Bio-Compost-Based Integrated Soil Fertility Management Improves Post-Harvest Soil Structural and Elemental Quality in a Two-Year Conservation Agriculture Practice

The impacts of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) in conservation agriculture need short-term evaluation before continuation of its long-term practice. A split-split plot experiment with tillage (minimum tillage, MT vs. conventional tillage, CT) as the main plot, residue (20% residue, R vs. no residue as a control, NR) as the sub-plot, and compost (Trichocompost, LC; bio-slurry, BS; and recommended fertilization, RD) as the sub-sub plot treatment was conducted for two consecutive years. Composite soils were collected after harvesting the sixth crop of an annual mustard-rice-rice rotation to analyze for nutrient distribution and soil structural stability. The LC increased rice equivalent yield by 2% over RD and 4% over BS, and nitrogen (N) uptake by 11% over RD and 10% over BS. Likewise, LC had higher soil organic carbon (SOC), N, and available sulphur (S) than BS and RD. Conversion of CT to MT reduced rice equivalent yield by 11%, N uptake by 26%, and N-use efficiency by 28%. Conversely, soil structural stability and elemental quality was greater in MT than in CT, indicating the potential of MT to sequester C, N, P, and S in soil aggregates. Residue management increased rice yield in the second year by 4% and corresponding N uptake by 8%. While MT reduced the yield, our results suggest that ISFM with Trichocompost and residue retention under MT improves soil fertility and physical stability to sustain crop productivity.

Automated summary

The study demonstrated that Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) in conservation agriculture can increase rice equivalent yield and nitrogen uptake, while minimum tillage (MT) positively affects soil structural stability and elemental quality. Using Trichocompost and retaining residue under MT can improve soil fertility and physical stability, thereby sustaining crop productivity.