient dynamics, fruit yield, and quality of mango. The present experiment conducted over two years with 16 treatments replicated thrice, it includes four irrigation (basin irrigation at 1.2 m³/plant every 10 days, drip at 75%, 100%, 125% ETc daily) and four fertilization levels (500 g N&K via soil post-fruit set, 250, 375, 500 g of N&K via fertigation in three equal doses at 15-day intervals post-fruit set) and all the plants were mulched with silver colored polyethylene of 100 microns. The study found that 125% ETc with 375 g N&K fertigation and mulching significantly enhanced leaf nutrient and soil moisture availability (50%), water and nutrient use efficiency, fruit yield (60%), quality, and benefit-cost ratio, while saving 12.5% fertilizer compared to basin irrigation (1.2 m³ water) with 500 g N&K soil application. Similarly, 75% ETc with 500 g N&K fertigation and mulching improved leaf, soil nutrients, moisture, water and nutrient use efficiency, fruit yield (50%) and with 30% water savings compared to basin irrigation and soil fertilization. Future studies should validate these findings across diverse soil and climates to confirm the broader applicability of 125% ETc drip irrigation with 375 g N&K fertigation plant-1 and mulching as a fertilizer-saving approach, and 75% ETc drip irrigation with 500 g N&K fertigation plant-1 and mulching as a water-saving approach for mango cultivation
Effect of Different Levels of Nitrogen and Phosphorus on Growth and Yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
No full textThe present investigation entitled “Effect of different levels of nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)” Variety Pusa ruby was carried out. The experimental material consisted 12 treatments replication thrice. The experiment was conducted at the Research farm of the School of Agriculture Science, Technology Research, Sardar Patel University, Balaghat (M.P.). The sowing of experimental material was shown transplanted in the main field on 05 December 2023 with Randomized Block Design (RBD) and was statistically analyzed. The data were recorded on five randomly selected plants. The overall results obtained from this present investigation revealed that the application of T11 (Nitrogen @120kg/ha+ Phosphorus @80 kg/ha) showed the better performance for vegetative growth (plant height, flowering of plant, number of fruits per plant), yield attributes [number of fruit per plant, fruit yield per plant (kg), fruit yield per plot (kg), fruit yield per hectare (g), of tomato except be useful to enhance the productivity
Impact of TNAU Pulse Wonder on Physiological and Yield Parameters in Blackgram (Vigna mungo)
No full textInvestigations were undertaken to study the effect of pulse wonder on growth and productivity of black gram variety CO 6. Morphological and growth characters were measured at seven days after the foliar application of MAP and Pulse wonder and physiological and biochemical parameters were estimated at seven days after the foliar application of MAP and Pulse wonder of green gram. The number of pods per plant and yield per plant were assessed at the time of harvest of green gram. The foliar application of pulse wonder @ 2 kg per acre favourably influenced the shoot length and root length. The number of leaves was increased due to foliar application of pulse wonder @ 2 kg per acre. Increase in the total dry matter production was recorded by the foliar spray of pulse wonder @ 2 kg per acre in black gram. There was also increase in the Leaf Area Index (LAI) and chlorophyll Stability Index of the leaf due to foliar spray of pulse wonder @ 2 kg per acre in black gram. The biochemical constituents such as soluble protein content and the activity of nitrate reductase were also greatly enhanced by the foliar spray of pulse wonder @ 2 kg per acre treatment in black gram. The number of pods per plant was significantly increased by the foliar application of pulse wonder @ 2 kg per acre in black gram. The overall results as evidenced by the yield per plant in black gram revealed that foliar spray of pulse wonder @ 2 kg per acre is advantageous and can be recommended for foliar application by the farmers to increase the black gram production and productivity
Role of Conservation Tillage Strategies in Reducing Soil Degradation and Enhancing Water Infiltration
No full textConservation tillage practices, including no-till, strip-till, and mulch-till, have gained prominence as sustainable agriculture methods to mitigate soil degradation and improve water infiltration. This study evaluates the impact of different conservation tillage strategies on soil health parameters and water dynamics in agricultural systems. Field experiments were conducted at multiple sites across India, comparing conventional tillage with conservation tillage treatments. Soil samples were analysed for organic matter content, aggregate stability, bulk density, and nutrient levels. Water infiltration rates were measured using double-ring infiltrometers. Results showed that conservation tillage, particularly no-till and strip-till, significantly improved soil organic matter, aggregate stability, and porosity compared to conventional tillage. Water infiltration rates were enhanced by up to 45% under conservation tillage practices. Mulch-till also showed benefits, though to a lesser extent. Crop yields under conservation tillage were comparable to conventional tillage, indicating no yield penalty. In case of conservation tillage practices, No-till (NT) and Strip-till (ST) recorded 18-35% higher Soil organic carbon (SOC) compared to Conventional tillage (CT), while Mulch-till (MT) showed 10-20% improvement. For Aggregate stability, NT and ST treatments exhibited 25-40% higher mean weight diameter (MWD) values at both depths, followed by MT with 15-25% improvement. For soil nutrients, NT and ST maintained 10-20% higher nutrient levels compared to CT, while MT showed 5-10% improvement. Lastly, in case of crop yield, NT and ST maintained yields similar to CT in most cases, while MT showed a 5-10% yield reduction in some instances. The findings suggest that adopting conservation tillage strategies can effectively combat soil degradation, improve water retention and infiltration, and sustain agricultural productivity in India. Further research is needed to optimise conservation tillage practices for different cropping systems and agro-ecological regions